Painting firewall

[FAKKY]

So getting ready to paint firewall
Seems like it's a area people peopleostly like to disagree on what's best

Hers my approach ...... Not a show truck so just after good durability .... Let me know of anything a no no ....


1. Sand and wire wheel as much as possible .... 120 grit
2. Wash dust with water and soap and rinse
3. Apply phosphoric acid ... jasco etch prime
4. Dry overnight.
5. Reapply jasco and wash with soapy water 1 hour later and rinse.
6. Dry.....
7. Apply Rust-Oleum high performance metal primer
8. Dry.
9. Reapply same primer.
10. Sand with 120 and then something like 800.
11. Rinse and dry.
12. Apply Rust-Oleum professional high performance protective enamel
13. Dry.
14. Repeat 2nd coat of enamel

Ok..... Let me know if anything is wrong .... Did consider using valspar tractor implement and hardner ..... But since I don't have a compressor ..... Just going with foam brush

[b-mac]

I'm not an expert, but most people on here, (and my old man, who is an expert) would recommend Epoxy primer. Specifically PPG DP40 in my dad's case.
Also, I would think your sanding between steps in unnecessary if you catch the primer (yours or epoxy) within the "topcoat window".

[FAKKY]

Thanks.

Mainly 2 reasons

1) Most of the epoxy 2k primers like that I have seen are around $80-$100
2) I dont have a compressor/sprayer. Rolling/brushing on a 2k with the hardener seems like it might not work well.

But like everything else on this truck ....... never done it before ......

[Foot Stomper]

This is a real easy job if you want it to be.

My day job is providing technical coatings advice to my industry so I like to help here too when I can. Rustoleum Industrial Coatings (factory trained) is one of the coatings that I deal with on a daily basis (along with other brands not relevant to this topic).

The firewall needs only to be clean of grease and oil, scuffed with a scotch brite pad, wiped off with an old rag (since you don't have an air compressor to blow it off) then a tac rag before priming and painting. A tac rag can be purchased almost anywhere paint is sold. It is a sticky rag that will pick up any remaining dust or dead bugs without leaving a residue. No 120 grit or 800 grit used at any stage.

Leave the acid to the drug dealers and the soap and water in the kitchen.

It's really this easy. Don't worry about epoxy primer unless you have removed all the paint and now have bare steel. If you have removed all the paint and now in fact do have bare steel, then you can buy a can of Spray Max epoxy primer. It is activated with a hardener inside the can when you are about to use it. It would have enough to prime your firewall. Hopefully, you still have all the old paint on it still...

Post some pictures... we all like pictures!

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by Foot Stomper

This is a real easy job if you want it to be.

My day job is providing technical coatings advice to my industry so I like to help here too when I can. Rustoleum Industrial Coatings (factory trained) is one of the coatings that I deal with on a daily basis (along with other brands not relevant to this topic).

Awesome - thanks for your input.

Originally Posted by Foot Stomper

The firewall needs only to be clean of grease and oil, scuffed with a scotch brite pad, wiped off with an old rag (since you don't have an air compressor to blow it off) then a tac rag before priming and painting. A tac rag can be purchased almost anywhere paint is sold. It is a sticky rag that will pick up any remaining dust or dead bugs without leaving a residue. No 120 grit or 800 grit used at any stage.

So - if not water/soap to remove oil - what do you recommend ?

Tac rag like http://www.homedepot.com/p/18-in-x-3...0506/205754754 - ok ?

can it be "scuffed" with an orbital sander ? seems easier .... ?

Originally Posted by Foot Stomper

Leave the acid to the drug dealers and the soap and water in the kitchen.

So no need to pre-etch the surface with an acid ? What about surface rust ?
The truck has a mix of all surfaces. meaning
Fresh metal with very light surface rust flash
Frame has typical worn black paint
Firewall has a mix of OEM paint, fresh metal with surface flash, and some areas with a few coats of paint.

Originally Posted by Foot Stomper

It's really this easy. Don't worry about epoxy primer unless you have removed all the paint and now have bare steel. If you have removed all the paint and now in fact do have bare steel, then you can buy a can of Spray Max epoxy primer. It is activated with a hardener inside the can when you are about to use it. It would have enough to prime your firewall. Hopefully, you still have all the old paint on it still...

Post some pictures... we all like pictures!

firewall looks like this ...... currently ....... a bit of everything

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=721845&page=5

Pic/post #104

frame looks like #93

...


thanks !!!

[_Ogre]

you definitely need to degrease it
degrease with a paint grade degreaser
then scuff with more degreaser
then degrease again

[FAKKY]

the best "degreaser" I have found is Dawn and a scrubbing brush tho

Anything better ? Dont link me to that purple/green stuff Been there

[OrrieG]

My wife gave me some Method brand products to start using. Environmental friendly, will remove automotive grease and does not leave a residue. Dawn would work too, that is want they use do get the oil off of water fowl when there are oil spills.

[OrrieG]

posted twice for some reason

[Foot Stomper]

Use an orbital if you like but a scotch brite pad in hand and in 5 minutes you're done!

