Golf 3 Sill Repair: Parts & Services

Hello.
The lower edge of the body panel on the driver's side of my Golf 3 is rotting away.
Otherwise, the sill still looks very good, and it's preserved with a lot of wax on the inside.
Okay, so my question is, how would you repair that, and it needs to be a permanent fix, not just something to pass the next inspection.
Should I use a pre-made patch panel, or should I fabricate something myself?

Can anyone give me some general tips on preservation? Some people swear by Fluid Film and Permafilm, while others prefer Mike Sanders grease.

What are your experiences with this? I don't want to completely scrape off the underbody protection, so what would be the better method here?

THANK YOU.

I would cut out the sheet metal until all the rust is gone and then fabricate a corresponding replacement piece. Please use galvanized sheet metal for this purpose.

After that, I would apply FluidFilm to the cavities. This has the advantage that, due to its viscosity, it penetrates into every crevice and protects the sheet metal. Repeat the same procedure no later than 1 year later. If necessary, repeat the treatment with Mike Sanders.

I would remove any loose dirt from the underbody coating using a brass brush and then apply Owatrol to seal the pores and fine cracks. This will also make the underbody coating more flexible again. After sufficient drying time, apply the final coating with KLine Permanent wax.

I have achieved very good results using these products in this specific order, and that's why I can recommend them.

This is an area that isn't visible, so aesthetics aren't a priority here. The most important thing is to make a permanent repair. I would use an endoscope or mirror and a flashlight to see how much material needs to be removed. Based on your photo, I would then cut a piece of sturdy sheet metal to fit roughly into the cutout hole. There should be a gap of about 1 mm all around.

Before starting any welding work in the surrounding area, be sure to remove any wax or flammable underbody sealant. Have a fire extinguisher readily available, such as a bucket of water.

If possible, weld using shielding gas. First, tack weld the fabricated repair panel in two corners, then adjust its position if necessary. Only then should you fully weld it in place. Any distortions that occur in the metal due to the heat are not a problem in this area, as they won't be visible later.

For preservation, I would use Mike Sanders anti-corrosion grease. This stuff creeps incredibly well, even into crevices, under cracked preservative wax, and between screwed connections. I'm just not sure how you're going to get it into the rocker panel.

Hutfahrer wrote:

For preservation, I would use Mike Sanders anti-corrosion grease. This stuff creeps incredibly well. It gets into crevices, into cracked preservative wax, and even between screwed connections. I'm just not sure how you're going to get it into the sill pan.

Hi,


That's why I would recommend Fluid Film here. It comes in a spray can with a long nozzle for application. It spreads very well and is sufficient for a Golf 3.

Regards,
Adrian.

That sounds like a worthwhile approach!

Hey.
"Thanks for all the tips. I've now cut away everything that was damaged, leaving only healthy metal. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Strangely, the passenger side is completely fine."
I'll ask my friend if he can weld that for me.

Regarding preservation, I'm still undecided; it seems to be a science in itself.
Fluid Film is also said to "regenerate" the underbody protection.

What would be better for the cavities, underbody, wheel arches, etc.? I have a compressor, and I would buy a spray gun with a pressure pot.


I would then treat the cavities with Fluid Film. What would be the right product for this application (NAS, AR)?

I'm still undecided about the underbody.


Variant a) Fluidfilm + followed by Permafilm.
variant b) Owatrol + followed by Permafilm.
variant c) Owatrol + KLine Permanent Wax.

I'm not brave enough to approach Mike Sanders; he seems like a real troublemaker.

What would be the best option if you want to drive for a few more years?




Here's another question: I've now removed as much rust as possible and brushed the lower edges of the sills. Now I'd like to prime them with Ovagrundol primer, and perhaps apply Owatrol to any remaining rust I couldn't remove.

What do you think about this? Owatrol (for rusty areas) -> Ovagrundol primer -> chassis paint?

Just like around the drain plugs?

Then, proceed with the entire preservation process.


It's not going to be a full restoration, but I want to be able to drive the car for a few more years.

THANK YOU.

Please review my advice again. Fluidfilm is not intended for the undercarriage because it will be washed away by water and salt. Acquire a pressure pot gun and follow my instructions.

I would dab Owatrol around the rust plugs (only on the rusty areas), let it dry, then apply Brantho Korrux 2K, and finally seal the entire underbody with KLine Permanent wax. That should give you some peace of mind for a while.

Hello.
Thank you for your help.

In what ways does KLine Permanent Wax differ from, for example, Permafilm?
According to the processing guidelines for Fluid Film Liquid A, it is suitable for use on the undercarriage, and can be further treated with Permafilm?

bindpe wrote:

In what ways does KLine Permanent Wax differ from, for example, Permafilm? In the processing guidelines for Fluid Film Liquid A, it already states that it is suitable for the undercarriage with further treatment using Permafilm?

Let yourself be advised here. Since they also process their own products, they can certainly give you good tips.

First, I would try using the rust protection finder in the "underbody protection" category (I just saw it).

The most important thing is that the rust must be removed 100% mechanically, because rust converters and similar products are ultimately just a waste of money.

And then, will there be holes, or will the sheet metal become too thin? If so, we'll just weld in a new piece.

After welding rust converters, I proceed as follows:

- Clean the sheets (remove any grease).
- Zinc spray.
- Paint
- Seal seams with Sika 221 or a similar sealant.
- Cavity wax

The corners are rotting away because the pile of leaves from the drainage system is turning into compost here. Therefore, once a year, remove the indicator light from the fender and properly water it with the garden hose .

Yes, I was aware of the problem area.
I've always been interested in them, but the Golf 3 is generally prone to rust.

The Golf 3 is not more prone to rust than other models, considering that these sedans are now at least 20-26 years old. They have lasted a very long time, and if you have taken good care of them from the beginning, it is even possible to obtain an "H" classification (for vehicles over 20 years old) without needing to weld any new metal.

Golf IV and V models, and their related vehicles, are even worse when you look behind the scenes. While they are galvanized, they lack any other form of corrosion protection from the factory, and some of them rust more severely than the E-Kadett models produced by Opel in their prime.

"Even the front and rear axles and control arms are corroding severely. I recently had a 2004 Polo 9N on the lift, and the front control arms were practically falling apart, resembling layers of pastry. From underneath, it looked like they had been submerged in the North Sea for months."

If I hear that, I'd rather stick with my Golf .

Yes, I would like to address the topic of preservation now.

I'm definitely going to give it an underbody protection treatment with Fluid Film and Perma Film once I'm finished with the sills.
I will definitely use MS products for the cavities and sills.

"The sills and longitudinal beams are easily accessible, but which other cavities should be treated with preservatives?"


I'm not sure what to do with the heavily rusted areas that can't be properly cleaned. For example, where the engine mount attaches to the body, or the rear axle mount – is Fluid Film enough in those cases?




Thank you.

I use cavity wax from Stahlgruber. I apply a generous layer, also on the axle area, let it dry, and then apply another layer. It's important to check it periodically.

Hi,
I did the exact same repair last year.
Unfortunately, the outer sill is welded BEHIND the A-pillar, and that's exactly where our Golf also rusted. I cut off the lower part of the A-pillar to be able to properly repair the area. Then I welded the piece of A-pillar back on flush. Strangely enough, it didn't matter to the inspector during the technical inspection. I used repair panels from Klokkerholm because they are galvanized. You can find them, among other places, at Werk34. Afterwards, I coated everything with commercially available wax.

Regards,
Jens.