Help me get this rust off!

[Patek14]

I just bought a used car with some surface rust on the exhaust, muffler, and some of the bolts. Although the rust is hard to see and doesn't do much, I do not like it and want it gone.



I plan on buying a mothers power ball (small sized), some metal polishes, and going to work. I want the small ball for the bolts and the brake calipers and I don't mind the fact that it'll take a long time to polish up the muffler.



What do you all advise?

PS - there are also some paint chips on the car which have tiny rust spots since all the paint is gone. They are no more than 1.5 square millimeters and I only know of 2 on the car - how would I address something so small?

 

[Accumulator]

Patek14- For the chips, I'd use some kind of abrasion to remove most of the rust- tiny abrasive rods, which I suppose most people don't have, or the corner of a folded piece of sandpaper or something like that...or even just an aggressive compound/polish. Then treat with a rust converter, then touchup per usual.



For the bolts, I'd replace them with stainless or at least get new (regular) steel ones and clear/etc. them so they stay nice. Or use a wire brush to remove most of the rust, then the converter and then paint, but don't be surprised if the rust comes back.



The muffler's protective coating is compromised, it'll be tough to keep the rust from coming back. I'd replace it myself.



See what this company has to offer: Eastwood Company: Auto Tools, Body Repair, Classic Car Restoration, House of Kolor Paint, Powder Coating Their stuff works well for me, but I'm not all that impressed with their two-part rust converter.

 

[Patek14]

Unfortunetly, replacing the bolts isn't an option since I don't have the tools or training to disassemble my cars suspension components



I think getting a new muffler would be cost-prohibtive. However, you got me listening with the wire brush idea. If I use something mechanical to remove a bunch of the surface rust and then used metal polish via a mother's ball, do you think that might work temporarily?



I assume there are combination metal polish-protectants that might help prevent rust? I am also aware you can buy high-heat metal paint, which I might be able to put on over any cleaned/polished surface

 

[imported_steveo3002]

thats beyond polishing



id suggest a good scrub with a wire brush or a wire wheel attachment in a drill/grinder...work it until all the rust is gone



then 2 coats of heat resistant paint



or let it rust and purcahse a stainless steel one

 

[Swirlbeater]

How long does heat resistannt paint last? I have a rusty muffler to:sadpace:

 

[Patek14]

How long does heat resistannt paint last? I have a rusty muffler to:sadpace:

I guy showed my pics of his car which had a rusty muffler that had gotten high heat paint...he did not specify how long it lasted, but the thing looked good and he implied it had been a while since he first did it



I think you can get high heat paint to put on metal OTC at an autozone which is really convenient!

 

[Patek14]

id suggest a good scrub with a wire brush or a wire wheel attachment in a drill/grinder...work it until all the rust is gone

Are you suggesting something like this:

I'd lean toward something as automated as possible to save time and not hurt my wrist/shoulder!





Also, what do you think of using DG881 or meg's nxt after steel wire scrubbing? They both claim to leave some degree of protection post-application and claim to help remove rust...

 

[Accumulator]

Are you suggesting something like this:

I'd lean toward something as automated as possible to save time and not hurt my wrist/shoulder!

That might work OK for the muffler, and for the bolts if you remove them and put 'em in a vise or something to work on them. Be sure to wear eye protection.

Also, what do you think of using DG881 or meg's nxt after steel wire scrubbing? They both claim to leave some degree of protection post-application and claim to help remove rust...

Nah, IME you need something far beyond stuff like that. Get something like Nyalic and brush it on thick.



I used NXT on some underhood pieces that stayed pretty nice, but they weren't really rusty either. Not the right stuff for this job IMO.



How long anything lasts is 99% dependent on the prep, and prepping rusty stuff well enough for it to stay nice is *HARD*. Media blasting/chemical etching/etc. are pretty much mandatory for a *real* long-term fix. (Repeating my general opinion: why bother, buy new pieces; it's hard enough to keep new stuff nice.)



Doing this stuff in a way that stays nice is harder than you'd think. Remember that most people won't say "I spent ten hours on this and it looked like crap again after six months", but that's not at all an unusual outcome.

 

[noahman]

What do suggest to remedy rust spots on body panels such as a door?

 

[Accumulator]

What do suggest to remedy rust spots on body panels such as a door?

A professional paint/bodyshop. Seriously. If they're bigger than a small stone chip I'd leave it to somebody who's very, very good.