Troubleshooting

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Troubleshooting

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Paint and Body Troubleshooting Guide

ACID & ALKALI SPOTTING
Appearance
Spotty discoloration of surface. (Various pigments react differently when in contact with acids or alaklies.
Cause
Chemical change of pigments resulting from atmospheric contamination such as moisture or industrial emissions.
Remedy
a. wash with detergent water and follow with vinegar bath.
b. Sand and refinish.
c. If contamination reached body material (metal, fiberglass or plastic) or subcoating, spot must be sanded
   down to body material before refinishing.
Prevention
a. Keep finish away from contaminated atmosphere.
b. Immediately following contamination, surface should be vigorously flushed with cool water and detergent.

Bleeding
Appearance
Discoloration refinish-color surface.
Cause
Solvent penetration from fresh color material dissolves old finish, usually reds and maroons, releasing dye that comes to the surface.
Remedy
a. Remove all color coats and recoat.
b. Or, allow surface to cure, then apply bleeder sealer and recoat.
Prevention
Apply bleeder sealer over suspected bleeder colors before spraying new color.

  Blistering
Appearance
a. Small swelled areas similar to water blister on human skin.
b. Lack of gloss if blisters are minute.
c. Broken edged craters if blisters have burst.
Cause
a. Rust under surface.
b. Painting over oil or grease.
c. Moisture in spray lines.
d. Trapped solvents.
e. Prolonged or repeated exposure of film to high humidity.
Remedy
Sand and refinish blistered areas.
Prevention
a. Thoroughly clean and treat body material.
b. Frequently drain water from air line.
c. Avoid use of overly fast thinners when temperature is high.
d. Allow proper drying time between coatings.

BLUSHING
(Acrylic and Lacquer)
Appearance
Finish turns milky.
Cause
a. Fast thinners in high humidity.
b. Unbalanced thinners.
c. Condensation on old surface
Remedy
a. Add retarder to thinner and respray.
b. Sand and refinish.
Prevention
a. Keep paint and surface to be painted at room temperature.
b. Select a high-quality thinner.
c. Use a retarder or reflow solvent when spraying in high humidity and warm temperatures.

CHALKING
Appearance
a. Lack of gloss.
b. Powdery surface.
Cause
a. Natural weathering of paint films.
b. Lack of thorough agitation of paint.
c. Use of a poorly balanced thinners create earlier failures.
Remedy
Sand to remove soft surface material, clean and refinish.
Prevention
a. Agitate color coats thoroughly.
b. Use a high-quality thinner for good balance.

CHECKING-CRAZING-CRACKING
Appearance
a. Crowfoot separation (shecking).
b. Formulation like shattered glass (crazing).
c. Irregular separation (cracking).
Cause
a. Insufficient drying of films prior to recoating.
b. Repeated extreme temperature changes.
c. Excessive heavy coats (cold checking).
d. Paint ingredients not thoroughly mixed.
e. Mixing materials not designed for each other (incompatibility).
f. Recoating a previously checked finish.
g. Thinner attacking strained surface of cured-acrylic lacquer (crazing).
Remedy
Remove checked paint film and refinish.
Prevention
a. Follow proper drying times between coats.
b. Avoid extreme temperature changes.
c. Spray uniform coats, avoiding excess, particularly with lacquers.
d. Mix all ingredients.
e. Use only recommended balanced materials, thinners, etc.
f. Remove previously checked finish before recoating.
g. Use DTL-151 DURACRYL or equivalent thinner to help prevent crazing of acrylic lacquer.
h. Use sealer.

