# RUST DISSOLVERS~~do they work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** repair\ **Created:** [August 2, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530 "2007-08-02T14:43:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@davester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davester)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/1 "2007-08-02T14:43:21Z")
i have a late model aerostar. it has rust along the bottom of the panels. the van is not worth dumping a lot of money into body and fender repair.Do these rust dissolvers do an adequate job? can i use it and then bondo/fiberglass/paint over it? thanks all ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/2 "2007-08-02T15:44:45Z")
They’re NOT dissolvers…they actually convert the rust. They DO work…but only on surface rust. If the rust is really bad and has penetrated the metal then it will NOT work. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/3 "2007-08-02T16:16:10Z")
If you mechanistically remove all loose rest. Treat it and prime and paint it, that should be OK, but it will not be like new or really smooth. I might do it on a Junker, but for my nice car I would do it the old fashion way. ---
**Author:** ![davester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@davester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davester)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/4 "2007-08-02T17:59:18Z")
they title them as ‘dissolvers’ but i know that isnt the case. thank you for the reply ---
**Author:** ![davester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@davester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davester)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/5 "2007-08-02T18:01:06Z")
i will only have this good running car for a couple of years i believe so im sure that the bondo/fiberglass should stay in place for as long as I HAVE IT,thanks for yuor reply ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/6 "2007-08-03T01:44:28Z")
The rust dissolvers like Naval Jelly are basically phosphoric acid. Done correctly, they leave a “conversion” coating. This is done for a lot of metals that are left out in the elements for many years. We do this for the steel tanks of our transformers before painting them. The coating serves as a primer also. BTW, one of the main ingredients in Coca Cola is Phosphoric acid. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/7 "2007-08-03T01:53:02Z")
I’ve never had much luck with them but Pour 15 is a pretty good temporary coating. It creates a hard ceramic like surface and you can imbed fiberglass cloth in it for more strength. Then fill and paint. Bing ---
**Author:** ![davester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@davester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davester)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/8 "2007-08-03T13:54:57Z")
thank you for the imput!! ---
**Author:** ![davester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@davester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davester)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 1:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/9 "2007-08-03T13:55:23Z")
pour 15? ok ill look for it as well thank you ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rust-dissolvers-do-they-work/2530/10 "2007-08-03T20:51:46Z")
It’s actually POR 15. > **[POR-15 Stop Rust Permanently](https://www.por15.com?gclid=CMqUs8Wb2o0CFR8ZIwodMWKJbQ)** > > The unbeatable POR-15 Rust Preventive 3-Step System. POR-15 also offers a wide variety of specialty paints & coatings to include Top Coat, High Temp Heat Resistant Paint, Engine Enamel, & Concrete Floor Armor.