1998 2.1 VSX Auto new project

[Dieselman]

That was a good find, John.

I think this explains the rusty rear end. Fix the leaks, it is likely to be the sealant at the upper C-D pillar, under the plastic cover.

Rust in sills and leaking rear quarter lights.

[Citjon]

Would that be why the nearside subframe mount has corroded from the inside out?

Do you mean the plastic trims on the roof? Are they supposed to come off?

[Dieselman]

Would that be why the nearside subframe mount has corroded from the inside out?

I wouldn't think so, that is more indactive of it having been left covered in mud, or salt, or the car being used for launching boats.

Do you mean the plastic trims on the roof? Are they supposed to come off?

They don't readily come off. They are stuck on with the very mastic that might have failed.
You can cut them off wiht care, but before committing to that remove the interior lining and play water over the area starting low down.

[Citjon]

Haven't made much progress on the welding or pipework but have caught up with the previous owner Joe90.

Turns out that the car was traded against a new C5 under some kind of scrappage scheme in 2019, so he was shocked to hear it has survived.

He owned it for 8 or 9 years and filled in quite a lot of the history, including the water injection. Amazingly he also kept hold of the book pack, some invoices and possibly has the original steering wheel somewhere.

Just need to get on and fix it now.

[Dieselman]

There wasn't an official scrappage scheme in 2019, so the dealer was under no obligation to scrap the car. They just gave an enhanced, minimum, trade in value under their own "scrappage scheme".

The original Govt. scrappage scheme, in 2009, had nothing to do with removing polluting cars from the road, it was just a gimmick to support the motor industry.
Shocking, really, that Uk taxpayers money should be used for such, especially since the vast majority of cars sold under the scheme were imported, so no benefit to Uk manufacturing.

[Citjon]

I think they'd said they were going to scrap it, but as you say it wasn't an official scheme so not legally obliged to.

The rear cylinder pipes are very badly pitted to the point I have decided to change them. The unions came undone quite easily both ends but the pipes were totally seized at the cylinder end so they needed cutting.
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.
Fortunately I know a man with some spare pipes.

Going to try and clean all that horrible black gunk off too.

[Dieselman]

Application of heat normally gets the banjo bolts moving as it breaks the rust bond between the pipe and inside of the banjo.

[Citjon]

Progress has been a bit slow on the welding front but managed to clean back some of the crusty bits.
The lower flange of the sill needs replacing but fortunately it hasn't gone along the bottom horizontal section of the outer sill.

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I'm not sure if the nearside jacking point has lost a whole layer of steel due to corrosion? The wire wheel took loads off here before I reached sound metal.

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I tackled the subframe mount area first so it can be repiped, reassembled and put back on its wheels. It's not pretty but is solid enough and will be fine once ground back, painted and sealed up.

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[Dieselman]

I'm not sure if the nearside jacking point has lost a whole layer of steel due to corrosion? The wire wheel took loads off here before I reached sound metal.

Yes it has.

[Citjon]

That will be interesting to repair then!