Rust in Spare Tire well?

[tek.to]

So for those of you who have seen my previous post on my car being unable to start. I initially started to think it was due to occasional leaking water in the drivers side.

However, with my terrible luck I have this year, my tire was flat tonight before getting ready to leave the house and I just took out the full spare in the trunk and slapped it on. However after taking off the spare, I saw this:



I’m starting to think this may be the cause of the car not starting last time since there is water here? Is that hole on the right of the spare well supposed to be open like that? Is there supposed to be an open tubing like that? (Holes and tubing are boxed in the picture below)

Has anyone had this happen to them?

Thanks


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[waters17]

I think that's the vent tube for your battery. If so, it should be connected to the battery and running out the side of the trunk.

[dannyzabolotny]

Almost looks like your battery leaked out and corroded those areas...

[tek.to]

Oh ok because the battery is new. I got it a few months ago and I just thought that maybe that drain tubing is connected to some rain drain. When I got the new battery there was no tubing sticking out of it though.


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[crazy4trains]

There is likely a hole on the positive terminal side of the battery. You need to connect the vent tube to the battery there then ensure the vent runs to the outside of the car. Hopefully somebody else has a photo. I traveling and can't get good pictures.

[Dave Sal]

Here's a pic of the vent tube on my Interstate MTP-93 battery. If I remember correctly, the tube was mounted on the side of the BMW battery next to the positive terminal facing the front of the car. On the Interstate it is centered between the pos and neg terminals.

MTP-93-vent-tube.jpg

[tek.to]

Ohh ok thanks I’ll take the battery out tomorrow and check it out. So should I be worried about the rust in the spare wheel well?


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[geargrinder]

I think that's the vent tube for your battery. If so, it should be connected to the battery and running out the side of the trunk.

There is likely a hole on the positive terminal side of the battery. You need to connect the vent tube to the battery there then ensure the vent runs to the outside of the car. Hopefully somebody else has a photo. I traveling and can't get good pictures.

All what these guys said ^^^^^

That's clearly an eff-up by a previous owner who probably pulled the battery with the hose, lost the hose, then used some generic piece of hose too short to make it out of the back wheel well.

The battery doesn't vent much but when it does its like acidic vapors that might then condense with water, cause drips and... metal+acid, not good obviously.

Ohh ok thanks I’ll take the battery out tomorrow and check it out. So should I be worried about the rust in the spare wheel well?

Maybe a little. Theoretically the well should stay bone dry so it shoudn't get too worse, but you might want to polish off that rust spot where the paint was burned off, hit it with some rust converter and then a quick squirt blast of rattle-can paint - rustoleum or something. That's prob what I'd to. Doesn't look too bad at the moment so catch it while it's minor.

[ECSTuning]

^agreed. It's really not too bad, a little cleaning up with cleaner and a rag, then a quick coat of touch up paint/rust relieve and you'll be golden. Just try to chase down that battery drain tube location so you don't run into the issue again.

-James

[computiNATEor]

POR15 is good stuff. I had to do a similar repair when my battery leaked all over the place in my black car. PITA to do, but you gotta fix it before it gets any worse.

[geargrinder]

Yep. I just POR'd some garden cart parts the other day. Ignore the part where POR tells you "oh you must use our special surface cleaner and then our special prep treatment and you must use our thinner/solvent and..." Definitely they are trying to sell you basic organic solvents and chemicals at a big markup. Typically I use Acetone or another solvent for degrease wipedown, after a good washing, and lacquer thinner for cleanup. I've never etched (which is what their 'prep' is for), but apparently you can use any generic 'etching' treatment chemical just like you'd do with other paints to get them to stick to new metal surfaces. I wonder if sodium metasilicate would be good for aluminum for that - it'd degrease and (if left on a bit) etch aluminum all in one step... Anyway....

That said, for the tiny spot OP had, I wouldn't worry about using POR unless I had it on hand already...