Priceless

[Mudstud]

self etching primer

What is this stuff and how different is it from regular primer? Where to buy?

 

[Clod_King]

It's like 15 bucks for a taller then normal spray can.

Anyplace that sells spray paint should have it (Crappy Tire up here sells it). But I got mine from the place that sold me my front fenders, and rocker panels. It was a better product.

Check any place that supplies auto paint, and they should have it. It's definately worth it too. It fights rust off like a samurai.

 

[jonrpick]

Okay so I did a few tests...

I tried the brake cleaner on a section of dried epoxy paint. I sprayed it then wiped it off immediately. It fogged the paint, and the rag (a pretty rough one) and you could see the marks it left, but not much of the paint that I could see would come off. I did this about 5 or 6 times, and the paint stayed there, it would just pick up more marks.


Then I soaked a rag in brake cleaner and put a another epoxy coated piece on it, and left it for 15-16 minutes. The paint did not really bleed onto the rag. But if I rubbed the part with the soaked rag, I could remove enough to see the surface underneath.

I also tried the brake cleaner on a powder coated valve. I did not let it sit there in brake cleaer for 15 minutes because I didn't want to rebuild the valve, and get in sh!t for my experiment (the bosses wouldn't understand I don't think).

I sprayed then wiped it off. Nothing happened, no fogging, no nothing. It just kinda shined it up really. And I saw sections some of the brake cleaner evaporate without leaving a mark. I'd say powder coating is alright with brake cleaner.

But I know for a fact that varsol/paint thinner will fog the epoxy coating.

P.S. I used a brake cleaner made by "GUNK". I couldn't see it being a good brand because my bosses are on the frugal side when it comes to consumables like that.


I hope that helps someone.

It does.... thanks for doing that and posting the results!

 

[jonrpick]

It's like 15 bucks for a taller then normal spray can.

Anyplace that sells spray paint should have it (Crappy Tire up here sells it). But I got mine from the place that sold me my front fenders, and rocker panels. It was a better product.

Check any place that supplies auto paint, and they should have it. It's definately worth it too. It fights rust off like a samurai.

Does it really help fight rust?

I've heard that because primer is so porous that it helps keep water in, close to the metal... That's 2nd-hand info though.

 

[Clod_King]

Well all I know is that I coated the passenger side rocker in the self-etching primer (two coats), and the driver side only got primer because i thought nothing of it.

Well the passenger side looks great, and the driver side is having rust show through already.

I geuss keeping the water off the steel is way it works so well, but I was told to find a self-etch primer that has a high zinc content because it helps in fighting off rust.

I don't know exactly whether it fights of rust, but it seems to help alot.

 

[jonrpick]

Well all I know is that I coated the passenger side rocker in the self-etching primer (two coats), and the driver side only got primer because i thought nothing of it.

Well the passenger side looks great, and the driver side is having rust show through already.

I geuss keeping the water off the steel is way it works so well, but I was told to find a self-etch primer that has a high zinc content because it helps in fighting off rust.

I don't know exactly whether it fights of rust, but it seems to help alot.

Well I guess I'll go ahead and spray some of the brake parts with it...

[Off topic rant]
Make sure when you get an axle sandblasted to cap it off *really* good. Damn...all that blasting media is a BITCH to clean out of the housing.
[/Off topic rant]

 

[Clod_King]

yeah when I blasted my valve covers there was some oil residue in the hard to reach cracks, and corners....

I wasted a full days worth of breaks trying to blow, pick, and shake the media out.... Total pain in the ass. I wish I would've cleaned them better in the begining....