rust just below tank fill up door

Has any one experienced rust showing up just below the gas fill door? I sand blasted it and then painted it and rubbed it out and the rust came back. Is this a defect in the metal or design of the 2002 Malibu sedan?
hotpipes

I would look up into the rear wheel well behind the gas fill door. Maybe the splash guard has a problem and salt has caused the rust and penetrated to the surface. Not sure what the 2002 Malibu looks like up there though.

I will get back to you as soon as I check that out. Thanks jettex

Here is a tip about underbody rust. If you see rust, clean it off - a wire brush works well. Spray the cleaned area with an asphalt based pruning sealer available in aerosol cans. When the first coat dries spray again until a nice thick layer is deposited. I got the idea from the instructions on the aerosol can that said I could repair leaky gutters with it. So far it works just great.

I have this problem on my 2002 Malibu. I haven't done anything about it and it's starting to spread out. I think the rust is starting from the inside out.

msliva
I have checked on the underside of the fender and it feels like there is a second skin of metal under the outer skin of metal. It feels like a raised section on the inside that could be trapping water. I'm not sure weather to drill a hole in this area to let water drain out when it gets trapped or would i make the problem worse by letting more water in? I sure could use some help with this problem.
hotpipes

There is already a drain hole in the gas cap filler area. Drilling a hole in the backside would not help, but would likely be a winter salt trap.

Bizarre in that I have the same exact problem. It is about a 2" by 3" area just below the gas cap. Told myself that I would fix it once spring came.. um er and I should take care of it now and get some paint (from where?) before it gets any worse.

pauly99

This is where I got my Paint from and it was a good match. I was lucky enough to find a store in my home town check there store locater you may have a store near you. http://www.sherwin-automotive.com/

hotpipes

I have the same problem on my '01 Malibu. I thought it what possible gas drips from removing nozzle that caused the problem.

pauly99

This is where I got my Paint from and it was a good match. I was lucky enough to find a store in my home town check there store locater you may have a store near you. http://www.sherwin-automotive.com/

hotpipes
I found the rubber padding between the inner and outer skin by grinding more outer body skin off. I can not take all of the rubber out because it is sandwiched between the inner and out skin of the entire wheel well but I got out as much as i could reach and the back side of the outer skin is coated with rust there is an area around the gas fill pipe that is without the inner skin and I can see the rubber sticking out
Do you think it would help to cut off the rubber sticking out and silicone over that seam or just under coat it? I will use the rust neutralizer before I close it up. Which brings me to another question. The hole is 3" by 6" would you use fiberglass cloth or pop rivet a peace of metal over the hole. The inner skin can and will support the mud if that is the way to go with this repair.
hotpipes

http://jpeg/I found the rubber padding between the inner and outer skin by grinding more outer body skin off. I can not take all of the rubber out because it is sandwiched between the inner and out skin of the entire wheel well but I got out as much as i could reach and the back side of the outer skin is coated with rust there is an area around the gas fill pipe that is without the inner skin and I can see the rubber sticking out
Do you think it would help to cut off the rubber sticking out and silicone over that seam or just under coat it? I will use the rust neutralizer before I close it up. Which brings me to another question. The hole is 3" by 6" would you use fiberglass cloth or pop rivet a peace of metal over the hole. The inner skin can and will support the mud if that is the way to go with this repair.

After using fiberglass on the outside under the fill pipe I than used bondo to finish off the outside of the fender patch made of sheet metal and then I under coated the underside of fender around the fill tube and that has solved my problem.
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