The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support Morrison Fabrications
Please Support ExtremePSI

Assessing rust damage

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

12secondtalon

Probationary Member
18
0
Jun 14, 2008
Boulder, Colorado
Hey all,

First off I have a long and incomplete past with DSM's (for a later thread), and I currently have a black 92 Tsi with semi decent tan leather interior and 4 Bolt rear end. The major issue is rust; it is a midwest car. I feel all the rust in the front/engine bay can be neutralized and/or replaced with a donor car. The big ? is in the rear. Also please forgive the bad quality of my pics, my phone is old and very busted.

So far I've removed the gas tank and will remove the rear subframe to really get a good idea. I unfortunately broke off all 6 studs from the gas tank. I looked under there and it seems those might be replaceable, at least most of them. I however know nothing about body work, fyi.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


The pictures might be hard to see, so far I don't see anything eating through. One question I have is, could the welded female ends where bolts go in be redone if they are too rusty or have broken bolts in them? Like this:
You must be logged in to view this image or video.

It only looks like they are tack welded on.

More from under the rear:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


The long rail where some of the gas tank studs are is really looking rough, could this part be taken out and replaced?

You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Is there any reason to think I could save this one? I always hate junking Talons, especially since this one has 90,000 miles and looks like it was the loaded one.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated from experts/anyone with rust and body work experience.

Justin
 

Attachments

  • 2015-07-02 14.00.51.jpg
    2015-07-02 14.00.51.jpg
    60.9 KB · Views: 125
Last edited:
I have some POR I wanted to test on a car and this is the perfect trial if I do keep it. I chipped away most of the sound stuff on the driver side, only a few spots of rust.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


On the plus, so far I haven't seen any on the kick panel or door, just a little bubble on the door frame. At least this is all on the drivers side, so far I have seen the passenger side has the worst rust from where I've gotten to.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
 
Last edited:
Coming from Canada I see alot of old rusty cars from the salt we use on the roads. for a 20+ year old car that rust isnt that bad. You can chip away, sand or grind it off if its surface rust. you just have to paint and primer over it. primer alone does not help with rust protection very well if its all the way through its a little more work as you would have to cut and weld (and of course paint and primer). But anything can be fixed its just about your willingness to fix it.
hope this helps!
 
One more thing, if you want to super rust protect those spots you can use spray on bedliner. Its very simmiler to what car dealers put under cars and sell it as rust guard.
 
After looking through so many DSM rust posts, from what I've discovered mine really isn't too bad. The main things I'm worried about are the floor pan and passenger side (places I haven't stripped down yet) and the hardware holding up the rear subframe stuff. Everything else on the car has basically come off.

I come from Colorado where not only is it stupid dry here, but we don't salt our roads, so I'm lucky that my other '92 is damn near rust free; that and it came from Arizona. All the hardware still have that beautiful zinc yellow shine.

I do have some POR and all the necessary prep stuff, and a lot of time and a garage. Luckily all the actual parts like the suspension, subframe, brake stuff all got the rust. I have a totaled car that has all rust free(ish) stuff on it to swap and also to be POR'd. The front radiator support needs to be completely replaced too, I'll post some pics/questions of that area when I get a chance.

I guess another question is what do I do with the broken studs of the gas tank? Shave them down flush, and tap some threads for new bolts? Or should I look into getting these parts from a donor car:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Justin
 
Last edited:
I took a wire brush to knock all the rust off, down to bare metal, then slathered it with por. I then used some plastic metal filler for the small spots, I even used some spray foam crack filler to fill the hole in the wheel well. LOL After one winter, no new rust spots. POR is also a great rust preventer, as long as the surface is prepped well.
 
I used eastwood rust encapsulator, alot easier to use and works better on rust from reviews I've read online.
 
The underside of your car isn't that bad, compared to New England cars. For the broken studs your best bet is to grind it down, drill out the old left over material and weld in new studs. This is what I've had to do on my 2G when the studs inevitably shear.
 
I took a wire brush to knock all the rust off, down to bare metal, then slathered it with por. I then used some plastic metal filler for the small spots, I even used some spray foam crack filler to fill the hole in the wheel well. LOL After one winter, no new rust spots. POR is also a great rust preventer, as long as the surface is prepped well.

X2 on the POR15. Excellent stuff, used it on my 2g about 2 years ago. Still holding up very well. That rust is not bad at all. Looks mostly surface rust. I'm from MI and I had a 2g with the rockers and pinchwelds completely rotted through and some pretty crazy strut tower rust. Still made 400WHP no problem LOL
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top