Sills & Drain Tubes a Question

[solarice]

Ok for those of you who have had the sills replaced / patched or even in need of fixing can you say whether or not you have a sunroof.

From checking mine the sill corroding drain pipes come from each corner of the sunroof (guessing for the rears as cant really see where they go to) aswell as a drain pipe that runs down from the ariel into the sill. As the early micras have the ariel on the front drivers side id reckon the earlier micras without a sunroof should be kinder to their sills.

I also suppose it'll work out as none sunroofed later micras with a relocated ariel shouldnt have sill problems, so im just curious if this seems to be the case

Cheers
Kris.

 

[Alienfish360]

what's the possibilities of re-locating the drail tube away from the sill?

 

[solarice]

with the sills removed easy...leaving them in place only really possible to move the back ones as you cant get that much access to the fronts, wouldnt say it would be impossible but youd be working by touch only for the most part.

 

[Swiper]

mine's a facelift without a sunroof and still sill rot. so bang goes your thoery. it's probably due to condensation ect.

 

[ollie240585]

I got a 96 with sunroof, mine is starting to show signs of deteriorating. But probably still good for a few years yet. Just got a small patch "bubbling up" on the drivers side! Side skirt hides it though!!

I don't think it matters if it's got a sunroof or not.....It's just something all K11s are prone to!!!

 

[micracharge]

Wow, I was going to post a "K11: Rust" thread this evening trying to work out a pattern to all these rusty K11's we have knocking around. Mine is a '97 and has notable bubbles on the sills both sides already - its going in to a body shop over the next few weeks and having a pair of brand new sills, and the tubes relocated before I do anything else to the car - no point modifying a car that isnt a good solid foundation. I'd rather not do it by halves with patches, and I want to catch it before it hits the join with the inner sill and floor.

I went out last night, under cover of darkness, to feel up all the K11's in the area lol, to try and find a pattern to this corrosion. I found three last night, the first was a JDM March on an 96 (N) plate, no sunroof, no hint of any rot on the sills either side, not even little bubbles. Then I found a 94 (L), 3dr with sun-top and again no rust at all on either side, then finally I found a 96 (N), no sunroof, both sides patched to ######y - it doesnt make sense...

Every K11 owner - post up your year, model and sill status - there HAS to be a pattern to this somewhere!

 

[ollie240585]

Wow, I was going to post a "K11: Rust" thread this evening trying to work out a pattern to all these rusty K11's we have knocking around. Mine is a '97 and has notable bubbles on the sills both sides already - its going in to a body shop over the next few weeks and having a pair brand new, and the tubes relocated before I do anything else to the car - no point modifying a car that isnt a good solid foundation. I'd rather no do it by halves.

I went out last night, under cover of darkness, to feel up all the K11's in the area lol, to try and find a pattern to this corrosion. I found three last night, the first was a JDM March on an 96 (N) plate, no sunroof, no hint of any rot on the sills either side, not even little bubbles. Then I found a 94 (L), 3dr with sun-top and again no rust at all on either side, then finally I found a 96 (N), no sunroof, both sides patched to ######y - it doesnt make sense...

Every K11 owner - post up your year, model and sill status - there HAS to be a pattern to this somewhere!

Yes there is a pattern.....a random pattern!!!

There's probably other contributing factors that need to be taken into consideration!!! The amount the car is driven will have an affect, how it's looked after, even what part of the country you live in!!!

You'd need to create such a massive amount of data it would be near on impossible to go through!!

 

[Dr Zoidberg]

like ollie said where you live etc will effect it more coast line etc.

my experience kinda says your theory is backwards mate lol.

94 L reg L no sunroof - driver sill patched / passenger began its way up the side of the car

98 R reg SR sunroof little bubbles

 

[ollie240585]

like ollie said where you live etc will effect it more coast line etc.

my experience kinda says your theory is backwards mate lol.

94 L reg L no sunroof - driver sill patched / passenger began its way up the side of the car

98 R reg SR sunroof little bubbles

Erm but my 96 is all good....but yet I live on an island :-|

The previous owner had the car for about 5 years n he spent half of each week on the island, the other half in island!!

So erm......It is just random!!!

 

[solarice]

mmm ###### lol...was going purely by what my car has been doing...i was thinking this because anywhere where the pipes havent put water the sill is still perfectly fine (far front and back) but where theres been water running its rusted...this then led me to the drain pipes which seem to all come off the sunroof. Happy to be proved wrong though

 

[micracharge]

Your explaination sounds most likely to me. Although there is the front crossmember issue too - perhaps Nissan were using dicey steel for the pressings?

