Buying car from Japan with salt oxidation?

[silviaz]

I'm going to be buying a JDM from Japan soon and found a potential importer but I noticed on a lot of these JDM cars on the intake manifold and differential there is salt oxidation, which I understand cars over seem to be more prone to rusting than here. Is salt oxidation something to worry about if it's on the frame of the vehicle or is just general rust I should look out for?

Also I heard in Japan they don't have something like we do have here for PPSR or Carfax from America, but a guy told me they do they do have it, what's the best website to do the check if it exists?

[joshuaho96]

On 5/13/2023 at 10:34 PM, silviaz said:

I'm going to be buying a JDM from Japan soon and found a potential importer but I noticed on a lot of these JDM cars on the intake manifold and differential there is salt oxidation, which I understand cars over seem to be more prone to rusting than here. Is salt oxidation something to worry about if it's on the frame of the vehicle or is just general rust I should look out for?

Also I heard in Japan they don't have something like we do have here for PPSR or Carfax from America, but a guy told me they do they do have it, what's the best website to do the check if it exists?

CarVX is the nearest equivalent to Carfax in the US. White rust on aluminum parts like an intake manifold usually also means there is rust elsewhere on the chassis.

[silviaz]

5 hours ago, joshuaho96 said:

CarVX is the nearest equivalent to Carfax in the US. White rust on aluminum parts like an intake manifold usually also means there is rust elsewhere on the chassis.

Thanks man, I'll use that. This is the oxidation I was mentioning, is that technically rust? Seems like there is some yellow bubbling to.

[Duncan]

The pic isn't great, but I think it is the exhaust heat shield with surface rust. That is perfectly normal, it is not painted because it is too close to the exhaust for paint to survive

[funkymonkey]

On 16/05/2023 at 12:59 PM, silviaz said:

Thanks man, I'll use that. This is the oxidation I was mentioning, is that technically rust? Seems like there is some yellow bubbling to.

it's not technically rust, but it will deteriorate the shield over time. the chloride pits the metal over time. if it gets too manky you can just replace it. you can't paint it cos it gets too hot.

[silviaz]

31 minutes ago, funkymonkey said:

it's not technically rust, but it will deteriorate the shield over time. the chloride pits the metal over time. if it gets too manky you can just replace it. you can't paint it cos it gets too hot.

Oh I was referring to the white metal thing at the back looks like the differential.

[silviaz]

1 hour ago, Duncan said:

The pic isn't great, but I think it is the exhaust heat shield with surface rust. That is perfectly normal, it is not painted because it is too close to the exhaust for paint to survive

I meant this part not the exhaust shield.

[Duncan]

Sorry mate, my old eyes need a better pic. Oxidation on aluminium is not an issue in itself.

[GTSBoy]

Yes, so that's definitely the diff cover and they will all inevitably have white oxidation on them after a few years. There can be no expectation of raw cast alloy retaining any sort of nice as cast finish on an exposed part anywhere on a car.

The question is ....is it just the usual light coating of white oxide, or is it horribly consumed and covered in little encrustations of chlorides? If the former, then the oxidation state of the alloy parts is not really any guide to how rusty the steel parts might be. But if it is horribly messed up, then the car might have spent a lot of time driving through wet slushy snow and salt, and it might have corrosion issues. The only way to know if to have a decent look.

R33s and 34s in particular have a lot of problems around the front suspension towers. R32s less so there, but they can all suffer all over the place from salt. They should have all been rescued from Japan within 5 years of being built. Anything coming out of Japan now would want to have been stored in a garage or warehouse for the last 15 years.

[silviaz]

1 hour ago, GTSBoy said:

Yes, so that's definitely the diff cover and they will all inevitably have white oxidation on them after a few years. There can be no expectation of raw cast alloy retaining any sort of nice as cast finish on an exposed part anywhere on a car.

The question is ....is it just the usual light coating of white oxide, or is it horribly consumed and covered in little encrustations of chlorides? If the former, then the oxidation state of the alloy parts is not really any guide to how rusty the steel parts might be. But if it is horribly messed up, then the car might have spent a lot of time driving through wet slushy snow and salt, and it might have corrosion issues. The only way to know if to have a decent look.

R33s and 34s in particular have a lot of problems around the front suspension towers. R32s less so there, but they can all suffer all over the place from salt. They should have all been rescued from Japan within 5 years of being built. Anything coming out of Japan now would want to have been stored in a garage or warehouse for the last 15 years.

Ah ok makes sense, will cost be a fair bit to inspect so hopefully turns out right.

[silviaz]

2 hours ago, Duncan said:

Sorry mate, my old eyes need a better pic. Oxidation on aluminium is not an issue in itself.

ah ok @joshuaho96 said that the oxidation on the intake and stuff generally means rust in other areas.

[Murray_Calavera]

The uploaded photo is pretty low res, so when I'm squinting at it what I've circled in yellow looks like rust to me. 

[Duncan]

yeah so to clarify; oxidisation on aluminium is a potential indicator of meaningful rust elsewhere, but on its own is not an issue

[funkymonkey]

Yeah the oxidation is usually a result of a car driving through and sitting in salted roads. Which is common in Japanese high country. Super high chance if the chlorine oxide has formed that the iron/steel parts are rotted too. Get a thorough underbody check done and look out for tell tale cover up spray paint too.

[silviaz]

4 hours ago, Duncan said:

yeah so to clarify; oxidisation on aluminium is a potential indicator of meaningful rust elsewhere, but on its own is not an issue

ah ok, thanks. That makes sense. Appreciate the info as always.

[silviaz]

3 hours ago, funkymonkey said:

Yeah the oxidation is usually a result of a car driving through and sitting in salted roads. Which is common in Japanese high country. Super high chance if the chlorine oxide has formed that the iron/steel parts are rotted too. Get a thorough underbody check done and look out for tell tale cover up spray paint too.

Makes sense. Yeah will defs get a check, seems to be priced quite a bit less compared to others.