Cowl question

[SUX2BU99]

In an effort to find out how my truck (85 C10 shorty fleet 2wd) is doing against corrosion, I took my cowl panel off to have a look-see. Getting in there was simple enough, except for taking the wiper arms off. Those buggers sure didn’t want to come off too easily from the splined shafts. Anyway, once the panel and screen were off I could see what’s happening below.  I see that the cowl ‘belly’ (for lack of a better word) mates up with the firewall and has some kind of sealer where the seam is. This still appears to be intact and aside from it being somewhat dirty and a little bit of peeling paint on the vertical part of the cowl under the windshield, everything looks good (which is a huge relief).  I’m going to clean everything in there and paint the peeled sections but for this sealer at the seam, should I use some caulking or something to freshen up the seam? I just don’t want it to start corroding or something and leaking moisture into areas it shouldn’t. Anything else I should look for or do while I’m in there to help prevent rusting?

[roundedline]

Just clean/wash it out as best as possible.  I would run the hose down each side to blow out what ever could be in there.  (keeping in mind the vents for the AC go in there)  For the sealer, it is seam sealer, I would replace what is missing with that.

BTW, there is a tool to remove the wiper arms.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[SUX2BU99]

Thanks for the info.  It doesn't appear that any of the seam sealer is missing. I just thought I'd lay  down something new overtop to get some more protection there. I'll just take a look in there time to time like every season or so to check on it.

A tool you say, eh?   Well that would have been handy! Where might I get one of those? Auto parts store?  I ended up using a flat blade screwdriver and a socket extension for leverage.

[roundedline]

The last one I saw for sale was at one of the chain stores.  It was in the trim tool section.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[Blazin]

Most auto parts stores carry the tool, when the tool is not handy I use a paint stir stick to protect the paint and a large pry bar with an angled end. I would scuff and paint the entire area rather than just the pealing parts. You should use a good quality self etching primer on the bare metal as well, you can get it in a spray baomb. SEM brand works good. Some 220 grit paper for the bar metal and a purple scuffy pad for the old paint.

[SUX2BU99]

Thanks for the info. The backside of the cowl and the underside of the edge was peeling quite easily so for that I scuffed with 220 grit and then said what the heck and did it again in 100 grit since it's not visible anyway. I will primer it with a nice spray-bomb scratch filler primer we have up here at Canadian Tire and then the color coat is a matched custom-mixed aerosol that a local parts store made up for me.

Can Tire also sells a Rust Stop aerosol primer. Does that stuff work any good?  They also sell a zinc chromate primer which I believe is the self-etching stuff.

[Blazin]

if a primer is self etching it will say it on the can, not sure if the zinc crhomate is though.
The scratch fill stuff has no rust inhibitive qualities at all.

[SUX2BU99]

True, the scratch filler wouldn't have rust inhibitors. Does self-etching primers?  Any comment on rust-stopping primers and how effective they are?  I took a couple pics right inside the cowl and it looks like the underside of the hood hinge supports have a bit of surface rust on them. It's in an awkward spot so if I can hit it with a rust-stopper that would be good.