Inner sills ... Trying to stop them rotting again ..

[JustinMinor1000]

I had to take the kick plates off for welding and I was horrified at first to see the mass of rust in the inner sill .. I was releaved that when the rust was off and everything cleaned up that there were no thin bits and that most of what has flaked off has been paint ..

So .. I hammerited and then Waxolyed the whole of the interior of the spraying right up as far as I could and injecting through the plugs under the back seat ... Initially I filled up the cavity at the bottom to overflowing with waxoyl (ie it was leaking out of the circular holes ..)

Of course as it dried it contracted a little bit and is now at a lower level than before ..

After the rain i noticed that there was water sloshing around on top of the waxoyl ..

I'm dreadfully worried that when I refit the kickplate that water will get trapped again and rot out whereever it can ..

I had a sort of mad idea that I could fill the cavity with expanding foam... but that concerns me that it will just keep the moisture next to the metal ...

Does anyone have a good idea to keep the water and rust at bay here for good ?

[bigginger]

Are there drain holes in the lower plate to let the water out? If not, drill some - but paint bare metal afterwards.

[SR]

ello mate ,ive been thinking about this when my car is ready for the road , i will probably drill 12mm holes in bottom of sill and thin coat of waxoil,leaving kickplates off for first year to see what happens,steve

[JustinMinor1000]

Are there drain holes in the lower plate to let the water out? If not, drill some - but paint bare metal afterwards.

Well .. given that there is so much waxoyl in the cavity a hole in lowest part would not do a load of good. as all that would happen is that the waxoyl would fall out.

The outer sill parts (further back on the outside where it "Flare's" had a hole drilled when they were replaced. My opinion (which may well be wrong) is that this just let in a load of road grime and water and may have contributed to the rotting out ...

I've put two litres of waxoyl in these parts already and they are open to the air .. so I'm not worried now. but I would like a "final solution"

If I was going to drill holes I was thinking of putting "Cowls" on the holes like I've put on the sankey trailer to stop the road water and dirt coming in ..

[NZJLY]

Does your Morrie still have the trafficators - I removed mine and filled the hole, because I thought the water was running in and down.

[SR]

your not wrong bruv,mine will stay but be sealed ,probably the worst place for letting in the wet stuff

[JustinMinor1000]

Does your Morrie still have the trafficators - I removed mine and filled the hole, because I thought the water was running in and down.

Sadly way too late ... Mines a 1969 saloon ..

Interested to know what people think about the expanding foam ?

[SR]

i use it a work mate ,im a rufty tufty construction worker, youre right ,it would hold the wettedness,steve

[bigginger]

Seconded - It'd make it worse, like having a soggy carpet against the steel... and I still reckon drain holes would help, a lot of water seems to get in from the front and slosh around in there.

[rayofleamington]

sills need drain holes - the waxoil will help the steel last longet but you'll never keep them bone dry so unless the water can get out, you'll have problems in the long term.

[JustinMinor1000]

Good to know when I'm talking male bovine manure ...

I'll do some 10mm holes just before I do the new underside waxoyl ...

[chickenjohn]

Just to add my 2 olde pence.... ;)

Waxoyle- definitely (or thinner stuff inside box section like dinitrol 3125).

Drill drain holes- good idea- to let the water out. The waxoyle once set should not run out of these.

Expanding foam- bad idea, for reasons stated above.