I know that there is a right way and a wrong way to fix surface rust. But Im far from having the funds to do the full body repair and paint. With that said, what can I do to stop or slow this cancer? Open to suggestions.

 

I would sand it down, prime and if you so wish, paint. Judging by the 2 pictures I would assume the car isn't much to look at now, so any repair would be an improvement.

 

Ok. I know I'm gonna get some bad comments about what I'm about to say. But I was debating on weather I should buy a tube of black silicone caulking or black windshield caulking. I have been using wd-40. But I'm tired of having to keep it "wet."

 

Or just wrap some some sandpaper around a block, wet sand it, and then paint it with black rustoleum. Cost under $10 and be 100x better than black silicone or window caulking. If you put on silicone, the rust is still there eating away at the metal.

 

So black rustoleum is weather resistant ?

 

Yep. If you block sand down that rust and paint it with rustoleum, that spot will outlast the rest of your paint.

 

Cool man. Thanks for the tip. Much appreciated.

 

If you put silicon or spray any kind of protectant (WD-40, Silicon spray, PB blaster, etc) It will be a painters nightmare when trying to get the paint to stick in that spot even after it has been sanded. Steel is porous, especially rusty steel, and will absorb the oils into the micro fissures in the metal. Temperature will cause the metal to expand and contract forcing the oil squeeze out of the fissures and lightly coating the metals surface. Getting paint to stick to even a micro film of oil is nearly impossible.

The rustoleum is weather proof, probably as good or better than the OEM paint but If you've been spraying WD-40 on it, the rustoleum wont stick very well at all without at least some prep.

 

Believe me man. I will block sand and use denatured alcohol to clean any oil residue.

 

Before you paint it with the Rustoleum, grab a can of Rust Converter. Rustoleum, Permatex, Duplicolor and others all offer it, and it's available in any auto parts store. This stuff chemically converts the rust to a hard, purple material and it will slow down the oxidation process. Painting over untreated rust does nothing to slow it down.

 

So once this rusts turns purple, do I sand it off?

 

No. Once it turns purple, you paint over it.

 

Oh. Cool man. Thanks for the help.

 

and for those reading this thread in the future id liek to point out that primer will not stop rust, nor does it stop moisture from getting to the metal underneath

if u prime bare steel u must seal the primer otheriwse the metal underneath will rust

 

There's a detailed article in this month's Super Chevy magazine regarding rust prevention and surface rust. I believe they used Eastwood products. http://www.eastwood.com/paints/rust-solutions.html

 

Just like jim85Iroc said you need to apply I use SEM rust mort then apply 2 coats of epoxy primer and you will be fine until you have the car painted