Engine Bay Cleaning ...

[Brett]

.......about that... :Giggle

[TiddlesRX7]

My car will look after it for you if need be mate

[grinder]

im sure it would mate !

It needs some TLC and paint before it can go on the car, the couriers didnt exactly take the best care of it

[XRMike]

Here you go mate. Heres mine with the aero mirrors and scoop :-)

[grinder]

Ohhh very nice mate

Im struggling with the vent cover to be honest ( and the mirrors )

The paint has cracked a lot on the cover .. so its been sanded/primed/painted about 6 times now and still looks really bad close up

One of the mirrors have had a full can of paint on it and just wont go white .. not sure if its the high build primer i used

What did you do about the glass in the mirrors ??

[XRMike]

Hey. TBH it sounds like you need to build up the layers of primer very heavy to create a new level. You can then flat that but dont go through. Im going to cut my own mirror lense out of a diy kit.

[XRMike]

And just use normal primer. You could do with a gun tbh aerosol primer is too thin.

[grinder]

ive tried and tried to build it up and then sand smooth .. but just no avail

i might just fit it ! LOL

I have a compressor and srpay gun .. but it looks massive .. more like spraying a car then something this small ?!?

I think the high build primer reacted with the normal primer and it made cracks in the paint that you can see and feel with your thumb nail .. i have even tried to be vicious and rub back with 200 grade paper back to the gel coat .. and i can still see where its "bad" im going thru primer and paint like its going out of fashion

[shaunwil]

Could need plastic primer over the non flexible stuff !

Some more pictures of the results may help

Shaun

[Kodiak]

My vent didn\'t fit perfectly and isn\'t quite the same colour, I got it to serve a purpose not to look pretty though.

[grinder]

ok , got some pics off the vent

1 - full pic of it
2 - shows how bad the paint is close up
3 - well its a lot brighter than the car is .. not impressed with that

[Grizzly]

How do Stu

Looks like your having a bit of an Issue, you know when using Aerosols Less is More if you over apply any car paint it will skin over and crack up (Never go off properly). Aerosol, 2 coats then let it go off fully (hour or so so you can\'t mark it with your nail), denib then 2 more coats, repeat if needed.

White can be a royal PITA it don\'t take allot for it to go discolored, if you over apply the extra Solvent will soften your Primer and cause Discoloration, back in the day when i was Painting cars for a living Direct gloss used to give the most problems, For example White has the Most Variations of any colour believe it or not so colour match is a pita to start with then if you over apply the colour the Tinters (the colours you use to get the correct white) start to separate so if you run it for example you get a dark line when you flat the run away..... That\'s Tinter Separation and many an Apprentice has found that out the hard way.

The Only colour i\'d expect to get a decent colour match from an Aerosol is Black any thing else you need to get it Mixed up for you in a Paint shop and spray it on with a Gun to get the edge to edge match you want, plus if you have access to a compressor etc its so much easier to apply.

[grinder]

Hiya Chris , long time no speak

I was applying it one coat at a time and leaving it for 30 - 45 mins , then spraying again

Im 99.999% sure that i have caused it with applying a high build primer that i found in the garage , if i had just used what i had i wouldnt have this issue

What i find annoying is that when i prime it , it looks OK , then when i put the white on , you can see the cracks , so then sand , prime , paint , sand , prime etc.. i bet i have gone thru 3 cans of primer so far ( and prob 2 cans of white )

i just dont know what to do now .. apart from just fit the thing ??

I have to admit , i have been pricing up small spray guns , as this would make it easier , but its £25 for a gun , then i need paint and thinners .. and i dont know how long you can leave it "mixed" for .. i would assume you have to use what you make pretty quick ??

[Brett]

Sand it flat and then wrap it in carbon