[AT] From "Farm Collector" - using copper tubing for fuel lines.

[charlie hill]

Steve,  I agree with what you have said unfortunately it is impossible to 
wash away the problem completely.  Once salt gets a hold on steel you get 
what is known as salt chloride contamination which actually gets into the 
steel.  Cleaning the surface as you mentioned and completely sealing it from 
the air with good epoxy paint helps but I don't think the problem can ever 
be solved.   There is a chemical compound that can be used as a rinse after 
the metal is thoroughly cleaned that supposedly neutralizes the salt 
contamination.  I can't tell you the name of it and I've never personally 
used it.  I've seen it referenced in specifications for sandblasting and 
painting projects on salt contaminated steel.  A good industrial paint store 
would probably know what it is.   By the way,  you can tell if you have salt 
chloride contamination because the steel will turn black.  You can sand 
blast it to white metal blast and within minutes or a few hours it will turn 
black whereas normal steel would remain shiny or start to turn rusty red. 
If you can get it cleaned well enough and a good epoxy primer on it before 
it turns black you are in pretty good shape.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Steve W.
Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 12:43 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] From "Farm Collector" - using copper tubing for fuel 
lines.

Roy Morgan wrote:
> On Feb 28, 2012, at 11:53 AM, Steve W. wrote:
>
>> ... NY salt will eat a steel line in 3-4 years.
>
> Steve,
>
> Uh oh.  Here near Ithaca (just a couple of miles from the Cargil salt
> mine where they  mine two million tons of it a year!) we have a Ford
> F-250.  I have been wondering what coating/treatment I can use to keep
> the thing from rusting out.  I see lots of rust on the undersides of
> the thing - and it does not leak any oil or other fluids to coat the
> bottom!
>
> Roy
>
>
> Roy Morgan
> k1lky at earthlink.net
> K1LKY Since 1958 - Keep 'em Glowing!
>


http://www.por15.com/

To truly stop all the rust you will need to try to flush as much of the
salt and crud out of the way first. A pressure washer with a good source
of fresh water to start off. Then inspect all the lines especially at
clamps. If it is OK then you can start the coating process. Buy the
coating in the color you want and some of the thinner. Mix up a batch so
it is very thin and slobber it all around the tight areas so it can
penetrate in as much as possible. Do this in any tight areas as well
like door panels, bed seams, and all those places. Then use the normal
stuff to coat all the rest of the frame, floor pan and rest. For the
exhaust you may as well let it rust and when you replace it have a full
stainless system installed.

  Once you have all the panels covered topcoat the surface with some
undercoating to stop rock damage and the like. OR if you really want to
stop the rust armor the bottom with a coating of bed liner over the POR
instead of normal paint. You can even have some color matched (contrast
if you want a two tone look) and paint the lower 10-15" of the panels
all the way around as well. That stuff REALLY stops damage by sealing
the surface so that nothing can get in. You can spray it smooth as well.

I did this a few years ago on a FD brush truck and it still looks like
new. Pulled the box off and jacked the cab up as far as things allowed
so I had better access and went to work. Works so well that a lot of
folks are doing it on off road type rigs. I have done it on nice road
rigs as well.


-- 
Steve W.
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