mc2hammer

thanks Jake, haven't checked yet but had been meaning to lift the carpet, which isn't wet, AFAIK. The car is / has been for a long time stored in a garage most of the time, but is inevitably and occasionally used in the wet. I have sprayed wax inside the sections where the 2 bungs are in the photo and have left one of the bungs out, not sure why they're there TBH, as it must prevent this part from draining if water gets in there, from whatever route. What is the repair process btw, I presume cut out any rot and let in new piece and weld, but are repair panels available or (assuming they're not) one has to custom fabricate a new section from the appropriate gauge steel sheet ? Im hoping that, once I get the all clear on this / bodywork in general and know there is nothing terminal, I'd like to attend to some of the other jobs I'd like to tackle but have been putting off in case I'm throwing good money after bad, E.g. (sorry going off topic now) engine is ok but showing its miles and needs "fettling", so does anyone know any UK specialists where I can get this done ? I'm a newbie on here, will do a search or post a new thread elsewhere. All I know is that the B18C4 is (I believe) a much sought after power plant, so there ought to be lots of parts available for it to support a rebuild etc. Again, I guess it may not be worth spending loads on such an old car, but I'd just like to get it back to how I remember it all those years ago when I first got it. Although a bit more torque would be nice of course !

Great, many thanks for the reply Dave, in your case it was repairable then/ not terminal, that's good too hear, and do you still have the motor over 2 years later (judging from date of post) and the rust bug has stayed away ? I took the car in today for a welding specialist garage to take a look, now booked in to sort it, O/S is worst but N/S starting to go. they said they usually go at the rear sill, just fwd of the rear wheel arch, but when they take the sill covers off they;ll advise if anything else needs doing. At the front where mine has gone, same as yours, it looks like multiple panels meet at this seam (they used a technical term which Ive forgotten), and so I guess it's bound to go eventually. I also asked about the sill covers and they pretty much said what you said i.e. they slide fwds or backwards, so will try that. Thanks again for your help.

Hi I I know old post but was just wondering if you (or anyone with similar issue on their Civic/ Aerodeck) ever got this sorted, mine is going here too. (Drivers O/S, N/S no doubt will have same issue if not quite so bad) I have an X reg 1.8VTIs Aerodeck that I dont really want to die just yet. This was an advisory this year on MoT. I want to sort it properly if poss, get new section welded in, whatever it takes to make the old girl better again, rest of car underside is generally ok i think - just this part needs proper attention. Can you get a new panel / repair section ? or would one need to be fabricated ? I'm out of my knowledge/ comfort zone here. How do the plastic sill covers come off btw, Ive got the lower fixings out but I think there are 'hidden' clips retaining it still, does it just pull away, Ive tugged and tugged but it wont go, it takes some effort ! Is there a secret method/ knack ? Anyway, peering behind the sill cover, I can see the front section of sill is affected too and is part of this same panel which looks like it's rusting from the inside, it's going all along the seam, just like in the photos above, but maybe not quite as bad. Ive had a endoscope type inspection camera in the box section (through the holes blanked off by 2 blanking plugs in above photos), hard to see inside, but front looks not too bad, but rear towards where the affected seam slants in to meet the sill doesnt look so clever. Thanks all