Rust beneath battery - K reg Polo

Hello All

I recently bought a polo that seemed in quite good nick till I got a wet foot while driving in the rain, and had a look under the battery
http://lh4.google.co.uk/ayearinasia/...4/P1010190.JPG
and found a big rusty hole
http://lh6.google.co.uk/ayearinasia/...4/P1010191.JPG
I've cleaned away the rust , and painted with hammerite, and then covered the hole with a plastic lining to keep my feet dry, but does anyone know whether this might cause it to fail its MOT? which is due in February?

Any advice greatly received, thanks

Hi With the battery in place they will not be able to see the hole

Thanks Kenny,

the Hammerite was white (it was all i had) and can be seen around the battery as can the plastic sheet - would they not investigate if the tester was being thorough?

I don't think the rusted area is structural - there is a much thicker and sound/unrusted piece of metal to the right of the hole that I'm guessing is part of the sub frame.

thanks very much for your help

get a plate welded in there, it shouldn't cost allot (no expensive spraying) as you cant see it and then you know your safe and dry :)

I Suspect that battery acid has corroded the paint and let the rust get hold.

thanks onzarbob.
Any idea how much getting a plate welded will cost me?
As I only paid 275 for the car and I'd rather not throw money at it.

I have put piece of aluminium sheet that was lying around under the battery for extra strength but its only secured by the weight of the battery.

thanks again

It is evil work to do properly; there are quite a lot of things to catch fire around there. I have done so many of these over the years I have lost count but to have it done properly and to replace the broken battery retaining bolt (I am guessing it is broken but they usually are) will cost more than you paid for the car. Running a Polo like that can't be based on the practice of no repairs costing more than what you paid for it, it won't last long running it like that.

Thanks Crasher - yes, the retaining bolt at the rear is gone, but the one in front is ok and battery seems secure, so didn't think that would be a problem.

So welding a plate would cost more than £275?
And I can expect to have to do more repairs that will cost the same again?

I was imagining around £100 for the weld, and thought that was probably going to be too much to spend already.

I do like the car, but I don't think its gonna be economical to do that.

I'm fairly sure its not dangerous as it is, but should I even bother putting it in for MOT as is, or cut my losses?

thanks again

It doesn’t have one at the rear of the battery but I am surprised the one at the front is still there. If £275 is the cap for spending on the car then cut and run. The cost of the welding depends on who does it and how well you want it doing. It isn't dangerous as such, just irritating but it could make your feet slip on the pedals and it will eventually cause the floor to rust. Back in the early 80's, my Polo 1 (a 78) used to have an inch of ice on the floor some mornings until I found the time to weld it up.

Hi i am new here but i work for a steel company and to have some plate welded in it will only take about an hour to do and all you need is thin steel maybe 3mm, stick some primer on it and the job will cost no more than 50-70 quid. i would just do that or if you want to do it on the cheap fill it with silicone seal so no water comes through. For the bolt where ever you take it to get welded could just weld a nut under so you can screw it inot that or tap the whole with a new thread. i would keep the car

Mark

Thin steel, 3-mm, that’s an eighth of an inch thick, he doesn’t want armour plating! Normal body grade steel is less than 1-mm thick. Have you ever tried forming chassis grade steel into a shape? As for the labour time, does that include removing the lower dash section, wiring out of the way and the floor carpeting?

Great thanks for all the advice folks.

remedying it on the cheap is definitely my objective.

If the only danger will be caused by water coming through, I will
seal the hole more permanently to keep water from coming through - In proper blue peter style, I'm thinking of a sheet of sticky backed plastic, or maybe just silicone sealing the aluminum sheet I have there into place.

I know it wont last for ever, but it should keep water from doing any more damage.

this is a great forum - I'm sure I'll be back with more silly questions - thanks again

If you have a foldiong machine (most steel companys will have) or rollers then it should not be a problem. Time to do it depends ho big the whole is and how easy it is to work on. if there is a visable hole then you could weld a plate on. I would settle on 2mm thick steel any thinner for a battery holder would go straight through if dropped.

How high would a battery have to be to dropped from for it to penetrate a 1mm thick battery tray? The factory original sheet metal of the tray is just under 1-mm. Folding machine, so make a template and go and get it folded and add how much time to the job? Have you ever done any vehicle sheet metal repairs?