Manky Battery Tray

[black fingernail]

Inside the battery compartment looked a bit rough, and I've finally got around to investigate.
I wasn't prepared for what I discovered. Quite a bit of rust.

The long battery hold down bolt was seized solid, and sheared above the plate, so I had to bend the lip on the opposite end back to get the battery out, I then banged on an old socket in the hope of undoing the bottom part of the bolt, no, this sheared also
First, I chipped as much as possible off with a big screwdriver, then I got the angle grinder out with a wire cup on it, and cleaned up everything I could reach, and finished off with some emery paper.
The dust was everywhere, and took some cleaning up, this is what came off.

After a good rub down and a dose of rust treatment.

The rust treatment needs 24 hours to do it's stuff, but, you will notice a hole has opened up, unfortunately, time has overtaken me, so I will plate that up during next week, all being well.
The sheared off hold down bolt will need drilling out and tapping, and a new hold down bolt will be made up.
For now, the battery is just plonked back in place so SWMBO can use the broomstick tonight.
More to follow.




I

 

[Slam]

Best check the seals for water ingress.

 

[black fingernail]

Yes, that is what it looks like, there is a rusty tidemark 1/4" all around the battery.

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

If it’s not salvageable, I can get you a good replacement one for welding in.

 

[black fingernail]

Thanks, it all seems solid, it's just a bit thin in that area, I'll see better when I cut out the bad bit and see how big the hole ends up. The daft thing is, there are a couple of good size holes in the bottom, perfect for drainage, but both have tight bungs in them ! Needless to say, one now doesn't.
I just have to find out what has caused this, the boot seal looks fine, and I know the brake light is sealed well, because I removed it to fit the decal. I washed the car yesterday with hosepipe etc. and the dusty rust was bone dry this afternoon.

 

[Dino D]

My source of a wet boot leak was the main butly seal where the hood meets the frame.
Only managed to trace it by removing all the boot carpets - the water travels around the boot in weird ways.

I’m still paranoid about leaks so have the carpets loosely fitted so I can peek back there and check every now and then!

 

[Fender2004]

Another way I was told was to put talcum powder in the boot, then when it rains you can see where the water runs are, and hopefully where the water is coming from.

 

[black fingernail]

After a bit of thought, SWMBO pointed out, a new roof was fitted not long before we got it late last year, So this corrosion must be the aftermath of the previous leaky roof (I hope), no wonder the hosepipe treatment didn't show anything. I'll just press on with the repair and keep a close eye on it.