Rotted out rear wing from leak?

[mrscalex]

I've just started work on the latest project. The Titan Silver 2.2 needing the engine.

The offside rear wing was looking a little rusty.

I don't like treating rust. I'd rather replace the whole panel with one in the right colour. And when I removed it I was reminded why. The mounting flange had rusted clean through.

So the question I'm looking for help with is where was the water coming from that caused this to happen? There was butyl sealant on either side of the car where the wing meets the soft top. You can see it top right in the photo. But on the nearside no rusting issues. I'm just not getting my head round how this happened. I don't remember there being any butyl sealant on the other 2.2 I replaced the rear wings on. Those wings were fine (ie not rusty) and only got replaced due to accident damage.

But even if water is entering at that point how is it making its way down to that flange? There was also water in the boot lid between the 2 skins.

 

[mrscalex]

Any thoughts on this chaps?

 

[t-tony]

Water in between the boot lid skins could come from the3rd. brake light seal? Now, if there's a mechanism where by that could get down to the body joint Rob I don't know.

Tony

 

[mrscalex]

Water in between the boot lid skins could come from the3rd. brake light seal? Now, if there's a mechanism where by that could get down to the body joint Rob I don't know.

Tony

That was my thought too. But it's a facelift and the arrangement looks a lot less prone to leaks than the pre-facelift. I also popped the brakelight out and it was bone dry under there. I'll go back and take another look.

The strange thing is you have that large flat area on the top of the boot inner wing that must act as an umbrella for the mounting flange. Perhaps it just rotted out from underneath not the top.

 

[Lee]

Did it have a wheel arch liner? Or as Tony said it's run down.

 

[t-tony]

That was my thought too. But it's a facelift and the arrangement looks a lot less prone to leaks than the pre-facelift. I also popped the brakelight out and it was bone dry under there. I'll go back and take another look.

The strange thing is you have that large flat area on the top of the boot inner wing that must act as an umbrella for the mounting flange. Perhaps it just rotted out from underneath not the top.

Could be mate, in all honesty the only time I took out the O/S/R wheel arch liner on my Z3 was when I replaced the fuel filler lock cable. It is a strange one. Maybe it had a slight knock on that corner earlier in it's life, sometime that can set strange corrosion issues which you wouldn't normally expect to see.

Tony.

 

[mrscalex]

Yes it has a liner. So I guess unlikely to have been thrown upwards...

Even if the brake light is leaking I don't think it's that as the water was still trapped in the boot and I had to turn it upside down when I removed it to get it out.

I think as you chaps haven't seen it before I'll put it down to an unfortunate quirk and just refit the wing.

 

[oldcarman]

How tight is the boot lid against the seal? Perhaps running down the outside of the seal and dropping into the pocket in the rear corner?? Don't have a facelift but maybe worth a check. As for the boot I'd think condensation could be the culprit. Was the car from a place along the shore at all!! JIM

 

[colb]

Seeing yours makes me more determined to stripping mine down to give the sills and what lies beneath the wings a good clean and waxoyle which I had been planning on doing. When i get around to doing it will do a write up.

 

[mrscalex]

Condensation, boot seal - those sound like sensible things to check. Thanks.

 

[mrscalex]

Seeing yours makes me more determined to stripping mine down to give the sills and what lies beneath the wings a good clean and waxoyle which I had been planning on doing. When i get around to doing it will do a write up.

Really important job actually. Either end of the sills invariably harbour a load of cr*p and that's what rots them inside out. It slips by the wheel liner which is not a good design in that area. I'd take the front wings off too and obviously wheel arch liners. Would think twice about the rear wings as you can get all the access you need without removing them and you'll be in for re-aligning the boot lid if you take them off.

 

[Brian H]

I've just started work on the latest project. The Titan Silver 2.2 needing the engine.

The offside rear wing was looking a little rusty.

View attachment 49034

I don't like treating rust. I'd rather replace the whole panel with one in the right colour. And when I removed it I was reminded why. The mounting flange had rusted clean through.

View attachment 49035

View attachment 49036

So the question I'm looking for help with is where was the water coming from that caused this to happen? There was butyl sealant on either side of the car where the wing meets the soft top. You can see it top right in the photo. But on the nearside no rusting issues. I'm just not getting my head round how this happened. I don't remember there being any butyl sealant on the other 2.2 I replaced the rear wings on. Those wings were fine (ie not rusty) and only got replaced due to accident damage.

But even if water is entering at that point how is it making its way down to that flange? There was also water in the boot lid between the 2 skins.

View attachment 49037

The area where the rust is present is not meant to be a "dry" area so will be subject to water ingress. Trying to work out where the big rusty bit is from?

 

[mrscalex]

The area where the rust is present is not meant to be a "dry" area so will be subject to water ingress. Trying to work out where the big rusty bit is from?

It's from the mounting flange on the wing. It's resting where it should bolt onto the inner wing. It rotted clean off

 

[Brian H]

If the bracket on the car is also goosed, I can send you a replacement off my breaker.

 

[mrscalex]

If the bracket on the car is also goosed, I can send you a replacement off my breaker.

Thanks. But the bracket on the car is actually okay.