Date:         Wed, 10 Sep 2003 10:23:56 -0700
Reply-To:     zolo <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         zolo <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Subject:      Re: CAULK YOUR WESTY h2o/ELEC. FILL PORTS!!    was Re: REMOVE
              THOSE HATCH PLUGS!!
Comments: To: JordanVw@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I personally did this exercise.  But it did not solve the rust already existing there.
And I think once you have it all rusted from the inside, you would have to do an "inside job".  Take out the whole thing.  Kitchen and all and then clean and treat the metal to stop the cancer.  I thik it is a biggish job but it would be the only way to do.  Or is there a better way?
Zoltan
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: JordanVw@aol.com 
  To: zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET ; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 9:16 AM
  Subject: CAULK YOUR WESTY h2o/ELEC. FILL PORTS!! was Re: REMOVE THOSE HATCH PLUGS!! 


  In a message dated 9/9/03 1:26:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time, zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET writes:



    Because it is so common to see the left bottom of a Westy rusty and we
    should not let that happen when there is a solution for that.  


  want to know another easy solution to a common problem??  i posted this before too, and i bet all of you ignored it too..   the rust that is coming from the inside of your left westy side panel at the lower rocker seam (and possibly along the center reinforcement brace that is directly under the westy fill ports is it is REALLY bad)  is coming from around the FILL PORTS THEMSELVES!!  when westfalia-werke converted these incomplete vans at their weidenbruck factory, all they do is chop 3 square holes in the side, pop a foam gasket in, followed by the fill port receptical itself.  they dont even seal them with caulk!!  after 10-15-20 years the foam gasket is reduced to dust, and every time it rains or you wash the van water spills in around the edges of the fill ports and down inside your van and the fiberglass insulation behind there acts as a sponge, and so it never dries out.. the water sits in there being held up against the metal and floor by the wet fiberglass insulation..  water seeks the path of least resistance to escape, so it starts weeping out the lower horizontal drivers side rocker seam..   
  the EASY solution??  CAULK the perimeters of your westy fill port inlets!!!  simple to do with regular silicone or latex household window /door exterior caulk.. i used clear, but anything will do.      a few squirts of the caulk gun is alot easier than welding in new sheetmetal..


  so..how many of you will actually do this to prolong the life of your westy??   hmm?

  chris