DIRT IN FINISH
Appearance
Foreign particles dried in paint film.
Cause
a. Improper cleaning of surface to be painted.
b. Defective air-regulator cleaning filter.
c. Dirty work area.
d. Defective or dirty air-inlet filters.
e. Dirty spray gun.
Remedy
a. Rub out finish with rubbing compound (Not for enamels).
b. If dirt is deep in finish, sand and compound to restore gloss. Metallic finishes may show mottling with this
   treatment and require additional color coats.
Prevention
a. Blow out all cracks and body joints.
b. Solvent clean and tack surface thoroughly.
c. Be sure equipment is clean.
d. Work in clean spray area.
e. replace inset air filters if dirty or defective.
f. Strain paint to remove foreign matter.
g. Keep all containers closed when not in use to prevent contamination.

DULLED FINISH
Appearance
Gloss retards as film dries.
Cause
a. Compounding before thinner evaporates.
b. Using poorly balanced thinner or reducer.
c. Poorly cleaned surface.
d. Top coats put on wet subcoats.
e. Washing with caustic cleaners.
f. Inferior polishes.
Remedy
a. Allow finish to dry hard and rub with mild rubbing compound.
Prevention
a. Clean surface thoroughly.
b. Use recommended materials.
c. Allow all coatings sufficient dry time.

FISHEYES & POOR WETTING
Appearance
a. Seperation of wet film.
b. Previous finish can be seen in spots.
Cause
a. Improper cleaning of old surface.
b. Spraying over finishes that contain silicone.
Remedy
Wash off paint while still wet.
Prevention
a. Clean surface with wax and grease remover.
b. Use fisheye preventer in finish coats to be sprayed over old films containing silicone.

LIFTING
Appearance
a. Raising and swelling of wet film.
b. Peeling when surface is dry.
Cause
a. Improper srying of previous coating.
b. Sandwiching enamel between two laquers or acrylics.
c. Recoating improperly cured enamel.
d. Spraying over unclean surfaces.
Remedy
Remove lifted surfaces and refinish.
Prevention
a. Clean old surfaces thoroughly.
b. Allow all subcoats full drying time.
c. Seal old finishes.

MOTTLING
Appearance
Streaking of the color. Generally associated with metallic finishes.
Cause
a. Excessive wetting of some areas.
b. Heavier film thickness in some areas.
Remedy
a. If color is freshly applied, increase gun distance and air pressure for a final coat. Avoid over reduction.
b. On a dried finish, scuff sown and apply additional color.
Prevention
a. Avoid excessive wetting or heavy film buildup in local areas.
b. Be careful not to over-reduce color.

ORANGE PEEL
Appearance
a. Resembles ballpeen-hammer dents in paint.
b. Resembles skin of an orange.
Cause
a. Under reduction.
b. Improper thinning solvent.
c. Lack of proper flow.
d. Surface drying too fast.
e. Improper air pressure.
Remedy
a. (Enamel) Rub surface with a mild polishing compound. (Lacquer) Sand or use rubbing compound.
b. Sand and refinish.
Prevention
a. Proper air and gun adjustment.
b. Proper thinning solvents.

Peeling
Appearance
Seperation of a paint film from subsurface.
Cause
a. Improper surface preperation.
b. Imcompatibility of one coat to another.
Remedy
Remove peeling paint completely, prepare body-surface material properly and refinish with compatiably materials.
Prevention
a. Thoroughly clean and treat old surface.
b. Use recommended primers for special metals or other materials.
c. Follow acceptable refinish practices using compatible materials.

PIN HOLES OR BLISTERING OVER PLASTIC FILLER
Appearance
a. Pin-point holes in finish.
b. Air bubbles raising film, causing craters when erupted.
Cause
a. Excessive amounts of hardners.
b. Excessive vigorous stirring or beating in of hardner.
Remedy
Sand thoroughly and recoat with a glaze coat of body filler or spot putty.
Prevention
a. Mix in recommended quantities of hardeners.
b. Stir mildly; hardener goes in quickly.
c. Work out possible air traps when applying filler.

PITTING OR CRATERING
Appearance
a. Small craters.
b. Like dry spray or over spray.
Cause
Same as blistering (except blisters have broken).
Remedy
Same as blistering.
Prevention
Same as blistering.

