Rust prevention after drilling holes

[crudman]

Im looking for long term maybe 20 years+ rust prevention without having to touch up every few years.

I drilled a few holes into metal parts of the body to install side skirts.
I globbed on bathroom wet-area grade silicon sealant in and around each hole that a plastic clip clips into. Its most likely fully cured by now.

I am now having 2nd thoughts of using silicon and am tempted to rip off the kit and purchase some kind of primer/non wet rust proof spray/coating product.

My concern comes from the fact that in a bathroom environment silicon can separate and allow moisture to get inside so every several years it has to be replaced... however seeing as my car isnt submerged in water several times a day it may be ok?

If i do replace it then ill have to buy new double sided tape and silicon remover also...

What do body shops use/do?

[englandsemo]

Plasti Dip In a spray can should do the trick. You can spray it on as think as you want to and it seals nicely. Basically rubber in a can.

[jer301]

If the holes are for some type of dissimilar metal (aluminum bolts and nuts) and the metal car parts that you drilled are a steel alloy I would remove the silicon and use a zinc rich antisieze compound or wet zinc primer between the dissimilar metals. Once primed find some type of polysulfide sealant. Be sure to get a good coat on it. This should minimize any corrosion problems for a long time.

[p00shy]

spray with some spray paint after sanding down the holes? thats what i would do to keep water from having contact with the metal.

[waroverjp]

ya just make sure whatever metal you made bare, gets covered back up again

[crudman]

Originally Posted by jer301

If the holes are for some type of dissimilar metal (aluminum bolts and nuts) and the metal car parts that you drilled are a steel alloy I would remove the silicon and use a zinc rich antisieze compound or wet zinc primer between the dissimilar metals. Once primed find some type of polysulfide sealant. Be sure to get a good coat on it. This should minimize any corrosion problems for a long time.

the part fitting into the hole is plastic (infact the whole bodykit is plastic)... its just a plug being slightly wider than the hole so it goes straight in and straight out (with force)

ya just make sure whatever metal you made bare, gets covered back up again

i really globbed it on so that there should be around a 1cm excess around the hole in addition to covering the bare metal.... but there was also a thin layer of wax i (stupidly) didn't remove beforehand.




i wouldnt say the holes are exposed directly to the environment... ie: even if you tried you wouldnt be able to find them without removing the bodykit. however there are gaps and the likes which may allow moisture in (there are drainage holes too). so if theres damage i can't see it and will probably never know until its too late.

the fact that i globbed it on and that i can't get easy acess to them is whats causing me to hesitate replacing the sealant in the 1st place. i also can't get a solvent in there (unless i literally pour it into the gaps and hope it hits).

ill essentially have to "rip" it off and hope it comes off clean.

[jer301]

If it is just a plastice body kit, you won't have any Galvanic Corrosion issues so you do not need the wet zinc or the zic rich primer. The plastic plug would have prevented any galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals. Any sealant, primer, or paint (on both sides of the hole) would work. You could try this stuff:

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/blp16csp.html

I co-worker restores cars as a hobby and recommended this. You should be able to get it at any autoparts store.