Corrosion prevention

CORROSION PREVENTION

Factory treatments

During production, vehicle bodies are treated with the following anti-corrosion materials:

• An application of cavity wax which is sprayed into the sill panels and the lower areas of the door panels.
• A PVC-based underbody sealer which is sprayed onto the underside of the main floor and sills, the exterior of the safe well and the forward face of the lower dash crossmember.
• A coating of underbody wax which is applied to the entire underbody inboard of the sill vertical flanges, and covers all moving and flexible components EXCEPT for wheels, tyres, brakes and exhaust.
• A coat of protective wax applied to the engine bay area.

Whenever body repairs are carried out, ensure the anti-corrosion materials in the affected area are repaired or renewed as necessary using the approved materials. See INFORMATION, Sealing and corrosion protection.

Cavity wax injection

Areas treated with cavity wax are shown in the following Figures. After repairs, always re-treat these areas with an approved cavity wax. In addition, treat all interior surfaces which have been disturbed during repairs whether they have been treated in production or not. This includes all box members, cavities and door interiors. It is permissible to drill extra holes for access where necessary, provided these are not positioned in load-bearing members. Ensure that such holes are treated with a suitable zinc rich primer, brushed with wax and then sealed with a rubber grommet.

Before wax injection, ensure that the cavity to be treated is free from any contamination or foreign matter. Where necessary, clear out any debris using compressed air.

CAUTION: Ensure that cavity wax is applied AFTER the final paint process and BEFORE refitting any trim components.

During application, ensure that the wax covers all flange and seam areas and that it is adequately applied to all repaired areas of both new and existing panels.

It should be noted that new panel assemblies and complete body shells are supplied without wax injection treatment. Ensure that such treatment is carried out after repairs.

Effective cavity wax protection is vital. Always observe the following points:

• Complete all paint refinish operations before wax application.
• Clean body panel areas and blow-clean cavities if necessary, before treatment.
• Maintain a temperature of 18°C during application and drying.
• Check the spray pattern of injection equipment.
• Mask off all areas not to be wax coated and which could be contaminated by wax overspray.
• Remove body fixings, such as seat belt retractors, if contamination is at all likely.
• Move door glasses to fully closed position before treating door interiors.
• Treat body areas normally covered by trim before refitting items.
• Check that body and door drain holes are clear after the protective wax has dried.
• Keep all equipment clean, especially wax injection nozzles.