westslope Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 I discovered some rust in the cargo panel just NE of the fuel gauge sender unit and rather close to the fuel lines.. Do I need to take special precautions while using grinding tools to get rid of the rust? Suggestions? =================================================== Our '93 pathie has a wonky fuel gauge. It works but drops much faster than it should and occasionally goes to zero. All the other instruments work just fine. That suggested to me a fuel gauge sender wire problem as opposed to the voltage regulator. So I removed the cargo rug, and then unbolted the fuel gauge sender unit cover. I saw no obvious solution to the fuel gauge issue, but I found a an area of rust just north east of the cover very close to fuel lines, hence the concern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Do you mean in the floor panel? If so and your not worried about being pretty, cut the bad out with metal shears and sheet metal screw down some clean metal(put some RTV around the edge as well). Basicly make it a larger acess panel to the sending unit. Once the carpet is back over it you will never see it. My idea for a quick easy fix at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdoggNZ Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 in my trade, i'm taught never to put in make shift 'screw' patches. What i would do would require a mig welder and some rough skills, put a grind mat over the fuel lines, cut out, make new patch out of clean steel, butt weld it in and rust treat it. Nunya's idea probably wouldn't be too bad, depending on what type of vehicle compliance laws there are in your area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 (edited) At least I didn't say duct tape..... that and if I am thinking correctly it is the area around the acess panel for the sending unit, and you still want to make that removable so you don't have to drop the tank if you need to work there. Just making it 1 large panel(cutting out the rotted area, making it a larger acess hole) would make it easier to work there if needed as well. My thoughts at least. That and I just said quick and easy, not correct and professional(I'm not a body man, obviously) Edited July 12, 2008 by nunya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westslope Posted July 12, 2008 Author Share Posted July 12, 2008 (edited) Thank you both RowdoggNZ and nunya. Good ideas. I like quick 'n dirty as long as it works and lasts. I do not have easy access to welding equipment (been over 30 years since I welded anything). Current thoughts: The rust area is almost as big as a C$2 coin (we call them toonies). Structural strength is not an issue. Place aluminum foil between the cargo floor and the fuel lines to catch the sparks. (I understand the interest of a grind mat and assume that it is fire proof but don't have one.) Grind out rust with power-drill mounted Carborundum stones. Fibreglass, paint, spray rock guard from below, cover with foam and the original carpet. Done. Edited July 12, 2008 by westslope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Hell thats a tiny rust spot. Yeah cover the lines, cut out rust, put in new peice of metal (you could rivet one in) or fiberglass, yadda yadda yadda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westslope Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 I used an old throw mat to buffer the fuel lines. The ground out hole is now over twice as large as the original rust area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westslope Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 You can see the rust hole at just NE of the fuel gauge sender unit and immediately above the fuel lines. I need to remove more paint and probably more rust before fibreglassing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I was expecting a big hole, not that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westslope Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 (edited) Yup. And there is still more than twice as much rust that I did not remove. Ideally I should cut out the entire area and pop-riveted sheet metal over the hole but this is starting to get too complicated and time consuming. Plus there could be lots of rust surprises awaiting me despite the good looking condition of the vehicle from the exterior. So I quit agonizing and fibreglassed over. Managed to convince the wife that we should start planning to dump the pathie and move up market by about 10 or more years. I reckon that light-truck sized SUVs should become really, really dirt cheap as the year marches on, and commuters start to fully understand the impact of high fuel prices on the household budget. Please tell your president to stay the course in the Middle East. These oil prices are not coming down until the US actually plunges into a proper recession. Edited July 15, 2008 by westslope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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