chemical for small rust spot?

**Guitarist302008** · 06-07-2013, 01:05 AM

I was going over my car yesterday and saw a very small chip in the paint which actually had a little tiny rust spot on it ( about the size of the largest area of a toothpick). Naturally I don`t want this spot getting any larger, so i`m just wondering what I can do without having to sand. Yes, I could take it to the dealer, but that seems like a lot of trouble and they would likely half a@@ it anyway. Perhaps I should try to polish that area and remove it ? Or is there a chemical that will remove the rust and just leave a bare spot? It hasn`t been there long because I have had very few chips in my paint after owning the car for a year.

**imported_PiPUK** · 06-07-2013, 03:20 AM

Are you intending to touch it up? If so, you would ideally like to use a rust converter before refinishing.

**smfrycruzr** · 06-07-2013, 08:49 AM

naval jelly FTW

**peacemaker** · 06-07-2013, 09:10 AM

an iron decon will dissolve it.

**Guitarist302008** · 06-07-2013, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by PiPUK

Are you intending to touch it up? If so, you would ideally like to use a rust converter before refinishing.

Yeah I can, but you would never see it unless you were right there in front of it

**C. Charles Hahn** · 06-07-2013, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by peacemaker

an iron decon will dissolve it.

Not completely it won`t.

I would recommend just mechanically scraping the rust out of the chip with a dental pick of some sort, then prime to seal the metal and touch it up.

**Accumulator** · 06-07-2013, 11:55 AM

You could probably just live with it; I`ve done that for years and never had any problems as long as I kept the vehicle well-detailed. Some chips on my Tahoe have been there for years, since long before I got it, and they haven`t gotten any worse. I let some go on the Jag for over 20 years until my good painter fixed them (without my OK) because they bugged him so much.

If you do want to fix it, mechanically remove most of the rust (the picks/etc. though I use a diamond burr on a rotary tool), prime with rust converter, and apply touchup paint. Even a pretty, uhm....[half-baked] job should turn out OK as long as you do all those steps and it`s really not that much of a chore (but if it`s not, why don`t I do the Tahoe?!?).

Otherwise, I`d just let it go. Do it right or don`t bother doing it at all, shouldn`t be a biggie either way so please don`t take that as some kind of :nono: type attitude.

**Guitarist302008** · 06-07-2013, 01:42 PM

no, it`s such a small spot, but other people with the newer WRX`s have had that issue. I should take it to the dealer, but like I said... I don`t think they would do it right.

**Accumulator** · 06-08-2013, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by Guitarist302008

.. I should take it to the dealer, but like I said... I don`t think they would do it right.

I`m sure you`re right about the dealer not doing it right (by a country mile).

If it`s that small I`d just polish it and keep it well LSPed. Bet it`ll never amount to anything and you`ll get used to it.