POR-15 for rust

[shpepin]

Hey i just bought a 2002 protege5. obviously it has rust on the wheel arches like 80% of all p5's. im planning on using some por-15 on it. anyone have any experience using it? is it even worth doing?
also i cant seem to find the colour code, where is it usually located??

thanks

[iJay]

Color code is in the door jam on the drivers side of the vehicle.
Por-15 I would send a messege to 'midnitehour' he Pretty much sealed his Protege before he traded it in. LOL

cut the metal and weld new metal in if you are thinkin of keeping the car. Por15 will only slow the rusting.

[Bagman]

I think POR-15 will completely prevent rust IF there is no rust. You would have to cut out the cancer, and weld in new metal. If you just slap on POR-15 over it, it'll just slow it down, as what iJay has suggested.

[ProBoy]

I used POR-15 about 5 years ago.

My car is still rusted.

If the rust is there, it will form under the POR-15 and then come through.

Grind it down to the metal. I did, but I didnt do as good a job as I thought.

[shpepin]

I would normally grind it out but the wheel well is basically corroded so im not sure there's any good metal left underneath, which is why i was gonna go to the por15 and see if that could keep it at bay for a bit
appreciate the feedback

[iJay]

Dont waste the time or money then, jsut get some of that spray rust proofing it will slow it down the same way.

[thuzil]

If you want to avoid welding a new fender on and want to do the best job possible, you need to grind out all of the rusted through areas and grind everything else down to bare metal. Remember that the rust can be hiding under the paint also. You need to make sure that you do this on both sides of the fender. Get some short strand fiberglass body filler and some fiberglass fabric and fill, cover all of the new, clean, holes you have made. Let it cure up overnight and then sand and reapply. Let this set, sand and apply your glazing putty. Sand and prime with high build primer, sand and paint.


You should also spray some undercoating on the inside of the fender before you paint.

This will take a couple of days, but should keep the rust away for a couple of years. No need for the POR-15 if you do this. I would save the POR-15 for painting structural members that are rusting or areas that you are not able to (or want to) get at with the grinder.

Unfortunately this will only work if you have the majority of your fender still present. You need something to work the filler and fiberglass onto.

I did this, but went the extra step of grinding off the entire lip on the inside of the fender and wrapping the entire seam with fiberglass. Saves me from rolling the fender later.

[midnitehour]

The only time i had por 15 fail on me is when the metal rusted from the other side out.
I had a paintless dent repair done, The guy scratched the paint inside the door and cracked the paint on the outiside.

I can vouch 100% that it's the toughest paint you'll find out there.
Also there's no need to remove the rust if using por-15.
You need to remove any flaking paint leaving a small "lip" of clean metal, use the "marine clean" degreaser and "metal ready" primer, dry and paint.

I lined my wheel arches with that stuff and had regular tire rubbing, and it still held up.

Also if you have metal missing, get the fiberglass reinforced body filler by por-15. and then the fine stuff.
Note you will need an angle grinder to smooth this stuff out once cured, sandpaper won't cut it.

Don't give up hope on the pro, see my miata build thread, and then you'll know what rust is.

also don't get that shit on your skin. you'll be waiting for your skin to peel off before it comes off.

[thuzil]

My engine bay is painted with the stuff and I have had not a speck of rust.

[shpepin]

Ive gone ahead and ordered the starter kit. it should be good to use on the underside of the wheel well where i wont be able to remove the rust, and for the bubbling above the arch i will grind that out.
i figure it cant look much worse than it does, and its a pretty inexpensive project so might as well try.