FRSKLLR

So I know this is under the trunk not under the hood lol but I was recently stripping the trunk lining/ spare tire and noticed rust in the bottom of the jack well. I've never had to deal with rust before and I need help on how to go about removing/preventing the rust. I also am unsure if it goes all the way through as I gave gave it some knocks and it still feels solid but who knows. I've included some pics and appreciate your responses!

VTEC4-2

Did you ever have signs that you got water in the trunk before? Is there any reason to believe the water was getting past the convertible top or that the drain hoses were blocked?

I see a couple hairline cracks in the first picture. Was the car ever in an accident or bottomed out?

In the second picture, is the black mark evidence the roll bar struck the outside of the well?

starchland

Please do me a favour pull up the rubber gasket and check the seam right by the trunk latch (car side)

92gli

Water has been getting in there for a long time. Yes it goes all the way through. At least it can be easily repaired without having to paint any portions of the body that are visible. Repair is going be be cut out and replace, but it will be very easy for any decent body shop.

If your car still has the rubber trim around the rear wheelwell seams, you should probably check that too. They crack, they have metal inside that rusts, and that can lead to the the wheelwell arches rusting. If they are rusting they will feel swollen when you run your fingers along the top of them (inside the top of the seams).

vtecboost

Do the tail lights have a foam gasket?

vasquezgno

That looks very fixable without cutting and replacing but first located the source of where it's coming from so you can prevent it

92gli

How? POR15? It goes all the way through. By the time he grinds off all that rust there will be a hole. It needs a patch.

bgoetz

Try POR-15 and then maybe an epoxy like JB weld over it, you may get away with that as a cheap fix.

I am curious as to how that happened though?

FRSKLLR

I believe the person who owned it before me probably spilt something and never dried it out. I was planning on using something like POR15 and then fiberglass just to keep it from worsening as the trunk isn't anything that important, but will probably replaced it further down the road.