PLASTIC BLEED-THROUGH
Appearance
Discoloration (normally yellowing) of top color coat.
Cause
a. Excessive hardner.
b. Applying top coat before plastic is cured.
Remedy
a. Remove patch, or....
b. Cure top coat, sand and refinish.
Prevention
a. Use correct amount of hardener.
b. Allow adequate cure time before refinishing.

PLASTIC FILLER NOT DRYING
Appearance
Stays soft after applying.
Cause
a. Insufficient amount of hardener.
b. Hardener exposed to sunlight.
Remedy
Scrape off plastic and reapply.
Prevention
a. Add recommended amount of hardener.
b. Be sure hardener is fresh and avoid exposure to sunlight.

RUST UNDER FINISH
Appearance
a. Peeling or blistering.
b. Raised surface spots.
Cause
a.Improper metal preparation.
b. Broken paint film allowa moisture to creep under surrounding finish.
c. Water in air lines.
Remedy
a. Seal off entrance of moisture from inner part of panels.
b. Sand down to body material, prepare bare surface and treat with phosphate before refinishing.
Prevention
a. Locate source of moisture and seal off.
b. When replacing ornaments or moulding, be careful not to break paint film and allow dissimilar metals to
   come in contact. Such contact can produce electrolysis that may cause a tearing away or loss of good bond
   with the film.

RUNS
Appearance
a. Running of wet paint film in rivulets.
b. Mass slippage of total film.
Cause
a. Over reduction with low air pressure.
b. Extra slow thinner.
c. Painting on cold surface.
d. Improperly cleaned surface.
Remedy
Wash off and refinish.
Prevention
a. Use recommended thinner at specified reduction and air pressure.
b. Do not paint over cold surface.
c. Clean surface thoroughly.

SAGS
Appearance
Partial slipping of paint in the form of curtains created by a film that is too heavy to support itself.
Cause
a. Under reduction.
b. Applying successive coats with-out allowing dry time between coats.
c. Low air pressure (lack of atomization).
d. Gun too close/
e. Gun out of adjustment.
Remedy
Sand or wash off and refinish.
Prevention
a. Use proper thinner at recommended reduction.
b. Adjust air pressure and gun for correct atomization.
c. Keep gun at correct distance from work.

STONE BRUISES
Appearance
Small chips of pain missing from an otherwise firm finish.
Cause
a. Flying stones from tires or other vehicles.
b. Impact of other car doors in a parking lot.
Remedy
a. Thoroughly sand remaining paint film back several inches from damage point.
b. Properly treat metal and refinish.

UNDERCOAT SHOW-THROUGH
Appearance
Varations in surface color.
Cause
a. Insufficient color coats.
b. Repeated compounding.
Remedy
Sand and refinish.
Prevention
a. Apply good coverage of color.
b. Avoid excessive compounding.

WATER SPOTTING
Appearance
a. Dulling of gloss in spots.
b. Mass of spots that appear as a large distortion of the film.
Cause
a. Spots of water drying on finish that is not thoroughly dry.
b. Washing finish in bright sunlight.
Remedy
Sand and refinish.
Prevention
a. Keep fresh paint job out of rain.
b. Do not allow water to dry on new finish.

WET SPOTS
Appearance
Discoloration and/or slow drying spots of various sizes.
Cause
a. Improper cleaning.
b. Excessively heavy undercoats not properly dried.
c. Sanding with gasoline or other chemically contaminated solvent.
Remedy
Sand or wash off thoroughly and refinish.
Prevention
a. Clean surface with wax and grease remover.
b. Allow undercoats to fully dry.
c. Use only water as a sanding lubricant.

WRINKLING
Appearance
a. Puckering of enamel.
b. Prune-skin effect.
c. Loss of gloss as paint dries (minute wrinkling not visible to naked eye).
Cause
a. Under reduction or air pressure too low causing excessive film thickness.
b. