Firewall Rust

[Fu Manchu]

This the smaller insulation panel that is sandwiched between the pedal plate and the brake booster.

A close up of what was behind it. That fastener had split as the threaded stud rusted and expanded.

 

[Fu Manchu]

The view once it was out, from inside.

Then clean up the firewall itself. Used ranex to remove surface rust, then a primer, then a few coats of colour, then 4 coats of clear.

Looms not yet masked up.

Engine bay masked up, looms taped and masked.
I used bubble wrap because it helped my anxiety doing this job. I could pop the bubbles for therapy.

The view from inside.

Done and unmasked, looking from the engine bay.

 

[lmoengnr]

I used bubble wrap because it helped my stress doing this job. I could pop the bubbles for therapy.

Hehehehe… Luv bubble wrap for therapy! What colour is you car, 'Sizzle'?

 

[rucxy]

View attachment 206045
This the smaller insulation panel that is sandwiched between the pedal plate and the brake booster.

View attachment 206046

A close up of what was behind it. That fastener had split as the threaded stud rusted and expanded.

That's the pesky bugger.
I didn't remove the wiper assembly or the plastic cowling. Just persevered with what little room I had to work with.
I think I was lucky in the fact that my insulation was disintegrating which made it easier to remove.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Hehehehe… Luv bubble wrap for therapy! What colour is you car, 'Sizzle'?

352N Red Passion (High metallic version)

 

[lmoengnr]

352N Red Passion (High metallic version)

Nice!

 

[Vespers86]

I have a 09 SSV with a rust hole in the firewall near the accelerator pedal.
I found the hole after several weeks of trying to understand why my carpet
was soaked.

Holden has advised a repair estimate of $7600
They classed it as general wear and tear.

Any advise would be appreciated.

I’ll have to check my 08 commodore to see if it’s got the same problem as yours, another annoying thing with the ve commodore is the plastic panel that sits on the bottom of the windscreen that catches the water that runs off the windscreen, on some ve’s the water just runs under the plastic cowling where it doesn’t seal against the windscreen properly and goes into the engine bay and down the fire wall, mine does it a little bit but not as a bad as other ve’s I’ve heard of, this isn’t the cause of your rust problem though, shame cause their nice cars otherwise

 

[Fu Manchu]

Some also had a small rubber lip that tipped water away from the cabin air inlet.

The series 2 has an adhesive foam seal along the windscreen base that the cowl pushes down on to manage that. You can see it in this picture.

 

[VS_Pete]

View attachment 206041

This is what I removed. This is what you see from the engine bay if the insulation is t there.

View attachment 206042

The new part, which would be way better made from aluminum or high density plastic. You can see the foam seal that compresses as it’s tightened. Never seen this used before.

Zoom in on those welds.



View attachment 206043
This is the support bracket that wasn’t available new anymore so I had to clean it up, remove the rust, treat the rust, spray with black zinc, then satin black and then I did a clear coat.


View attachment 206044
I had to clean these nuts (with captive washers) up and spray with black zinc and then satin black. I couldn’t find a supplier of new ones. Anyone got a supplier?
They need the captive washer so when it tightens the washer stays firm without spinning or moving.

That support bracket is the one you can see from the front drivers side firewall right of booster near steering column?

 

[Fu Manchu]

That is possibly the greatest spam placement in this forums history.

 

[immortality]

Spammer be banished!

 

[Lex]

Spammer be banished!

And he was!

 

[Fu Manchu]

That support bracket is the one you can see from the front drivers side firewall right of booster near steering column?

Is that from inside or outside the car?
If that’s from the engine bay, I think i have put the steering column seal on back to front.

 

[VS_Pete]

engine bay very hard to get good pic.

 

[VS_Pete]

I just ordered a bracket 92192901.
I`ll get a diagram and put it up

 

[VS_Pete]

The insulation is gone I must have been lucky about 3/4hr to get out.
Gave it a hose too.

 

[Fu Manchu]

I noticed that on your MY12, that bracket seems to have a white seal under it? My MY07 didn't.
I have double checked the column seal against eBay photos. Looks like it is in correctly. The MY12 seems to have a better designed seal though. Would have been good to install a better seal on mine.

 

[VS_Pete]

I had a brake fluid leak and booster got a hole.
Booster 7 weeks to come from USA.
Going to panel shop on Monday.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Would be a good chance to fit up a VF booster and master cylinder, which improved brake feel over VE

 

[Fu Manchu]

Wipe some ranex rust buster over that paintwork, wipe off the surface rust. Maybe give it a spray.