Gearbox Cover Sealant & Inside of Chassis Leg

[Kevin]

I am just removing my pedals for overhaul and have noticed that my gearbox cover seems to have a bead of sealant near the edge I assume this is normal to stop water getting in but I cant work out exactly what it is, what should you use Dum Dum or something similar ?
Also on starting to clean out the corrosion on the inside of the chassis leg on the nearside I seem to have a sort of bitumised layer stuck on the sides but only at the rear 6" or so at the end nearest the handbrake end, has anyoune encountered this before, as it seems to have done a reasonable job at protecting the side walls but I dont recall having seen it before.
I will try and take a couple of pictures as that might explain it better.

[MarkyB]

Dum dum has to be ideal for this job, the original stuff tends to be grey but the effect is the same.
While you have the cover off I'd suggest degreasing it and applying a couple of layer of underseal as a sound deadening measure.
Not on the bits where the dumdum goes though.

I haven't seen underseal where you say, but it may be that the car was Ziebarted from new.

[Kevin]

The first photo shows where the bichumin type of layer was and its definately not an underseal. The second shows some of it along with the rusty bits I have removed from inside the leg so far, the box is about 10"long and 5" wide, with the pile on the left being over an 1" deep.
[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

[taupe]

Hi

On the ns chassis leg there was originally a bituminised felt/card piece fitted this was to blank off the spare holes for LHD master cylinder fitting holes. The chassis legs are usually un corroded at this point due to the protection given by the bitumen used to stick it to the leg!

Kevin if you want some pukka sealant tape I have some made by 3M which is a dead ringer for the original stuff.

Taupe

[Kevin]

Hi Taupe you are quite right as at our committee meeting last night I asked and was told the same thing and also that it should extend to cover the lhd pedal assembly holes as well.
Yes I would be more than interested in some of the 3m tape send me a pm

[katy]

Where does one get this dum-dum?
The only dum-dum that I'm aware of is a type of bullet that is supposedly illegal.

[alex_holden]

Where does one get this dum-dum?

In the UK it's commonly available from good motor factors, ESM, Frosts, eBay, etc. I imagine if the exact stuff isn't available where you are there will be something similar. It's a stiff non-setting black sealing compound that comes in a tin. You apply it with a putty knife. A good thing about it is it's not *too* sticky, so it's easy to later disassemble things that have been sealed with it. On the negative side, it tends to squidge out of joints in warm weather and stain any luggage/clothes that come into contact with it, and it does eventually dry out and go hard.

[aupickup]

my car has the original tape used over these holes and has kept the chassis legs like new

[les]

I can't think of a more half hearted way to block up a hole. Maybe grommets and top hat caps hadn't been invented at the time! Or more likely too expensive.

[taupe]

Kevin

Your frog has a parcel!!