 

[Broony]

how much you think new sills and tubes will set u back?? mine are starting to bubble a bit i got 98 k11, i already replaced the cross member due to rust (was really rotten was sitting for 3 month think thats the problem)

 

[micracharge]

I've just (like, 30 minutes ago) paid £25 per side for the sills, and £15 delivery from eBay. For fitting and spraying you can budget yourself ATLEAST £150 per side I would say, if not a fair bit more.

Its incredible (and scary) that 98/99 K11s are rotting out the sills - quite disgraceful actually as the 1991 Skyline I sold only a few weeks back had no structural corrosion at all, only a little bit around the upper rear arches.

 

[Soixantaine]

My '93, with sunroof, had already had a patch job done on it when I bought it last year. The patches are about the size and shape of a ten pound note and there is one on each side. I've since treated the inside of the sills with Dinitrol 3125 (photos and 'how to' on this site somewhere: 'Rust never sleeps'). I've also done my wife's '94 LX even though there were no signs of the sills rusting through. That was last year and so far (touching wood), no further problems.

However, my car, if left out in the rain on our driveway, which is on a fairly steep incline, seems to have a reservoir somewhere in the sill area where water collects. I first noticed this when I backed the car out one morning and it left twin streams of water down the length of the drive. I've been unable to locate the source of the drainage but think the water is collecting somewhere near the front of the sills. I don't know if the water would collect if the car was parked on the level when it rains. Bit of a mystery.

Wouldn't you think, though, that after over 100 years of churning out automobiles the manutacturers would have got the rust problem sorted?

S

 

[sonic]

My '92 95000 mile K11 has a sunroof, it has no rust at the front but a couple of scabs on the rear of the sills but it cant be from accumulation of water because I park it facing downhill, I think it's just age, even my crossmember is sound with a little bit of bubbling of the paint.

 

[micracharge]

Wouldn't you think, though, that after over 100 years of churning out automobiles the manutacturers would have got the rust problem sorted?

There are solutions, they are however either expensive, time consuming for production - or both. Furthermore, the last thing the motortrade wants is cars that last even longer, they cant sell you new ones then... Take for example the ever-lasting lightbulb, which has existed for years, as well as NGK/SAABs technology for self-cleaning everlasting spark plugs - not many people know it even exists. If it got out, it would be a disaster, products are designed to have a lifetime, its good for the world economy because it keeps us consumers - consuming, rather than just ... using.

 

[Soixantaine]

True, to some extent. You are, perhaps, referring to the concept of Planned Obsolescence. But I'll bet that most people buy new cars because of mechanical problems, not rust, or because they're bored with the old one and want something new and shiney. And, what manufacturer in their right mind would want their cars to get a reputation for rusting out before their time?

Anyway, good luck with your sill replacement. Would like to see what it looks like in there with the sills removed. Any chance of a few photos?

S

 

[Demarest]

Most Mercedes E class i've seen (the late 80's, early 90's ones) have harldly any rust on them.

at least Micras arnt like fiestas of the same age where the rear arches, doors, and front wings rust

 

[mickey&me]

Hey everyone

I have been reading this thread with quite an interest, because i just bought a little micra super s 1994, from a long way away from home (200miles approx) drove it back with badly corroded sills and the floor on both sides went with large holes, im new to this so does this mean that that car is a scrappy? or can it be fixed.

The garage i go to told me to replace the sills with new ones approx £90 and he will repair the floors too by adding and weld large pieces of metal on top. is this safe? lose of stability? i really want to get this car up to scratch. I fell in love and bought it as a spares and repair car for about 200 quid so i really dont think i lost the money.

Any opinions, when i do take some pics of the welding and sills done to a similar car of my mates ill post them on.

 

[lewic]

93 L reg, can't see any rust anywhere. Think it was garaged for much of its life though.

 

[deano123456]

i have 98 sreg no sun roof and no signs of rust bubbles or anything like that

 

[Glen]

94 wave bubbles at doors and on the sills but a few months left in them it has a sunroof aswell

 

[gam1984]

Just to add, I've got a 94 L-reg with a sun roof, slight rust just starting to bubble at the rear end of the sills on both sides, treated them with waxoil stuff a few months back, but probably won't make much difference as I only did them on the outside.

Front ends of the sills and crossmember is fine though

 

[djlee_dj]

micra charge were are you sourcing the sills ?