I’ve received a lot of posts and searches to my blog lately on the Porsche 993 and rust. More specifically, people have wanted to know what is the likely-hood of rust forming on a 993? Where is it usually found? What if anything can be done about it? This article is an attempt to give some answers to those questions in the hope it might help someone else.
- What is the likelihood of rust forming on a Porsche 993? – The true answer is it depends. What it depends on is where you live and when you drive. 993s for the most part do very well with rust.
- Where does rust form? – There are a few known trouble spots that all cars have the potential for (regardless of where and when you drive them).
- Windshield
- Door Windows
- Rear Windows
- Inside Bottom Mounts where the headlights sit
The problems listed above are usually due to improperly replaced seals or faulty/aged/rotted seals. Let’s face it, even the newest 993s are now going on 10 years old. These seals don’t last forever. And if you have ever had to replace a windscreen or door window, it’s possible that even if the seal was done correctly, they may not have put on the proper coat of rust-proofing paint/primer under the seal to make sure there is no exposed metal.
- What are the signs? – Finding rust on a 993 is pretty easy as for the most part , the corrosion can’t hide.
- Finding a leaking windshield is easy as you will get water dripping into the interior on or around your feet. Your mats/rugs may be wet.
- Door Windows are a bit tougher, but you can usually detect it from a rattling sound when opening and closing the door. I know in my old Jeep GrandWagoneer that the door seals go very easily. One way to drain them is to open the door and hold it open for a minute. This is because the drain seals are fit tight against the lower seal if the door is shut. So opening it allows for better draining. This is true of the 993 as well.
- It’s easy to tell if the rear window is leaking because you will have water, wet spots or water stains on the rear shelf where the speakers are mounted.
- The headlights are the tricky part as you need to actually take the assembly out and look for corrosion.
If you live in a cold climate where there is opportunity for snow and salt, or use your car as a daily driver and it gets wet frequently, you are even more likely to have additional rust problems. Some common ones that I have seen are:
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- support struts
- any metal part that is exposed and not rust proofed (caps on ball joints)
- Prevention/What can be done about it? – You need to carefully inspect your car and the seals, especially as it ages.
- Windshield. You can gently lift up the seals (especially on the lower corners) and look for rust that can’t yet be seen. If rust is already forming, then you need to have the windshield replaced along with the gasket. The key in this replacement process is to get rid of any and all existing rust and to reseal the bare metal prior to replacing the gasket.
- Door Windows. Keep both your doors open for a minute or two after getting the car wet (either driving in the rain or a car wash). This will allow the doors to properly drain in the event the seal is no good. Pay close attention to the passenger side as it may not be used as much and you may not notice it.
- Rear Window. Same as the windshield.
- Inside Bottom Mounts (headlights). You can take headlights out and look for corrosion. This can happen if the car is driven in wet conditions frequently. Does anyone know how to tighten this seal to not allow moisture in?
The info above is not meant to be comprehensive, so if anyone reading has additional information, please feel free to pitch in using the comment function or email me at paulacirving@gmail.com