Wax and grease remover is best for removing grease without leaving a residue. I can't and won't reccomend anything else as it's a solid "go to".

[FAKKY]

Thanks FS.

googles <Wax and grease remover>

Assume this

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rust-Oleu...&wl13=&veh=sem

also ....

guess if you want to treat the rust prior to degrease/clean ....... ok to use posphoric acid etc prior ?
or not.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

My wife gave me some Method brand products to start using. Environmental friendly, will remove automotive grease and does not leave a residue. Dawn would work too, that is want they use do get the oil off of water fowl when there are oil spills.

thx orrie

[mr48chev]

Well the problem here is that it is too easy for someone to assume that you have already pressure washed or cleaned the firewall when it looks like you are in the first stage of it.

I'd suggest going with one of the biodegradable cleaners that have been mentioned. I've Used Simple Green, Purple Power and Oil Eater with good results but the Oil Eater can irritate your skin a bit if it splashes on you. I'd still probably wash it down with Dawn afterwards just to get any lingering residue off. Once it's clean then you wire brush the rust and use one of the products that kills the rust and then follow what Foot Stomper suggested.

On the other hand a lot of us want the firewall the same color as the body and just as shiny in the end and that takes a lot more work.

[FAKKY]

Its been pressure washed 2 times with purple power

I'll be getting some hard scrubbing brushes and hitting it 1-2 times with dawn or equivalent (tues/wed)

Then ...... phosphoric acid for 24 hours unless someone says otherwise (thurs)

Then hit it again for final clean - looks like using that rustoleum product (fri)
Then a final rinse and "scuff sand" (saturday)

Then paint

[mr48chev]

That must be some hard baked on grease and grime if you have cleaned it that much and still need to clean more.

[FAKKY]

Yup.
It's road tar.....or similar

Only comes off with grinder or with a multitool chisel .....sander doesn't even hit it that hard .....

[Foot Stomper]

Originally Posted by FAKKY

Its been pressure washed 2 times with purple power

I'll be getting some hard scrubbing brushes and hitting it 1-2 times with dawn or equivalent (tues/wed)

Then ...... phosphoric acid for 24 hours unless someone says otherwise (thurs)

Then hit it again for final clean - looks like using that rustoleum product (fri)
Then a final rinse and "scuff sand" (saturday)

Then paint

Don't use any Rustoleum product if you're going to do as you plan to here. The acid and dish soap is not an approved process. Find another paint brand to experiment with please.

[FAKKY]

Ok....

So no detergent and no rust treatment ?

I know you jumped on the thread to help .... But your sort of lacking details. Do you literally mean don't touch the rust at all .... And no etching ?

Does this apply to all Rust-Oleum products ..... Or just certain lines ?

Bare metal, painted metal, slightly rusted metal

And assume the link to the rustoleum tar remover is what your talking about when saying degreaser.


Etc

[1958Warrior]

Just to address the tar issue ,I used a propane torch to heat it up and then scraped off with a putty knife, to get the bulk of it off. Then wipe it down with a rag with some acetone.

[Foot Stomper]

Read SSPC 2

http://blastal.com/index_files/definitions.html#sp2

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by 1958Warrior

Just to address the tar issue ,I used a propane torch to heat it up and then scraped off with a putty knife, to get the bulk of it off. Then wipe it down with a rag with some acetone.

Nice tip warrior
Didn't think of that ......I used a multitool with a scraper blade in it and that got the majority of it off ... I'll give this a go for the stuff that's left.

[FAKKY]

http://www.rickwrench.com/index79mas...llarpaint.html

3 year update link -

[FAKKY]

http://www.rustoleum.com/~/media/Dig...rimer_TDS.ashx

TDS for the primer.


SURFACE PREPARATION
Clean the surface with a mild ammonia based cleaner and warm water. Rinse and then dry with a clean lint-free cloth. Wipe the entire area with Rust-Oleum Wax & Tar Remover and a clean lint-free cloth to remove any dirt, grease, wax or petroleum based material. Remove loose paint and rust with a wire brush or sandpaper. Scuff sand and feather edge the entire surface with #1000 grit sandpaper, Scotch Brite pad or equivalent. Repeat
cleaning the surface with a mild ammonia based cleaner and warm water, rinse and dry the surface with a clean lint-free cloth. Use a tack cloth to remove any sanding dustor particles. Mask surrounding areas to protect from
overspray.


Only thing it doesnt cover is if it will deal with the surface rust after wire brush/whell treatment. Best guess right now is that the various primers do slightly different things.
Meaning there is a "rusty surface primer" ...... which probably has some acid neutralizer built in.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by FAKKY

the best "degreaser" I have found is Dawn and a scrubbing brush tho

Anything better ? Dont link me to that purple/green stuff Been there

i think you need real wax and grease remover available at any auto paint store
start with mineral spirits and move on to wax and grease remover
otherwise that firewall paint will come off in sheets
https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/kle...FRi5wAodiqIA-A