Cowl - Windshield Joint?

if I clean the rust out of this joint how would I reseal it?

 

Your FLAPS body/paint counter will have various seam-sealer products.

My concern would be definitive rust-stopping, deep in the crevice. I've used a penetrating sealant oil on an iron bridge, but it was a proprietary "bridge' product.

 

I've been using 3M Heavy Drip-Check Sealer for years. Comes in a tube lasts great in weathering conditions. It was developed and used to fill the edges where roof skins met the gutters along the windshield and along doors of vehicles.
As far as treating the joint. I've used various petroleum based coatings (Mopar MP50, wd40 long-term corrosion inhibitor) and want to experiment with beeswax and lanolin dissolved in mineral spirits a method told me by a friend in Germany. I've also tried mineral oil and linseed oil on outdoor ornament iron with good results. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that any oil based product must be thoroughly cleaned from that areas to be painted and sealed. I try to do this by first being neat in applying the oils, and then washing the area with a damp rag with some dawn dish soap in the water. After that is done several times (damp, not running water over and into the joint) switch to a rag dampened with acetone and finally pre-paint de-oiler (I like prep-sol) damp rag. Trick is to not wash the oils out of the joint, just clean the metal to be primed and sealed. Prime and paint, then apply a thin bead of the 3m sealer

 

Why wouldn't you just wire wheel it, sand it with 100 grit sandpaper caulk it with paintable body caulk and paint the body? They do that on the assembly line all the time, and in body shops when they replace a quarter panel. Just saying, Good luck.

 

Wire wheel it apply fluid film wipe the excess and follow with 3m heavy drip check. Fluid film is 100 percent body shop safe you can paint over it. Unlike a petrochemical type such needs to be removed for paint to stick.

 

Eastwood (and others) sells a paintable, flexible, "brush on" seam sealer for automotive use. I bought some but haven't used it yet. I am not sure how to apply it in your case, maybe a plastic syringe and a quick wipe off? Be interesting to see what you end up doing and the results.

 

I did the wire wheel, dug at it a bit with my little pick but since this is really my first project and first body work ever I did know there was “ paintable body caulk or 3M heavy drip check. I’ve done a little search and there is a body shop supply place in town ( Pensacola). Thanks for the replies.

 

I tape along both edges,apply and smooth the sealer and remove the tape before it skins too much. The 3m sealer dries pretty fast.

 

You know Scott, I got to thinking about my Jeep, I had my body blasted after I finished all the welding and body repair. When I got it back I blew it down and wiped it off with metal prep, and primed it with urethane primer blocked it primed it again, sanded it again, and painted it with Black single stage urethane, and never did caulk that seam, that was eleven years ago and it still has no problems. Good Luck what ever you choose to do.

 

I would clean it out, use a rust converter, prime, seam seal and paint

 

I will check our jeep for how it was constructed (sealer under or over paint system).
edit: the sealer appears to be under the paint, and the paint is cracked right at the joint.

 

Sealer under finish always.

 

That is exactly my plan. Did step 1,2,3 so far. Seal it up this afternoon. Then move on to next issue.

 

I used a dremel tool with a cutoff disk, fits in there perfect. There was no seam sealer from the factory so I just used epoxy primer to seal it. If you use seam sealer it needs to go over primer. It will not prevent rust put on bare metal