Technical Cross / 4x4 rusty metal sump guard

[Squadrone Rosso]

My dealer told me the above looked rusty at the service in January so I thought I'd take a look the lazy way as in driving "over" my phone.

They were right & if I look down into the engine bay, I can see it affects both sides, top & bottom.

So, options?

Get it replaced by FIAT (probably impossible) or drop it, rub down, hydrate 80 & and put some black metal paint on it?

Anyone dropped one?

Cheers,

Simon

 

[gar074]

Now afraid to look at mine! Out of sight...

 

[Al D]

Is the guard a slate grey colour? Not a mark on mine that I can see. 42 months old. Maybe rub down and hammerite yours?

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

It's pretty rotten. The corner supports in particular are flimsy.

It's held on by 6 x 10mm headed bolts. It's about 5kgs in weight.

I wire brushed manually, wire brush on a drill, emery cloth, two coats of Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80 after a thorough de-grease.

Leave overnight & I'll give it a coat or two of stonechip tomorrow, weather permitting.

 

[oyumurtaci]

Mine's in pretty poor shape as well, especially after the big rock hit. They hammered out the dent at the service, but it's definitely rusting all over the place and I think it might be beyond saving.

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

Mine's in pretty poor shape as well, especially after the big rock hit. They hammered out the dent at the service, but it's definitely rusting all over the place and I think it might be beyond saving.

Mines never been hit, grounded or scraped.

Just like the Alfa 159 sub frames, the paint is badly applied & wafer thin.

Hope the weather will be ok for tomorrow so I can apply stonechip / top coat or I'll be in the GT86 or Seicento this week.

That said, I take it my Panda is driveable on normal roads without the guard any way?

 

[Al D]

As all the filters, plugs, sump plug and air intake all mounted higher than your other 2 cars, surely any standing water more likely to damage them. You'd be unlucky. I followed a Landrover through a stupidly big puddle the day of the December '15 floods in my 1.2 and it survived. So use yours as normal.

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

The Hydrate 80 dried nicely overnight so two coats of Speciaist metal paint applied by brush this morning.

Too windy & wet outside to spray on stonechip.

As none of the rust was as a result of grounding, impact or stone chips, it should be fine.

The flimsy corner flaps with the bolt hole worry me as the rust has badly affected them.

 

[leroya500]

I take it your going to reassemble with some washers over the 'large bolt holes' to ensure it stays put?

I'd put a metal one one against the guard and then a rubber one to help stop the rust

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

I take it your going to reassemble with some washers over the 'large bolt holes' to ensure it stays put?



I'd put a metal one one against the guard and then a rubber one to help stop the rust

The six 10mm bolt headed screws come with sizeable washers. Rubber washers?

 

[leroya500]

Yeah, if the bolts and sump guard are different metals it will limit some forms of corrosion, just make sure there's a metal washer underneath incase the rubber ones ever split

 

[murphyv310]

Hi.
I take it these are powder coated from the factory? Powder coating is useless in this situation as it cracks and peels when water gets under it.
The Hydrate 80 and good zinc primer and a decent top coat is far better.
Coming from a Rover 75 the use of powder coating on the rear suspension arms will tell you how dreadful this method of protection is in the weather we have.

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

Hi.
I take it these are powder coated from the factory? Powder coating is useless in this situation as it cracks and peels when water gets under it.
The Hydrate 80 and good zinc primer and a decent top coat is far better.
Coming from a Rover 75 the use of powder coating on the rear suspension arms will tell you how dreadful this method of protection is in the weather we have.

No protection other than a wafer thin coat of satin black. Not even multiple coats