9 replies to this topic

[OlivierW2]

Hello all

 

I have a '99 Mini MPI which is in quite good condition and I would like to protect it from rust as much as I can. I park it in a garage, never drive it during winter (thanks to the 6+ months of salty road, even when we barely have a few days of snow… :-/ ) and try to avoid rain.

 

I have browsed and read the forum for hours to try to find the best way to protect the car and I have bought some Bilt Hamber products for my Mini and others projects (Dynax S50, Dynax UC, Electrox, Deox Gel,…).

 

Important forum posts I have found regarding the locations to spray Dynax S50:

• https://www.theminif...ions/?p=3427338
• https://www.theminif...ions/?p=3326193

 

I have also watched this video: where Alex sprays S50 in under sills (at 6:50) and it all end up inside the rear pockets (at 14:10).

My Mini, being a late Rover model, has seat belts and SRS system installed in this rear pockets.

I've also read @jamesquintin's thread: https://www.theminif...35#entry3675710 where he has removed everything, so he can spray S50 there.

 

 

 

So, I was wondering: where can I safely spray Dynax S50 in my Rover Mini, without dismantling it completely? On @jamesquintin's pictures, there is a square hole in the rear pocket where the product has leaked. On mine, this hole is plugged with a plastic/rubber plug.

 

Is there a topic with pictures to show exact locations where I can use S50? Even with the posts listed above, I don't understand every locations to reach (and they may be a bit different on a MPI).

 

 

Thanks in advance,

Olivier

[JDMRoverMini]

Following this thread. I have a 96 Rover from Japan, so it's 90% rust free, but I live in Chicago where our winters are just as bad. Same situation, currently garage kept, minimal rain, and not expecting winter driving November through February.

[some1158]

I don't have a diagram but my list is as follows:

 

Sills, both sides. I would poke the lance supplied with S50 up through each 'flute'/vent on the outside of the sills and spray. Wiggle it around so that it gets everywhere in the sill. 

Crossmembers, accessed from within the car (there are holes in them)

Front scuttle ends - there is one small hole giving access to this cavity on each side, at the back of the engine compartment, just by the firewall. The holes are quite tricky to find but with a torch you might spot them. Otherwise if you poke the S50 lance into the corners and push it around you will suddenly feel it find the holes. 

Front valance - look for the holes

Rear valance ends - accessed from within the boot (there are small holes)

Inside the doors (but keep drain holes clear)

A posts, accessed with the door open 

[riktanius]

 

I don't have a diagram but my list is as follows:

 

Sills, both sides. I would poke the lance supplied with S50 up through each 'flute'/vent on the outside of the sills and spray. Wiggle it around so that it gets everywhere in the sill. 

Crossmembers, accessed from within the car (there are holes in them)

Front scuttle ends - there is one small hole giving access to this cavity on each side, at the back of the engine compartment, just by the firewall. The holes are quite tricky to find but with a torch you might spot them. Otherwise if you poke the S50 lance into the corners and push it around you will suddenly feel it find the holes. 

Front valance - look for the holes

Rear valance ends - accessed from within the boot (there are small holes)

Inside the doors (but keep drain holes clear)

A posts, accessed with the door open 

 

AWESOME. thank you for this list. I will be doing this at the end of the month, so I appreciate the information. 

[HertsMini]

 

I don't have a diagram but my list is as follows:

 

Sills, both sides. I would poke the lance supplied with S50 up through each 'flute'/vent on the outside of the sills and spray. Wiggle it around so that it gets everywhere in the sill. 

Crossmembers, accessed from within the car (there are holes in them)

Front scuttle ends - there is one small hole giving access to this cavity on each side, at the back of the engine compartment, just by the firewall. The holes are quite tricky to find but with a torch you might spot them. Otherwise if you poke the S50 lance into the corners and push it around you will suddenly feel it find the holes. 

Front valance - look for the holes

Rear valance ends - accessed from within the boot (there are small holes)

Inside the doors (but keep drain holes clear)

A posts, accessed with the door open 

 

Very helpful! Thanks 

[OlivierW2]

Hello,

 

And thanks a lot @some1158!

In my first post, I already linked to two of your great posts

 

As I mentionned, I am interested in knowing more details, specific to the MPI.

• Like, how to deal with the rear pockets, are they completely sealed on the MPI, and so I can spray S50 in the under sills? Of course, for the first time I could protect the inside with plastic bags, but are there others areas of the car where I could end up spraying something not mean to be rust proofed? Mainly electric stuff or inside the car, like the carpet, windows, dashboard,…
• Regarding the doors, is it OK to spray through the drain holes? Won't it damage any mecanism or the product won't end up on the window?
• I have to check for the A posts: currently I can't fully open the doors (car parked in a garage with wheels removed), so I can't see an access.

And having pictures would be of great help. Unfortunately, some old threads had pics which were maybe helpful, but they were deleted by photobucket :-/

 

Have a great day,

Olivier

[OlivierW2]

Well, for those interested, I have found a great post from @Sherlock with some pictures which are still available online: https://www.theminif...ions/?p=1651220

 

I still hope to get informations specifics to the MPI and/or others pics with locations to spray S50 (or whatever is your product of choice )

[surfblue]

Wax won't harm anything electrical, if it gets on glass or paintwork a little petrol will remove it. I'd be .ore concerned not to get any on the carpet.

[bluedragon]

One area to inspect is under the boot area where the rear subframe bolts through the boot floor. I have never seen this mentioned as a Mini rust weak spot - perhaps it's only on the MPI's or my car specifically - but both sides are rusting.

 

I do not know why these are particularly prone to rust unless it's that Rover didn't seal the seams on the multi-layer plate construction and the corrosion attacks from the inside out. But if it gets going, it's a massive job to fix. I decided to fix one side and I had to chop the whole section out (as well as remove the rear valance, another weak spot on the MPi Minis, which I also have to replace.)

 

If I had to do it over again, I would have replaced the whole boot floor as others had advised me, especially since I see the other side rotting as well (just not as bad.) So for now, I'm just going to try to finish my years long repair and then hopefully delay the decay of the other side (if I can get it to last 20 years, then I may expire before that side goes.

 

 

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[OlivierW2]

@surfblue: are you sure electrical stuff won't get any problem with wax on it? It's quite liquid ^^ And I'm not sure I want this kind of this near the SRS stuff And also, I would prefer to avoid having to clean the seat belts (in the rear pockets).

 

@bluedragon: good catch! On mine, this area seems OK, but I would need to remove the subframe to check it much better. Maybe that's a job for next summer

I don't know what cause this problem, but I've read many posts telling how Rover loved to barely paint the not visible parts of the body… So, maybe that, or maybe like you said: lack of sealing.

I hope you'll be able to enjoy your car for quite some years!

Edited by OlivierW2, 26 July 2021 - 02:29 PM.