Thx CHRIS !!!
I just spend 2 weeks here welding in new rocker & some 16 gauge satin coat *
the body work
where the vent were thx for previous owner who never heeeded such GREAT
advice
Subject: yearly reminder to caulk your fill ports and remove your hatch
plugs

> a lister came by last nite with a 85 westy to pick a few parts up from
me...
>  his westy looked pretty nice.. but the lower corners of the hatch were
> starting to rot out and the long rocker seam on the drivers side was
starting to
> rot out.
>
> i cant stress this enough.. this all can be prevented easily!
>
> open your rear hatch...look at the bottom corners on the inside..  there
is
> one black plastic plug at each corner..  remove these plugs!!!  these just
hold
> water in..   you will find there is probalby alot of moist crud behind
them
> too.. clean all that out with a small wire..  so they can drain properly..
> leave the plugs out..dont reinstall them.
>
>
> as for the drivers lower rocker seam -  caulk the perimeter of your
westy's 3
> fill ports and flue vent!!
>
> this is why your lower drivers rocker seam is rusting!
>
> when westfalia-werke cuts those holes into the side of the vanagons at
their
> factory, they just simpley stick the fill ports in there with a foam
gasket.
> thats it. no caulking. 15-20 years later that foam gasket is long since
> turned to dust.   and everytime it rains or you wash it, water pours in
around
> those fill ports and flue vent , soaks the insulation behind your kitchen
area,
> and never dries out..  the metal starts to rust..  water takes the path of
least
> resistance, the floor and horizontal rocker seam..
>
> your seam will continue to rust out until you properly seal the acessory
fill
> ports and flue vent.
>
> i have a blue 80 westy here for parts, that has virtually the entire
drivers
> side rotted out because of this.  its so bad even the horizontal body beam
> under the fill ports has rotted a hole in the side of the van.  the inner
and
> outer rocker and floor are gone as a result of water leaking in around the
fill
> ports over the years..
>
> a rusty drivers side horizontal rocker seam on a westy is not a sign of
road
> salt. it can happen anywhere.  i have seen california westys with rusty
> drivers side rocker seams from leaky fill ports..  and the commets about
the rust
> happening from fridge condenstation are hardly valid as well.  most people
dont
> even use their fridges enough to make that kind of condenstation to cause
rust
> like that.
>
> its from rainwater. period.
>
> caulk your fill ports and flue vents!!
>
> chris