N16 crossmember

A

almerainthesky

does anyone have experience of replacing or protecting the front crossmember on an N16? Mine is pretty rusty. Some of the drainage holes have rusted away round the edges, and there's a very small rust hole on the front ( 2 or 3 mm).
I've put on rustinhibitor and underseal for now -- but if it doesn't get through MOT, does anyone know costs of a new or salvaged frontcrossmember?
it's unlikely to be a DIY replacement I assume...
 
It's not a bolt in part, contrary to what the parts man may tell you.

It's welded so salvaging one will be a pain in the arse to cut it out. Best with a new one £80 or so. Cutting out the old one and welding it in will probably be a couple of hours labour.
 
Wouldnt be a hard job to do yourself if you have a welder or a mate willing to be paid in beer with a welder (after completion, obviously)

Never had any problems with the crossmember on my N16, I think it may be wise for people to start checking their cars and jenoliting followed by a good coat of underseal, they look nearly as prone to crossmember rust as K10s.

Most n16s will still have nissan corrosion warranty though won't they?
 
there's an anti-corrosion warranty?? How long would it be -- car is 51 reg. I got it second-hand so never knew. Any advice on who I go to claim under it, if this is still possible?
 
It's technically structural, so bad rust would be a yes, as would any sharp edges due to the rust.

If it's inhibited and undersealed it's more likely to pass, I would personally put her in for MOT and hope! If it passes sort it out now anyway or it's another job for this time next year and you don't know what your finances will be like in a year's time.

If it fails ask the garage for a quote to sort it out, if they want an arm and a leg get a genuine nissan crossmember (pattern parts often don't fit well and it's not a part you want to start modifying to fit, espescially if it's prone to rust) find a local person or a mate willing to weld it in, before welding, coat all surfaces to be welded to and any bare edges with ZINC RICH primer ( #2 weld through, available from halfords in green spraycans) when it's welded coat again, then apply a coat of hammerite followed by a coat of underseal, should protect it nicely and prevent it from rusting again.

If you're paying a local welder to weld in the panel it will be cheaper if you strip and fit the bumper etc yourself as you won;t have to pay their time for a job you could easily do yourself.

edit - my spelling/grammar really isn't wonderful but you get the idea :)
 
this is all very helpful info. I think the anti-corrosion warranty was 6 years, so I'm just outside it.

From memory, where are the welds? I saw all the various bolts on it, and assumed (optimistic sort that I am), that it was only bolted on.

I had the sump rust through recently, which was a bit of a shocker as well. It was advisory on the last MOT though, so I had warning.

Incidentally, when I got the car back, the plastic engine cover underneath had been removed and not replaced. Is it OK to run car like this? Not likely to increase corrosion?
 
gotcha. I've a few months before MOT, so I'll redo the underseal and wait. I may get through. It's a pity because the rest of the car works very well. The only thing I've had to fix was a sticking boot lock, and also to replace the heater control panel.
 
When I got mine done I was amazed at how bad it went in only about 6 months. When it was serviced they advised that it was holed and it was literally just a bit, and when I came to do it for MOT 6 months later it was actually gone completely on one side. Very very bad. It still passed though, with an advisory before I got it fixed lol.
 
So it might not be a fail or even an advisory? Most of the corrosion was on the surface. One of the drain holes on the underside has enlarged with rust, and there's a small rust hole (2 or 3 mm) on the front.

this business about the plastic engine cover on the underneath... is it dispensable? I'd heard that it's really to keep snow out in Scandinavian countires.
 
crossmember... or front panel

This is going to seem a daft question ... but if I want to replace the crossmember, might I be better just getting a new front panel?
If I'm wrong tell me ! -- but the crossmember is part of the front panel? And the front panel would bolt on and off (so I wouldn't need welding)?
 
Better to just replace the crossmember if the font panel is still good, will save you a lot of allignment work.
 
When I had my first K11, the cross member was rotten but I could only buy a front panel, the garage just cut the cross member off the new panel and welded it to the old one, saved a lot of work :) it was about £130 IIRC.
 
thanks for the replies... I should have taken a photo of the thing before I slapped on the kurust, number 1 rust beater, and the waxoyl underseal. could have used your expertise to ask if it was a fail or borderline or ok.
 
are you on about the cross member under the engine that holds the 2 engine sway mountings? if you are then its removable and doesnt need any welding, or are you on about the slam panel? just with you mentioning bolts it makes me think some people have jumped the gun a bit
 
Don't think so, he's talking about front panels as well which is nothing to do with the crossmember under the engine.
 
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