Sills - MoT fail

[bombur]

My Z3 failed its MoT in May and the main culprit being the sills. So had a day off today and got stuck in to taking the sills off. Took me all day and there were a number of screws that didn't want to budge, so they took some time. In the end once they were off I was pretty happy that there doesn't seem the need for any welding, just rust removal, prep and protection. I will get a second opinion though but am in no rush so will leave as is until I have some more spare time.

 

[Duncodin]

If there's no rust holes in the inner sills then maybe take it for an mot without the outer sills. I can't see why the outer sills are necessary for an mot.

 

[Delk]

You should remove the jacking pads. Probably find quite a bit of rust in between these and the existing sills. If not seen it wont be and mot failure but long term it wont get better. Best to fix now and keep things longer.

 

[andyglym]

I simply fail to see that's a MOT failure based on the pics, mine were like that before I sorted them and it didn't get a mention.

 

[AntStark]

Agreed they don’t look that bad at all..I’d get a second opinion with the covers off

 

[t-tony]

The outer sills are NOT structural items. Not testable items. That car, looking at those pictures should have passed.

Tony.

 

[Duncodin]

Agreed they don’t look that bad at all..I’d get a second opinion with the covers off

Outer sills look rotten and the MOT tester obviously did not know that the outers aren't structural

Bombur coulda maybe explained that to the tester.

 

[t-tony]

A customer should not have to "explain" anything to a vehicle tester. They should know how to test vehicles. IF they have ANY doubt then they should give in favour of the presenter of the vehicle.
Bonbur really should have asked for a form to apply for an appeal test. But, it is too late now as you cannot appeal a test if you have already started the repairs. Bad move.

Tony.

 

[bombur]

I did explain but the guy showed me where he had made a hole in the outer sills, a big one, that there was rust on the inner sills. Both sides. To be honest with the mess he made of the outer ones, there was so much loose rust you couldn't see whats what, so I accepted it and went home with tail between my kegs

 

[AntStark]

At least it means your Z will get back on the road…bet you’re glad you kept it now. Explaining this ‘miraculous recovery’ to your missus given there is now a z4 in the garage will be the difficult part of this job.

 

[bombur]

At least it means your Z will get back on the road…bet you’re glad you kept it now. Explaining this ‘miraculous recovery’ to your missus given there is now a z4 in the garage will be the difficult part of this job.

Haha, that's true, she did say the same yesterday about bet I'm glad I kept it. It will still be a cost to get fixed so will take my time, wait for some decent silver sills to come up. Then once done, as you say, it will dawn on her that there are two being insured and taxed.....

 

[Duncodin]

A customer should not have to "explain" anything to a vehicle tester. They should know how to test vehicles. IF they have ANY doubt then they should give in favour of the presenter of the vehicle.
Bonbur really should have asked for a form to apply for an appeal test. But, it is too late now as you cannot appeal a test if you have already started the repairs. Bad move.

Tony.

Of course the owner shouldn't be expected to explain anything to the tester. Many owners don't know anyway. Before joining this forum I didn't know. - I shudder to think how many poor zeds have gone to the big car park in the sky just because of rotted outer sills.

In an ideal world every MOT tester would have experience/training on every car. But that is obviously not possible. Z3 is not super rare but rare enough that it is likely that many (most?) MOT testers have never tested a Z3 or ever worked on one. So, in that ideal world, there should be a database where the tester can look up information about every make model of car - that's not going to happen either. So, in a way, we can't blame the testers either.

So poor zeds will continue to be failed and owner can't afford to have, what they believe is, 'structural' work done to their otherwise good zed.

 

[bombur]

I have removed the jack pads and it seems solid, no rusty holes or anything. Have just put on some bilt hamber deox gel on the rusty bits and given a wire brush. Will leave for a few days then get the wire drill attachment on them and see how they come up.

Here are each of them

 

[bombur]

double post

 

[Nodzed]

Those inners are fine, a good clean up and stabiliser added then galvanise paint and a grey top coat and then a waterproofing product of your choice and they will look almost like new.

 

[colb]

Been advising @bombur offline on our Zedshed Cymru Group and agree with the others, good clean and rust convertor followed by his choice of an epoxy based paint to smooth them out followed by waxoyl should have them back to a good finish. Outer sills will need replacing not worth the effort to repair the originals. Might be a candidate for a set of fibre glass outers?

 

[Duncodin]

But they are pitted so don't be tempted to use an angle grinder to grind back the pits to. Just wire brush and treat.

 

[DrWong]

I have removed the jack pads and it seems solid, no rusty holes or anything. Have just put on some bilt hamber deox gel on the rusty bits and given a wire brush. Will leave for a few days then get the wire drill attachment on them and see how they come up.

Here are each of them

View attachment 315923
View attachment 315925View attachment 315927View attachment 315929

Deox is amazing stuff. If you have the patience to keep re-applying it, it can dissolve every last trace of rust.

 

[Nodzed]

But they are pitted so don't be tempted to use an angle grinder to grind back the pits to. Just wire brush and treat.

Grinder with an abasive wheel not a grinder disk will be fine the inners are thick.

 

[IanA]

Deox is amazing stuff. If you have the patience to keep re-applying it, it can dissolve every last trace of rust.

+1 from me. I used it on my TFS rebody, followed by zinc primer, satin black and Waxoyl.

One outer sill had been welded to repair some rusting!