Citroen Relay Sliding Door Channel Rust

[dilby]

Hi all - I have a Citroen Relay I'm converting into a camper which has stalled over the last few months while I've had my newborn baby daughter! But I've dusting off the project so to speak and notice that some mild rusting around the sliding door channel (probably not the correct term) has got worse. A few questions I was hoping someone could help with:

1) I'm trying to work out if this is a common problem with relays/boxers/ducatos. Has anyone else experienced this?
2) From what I can tell it's from water pooling in the crevice, so I'm thinking a bead of silicone/sikaflex should help water run off rather than stay here. Would anyone have any thoughts on that?
3) Has anyone ever tried to treat this? I'm thinking I realistically need to remove the channel, sand down the rust and repaint, although that terrifies me!

The van is a '17 plate so it's frustrating it's got this bad, but it is what it is. Photos attached, excuse the fact it needs a wash!

 

[Robmac]

It surprises me as the body is galvanised. Maybe the rail being a different metal may be causing corrosion through electrolysis? If so the only way to stop it would be to isolate the 2 metals.

 

[Robmac]

Just found this thread, might be worth a read;

Fiat Ducato - rust behind sliding door channel

Our 2009 Fiat Ducato (Adria Twin) has a tendency to rust. In 2013 I noticed rust spots popping up all over the place. I contacted Fiat via a local dealer and without too much pushing on my side they agreed to sort out the rust spots. Since then I have kept an eye on the paint work and have...

wildcamping.co.uk

 

[UFO]

The thread referenced by Robmac was started by me. The channel was removed (which should be easier for you as the van has not been converted, I had to remove a lot of the internal furniture to get at the bolts). These photos are what it looked like when the channel was removed - pretty grim. The whole panel was professionally prepared, painted, etc. Just over a year later the rust returned. None of the bodyshop people that I spoke with would quarantee the rust would not come back - they said it was like metal cancer, coming from the inside.

Since then I have been treating the areas I can see, without removing the channel, with Jenolite Rust Converter and touch-up paint. Not very pretty but maybe I am keeping the rust at bay - but probably not. The van is 13 years old and we have no intention of changing it so as long as the channel stays fixed solid to the van that will have to do.

As with many Fiat vans of this age, our is 2009, the overall paintwork is attrocious with the top coat peeling off in many places.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I converted a Relay and it had the same rust, the only way to do it properly is to remove the SS channel and treat the same as any rust, the rust goes further than what you can see too, I decided I could do it with the channel in situ and pulled it away from the body, rubbed it down and used red lead then brush painted it, it lasted a couple of years before I needed to address it again, this was in 2010, I saw the van last year and although still a problem, it was not too bad, wish I'd done it right first time though.

 

[molly 2]

Only way to repair is to remove the chanel , remove rust treat with rust kill and repaint , the door chanel carrys a lot of weight the poor paint quality and panel flexing is causing the paint to fail ,also wax oil the inside befor re fitting the chanel . I think their is rubber seal that slots over the fixing studs . It is a major problem on van conversions that need interior fitting removal to access fixing nuts .

 

[trevskoda]

I converted a Relay and it had the same rust, the only way to do it properly is to remove the SS channel and treat the same as any rust, the rust goes further than what you can see too, I decided I could do it with the channel in situ and pulled it away from the body, rubbed it down and used red lead then brush painted it, it lasted a couple of years before I needed to address it again, this was in 2010, I saw the van last year and although still a problem, it was not too bad, wish I'd done it right first time though.

Where did you get real red lead, its been off the market for well over 40 years.

 

[trevskoda]

Only way to repair is to remove the chanel , remove rust treat with rust kill and repaint , the door chanel carrys a lot of weight the poor paint quality and panel flexing is causing the paint to fail ,also wax oil the inside befor re fitting the chanel . I think their is rubber seal that slots over the fixing studs . It is a major problem on van conversions that need interior fitting removal to access fixing nuts .

Grind the rust back to white metal and repaint with zink rich 2 pack epoxy, I only ever did small jobs.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Where did you get real red lead, its been off the market for well over 40 years.

B&Q

 

[Pudsey Bear]

B&Q

Red oxide now though but does a similar job.