How to get waxoyl into inner sills without removing outersills?

Meldrew

Regular Member
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 23, 2021
Points
16
Location
Solihull
Model of Z
Z3 1.9 Auto
Because I am elderley and arthritic, and My '98 Z3 is in fantastic condition and almost like new underneath, I have waxoyled to keep it this way but would like to get some protection over inner sills for added peace of mind.
I know I should remove outer sills to do this, but don't feel up to removinfg them, and think there must be a way of drilling a few holes in outer sills etc to flood some creeping rust preventitive in. Am I a complete senile idiot, or has someone else twigged a way of doing this?
I paid well over the odds for the car due to its near new appearance and mechanical perfection, and I love it.
Any ideas or comments?
 

colb

Zorg Guru (V)
British Zeds
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Nov 25, 2012
Points
178
Location
Newport, South Wales,UK
Model of Z
Z3 M43 1.8 (1999) and Z4 E85 2.5 (2003)
Always going to be better to take the outer cover sills off so you can get a good look at the condition of the front and rears of the inner sill as those areas are most likely to have corrossion. Its the ends that get all the muck and spray from the wheels over the years.
Its not that difficult to take the outers off you just need to get the car supported in places other than using the jacking points so you can get at the jacking points and all the screws along the bottom edge. Also get replacement sill cover plastic clips and a quantity of stainless self tapping screws to replace the steel oem screws for the bottom edge. The wing liners will need to be removed to get at the hidden fixings for the sills. Alternative as described by @Althulas is a good suggestion if you can't manage the removal.
 

TriumphZ3

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Aug 2, 2023
Points
39
Are the sills sealed, or do they open along the floorpans ie drain holes, strengthening flanges etc? (In my classic Triumph cars they are open on the inside and so firstly you can Waxoyl from inside the car by lifting the carpets, but the car will stink for days afterwards; similarly if you put too much in it will run out inside)
 

Steve Medlock

Zorg Guru (II)
British Zeds
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May 11, 2016
Points
105
Location
Tenterden, Kent
Model of Z
2.8 Roadster
When I replaced my sill covers, I waxoiled everwhere I could but forgot to tell the rust that I'd done it. I've just had to have one of my sills welded up at the rear to pass the MOT! I'm now trying to investigate whether there's a more effective corrosion protection system.
 

TriumphZ3

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Aug 2, 2023
Points
39
My fellow Triumph Owners have debated this for years, especially with cars of over 60 years old - the Z3 is only a cub! It usually seems that if it goes on easily it comes off easily... so Lanoguard is a simple spray-on that lasts about a year, Waxoyl being slightly better (Not sure about Tetroseal, although it sprays on more thickly than Waxoyl)
Top of the list seems to be Dynax or Dinitrol, but do they justify the additional cost?
A lot comes down to how it's applied ie if in box sections how do you ensure it's all covered? I use Waxoyl heated gently until it runs like tea, fired from a Schutz gun and compressor - I can get a jet ten feet long out of that and believe me if you remove it from a box section with the trigger still pressed it goes further... :) but I know it's sprayed everywhere inside the bodywork, especially if using a spray wand.
I fill everywhere with the stuff then let the excess drip out every day it's warm enough until the level spreads and stabilises, but I expect to reapply every year as part of the on-the-lift service. For a chassis, for example, where it's been sandblasted on the outside but the inside is an unknown quantity, I'll pour Jenolite into the main sections to kill the rust first, then coat the inner surfaces with Waxoyl to keep moisture off it. I think the best option is belt-and-braces approach, kill the rust using a rust killer, THEN coat to keep moisture off it so it won't start again.
 

Althulas

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Jun 14, 2014
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Banburyshire
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M Roadster
I used a endoscope to look into my box sections as shown in my thread in my sig. Apart from the one Jack point I cut out the rest looked good but for belt and braces I’ve used two different Dinotrol products for the box section. Behind my body panels I have some wax oil stuff to stick on it and plan to use the clear lanogard to spray underneath.

To answer a question though it is possible to use a long wand through the rubber bungs and feed through the inner sill as the reinforcement sections have a central hole you can get the jist in my thread. There are drain holes that allow water to escape. You can see on this coupe.
View: https://youtu.be/d99Ba7lictE
 

Nodzed

Zorg Expert (II)
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British Zeds
M Power
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Feb 18, 2016
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231
Location
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Model of Z
Z3M Imola and Z4 (e89)
When I replaced my sill covers, I waxoiled everwhere I could but forgot to tell the rust that I'd done it. I've just had to have one of my sills welded up at the rear to pass the MOT! I'm now trying to investigate whether there's a more effective corrosion protection system.
Rust protection is only half of the solution. Unless you stop the muck getting behind the sills you wont ever stop corrosion. Attached is my solution and after a looksee after 2 years there was zero muck in either end of the sills.

 

TriumphZ3

Dedicated Member
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Aug 2, 2023
Points
39
Nice idea; I've already looked at small front mudflaps as they have a lip that fits about !/4 inch round the outside edge too, and being rubber are easier to mould / trim into shape. I'd just trim the mudflap part off to about half an inch below the sill - it's the upper rubbery bit that's important.
 
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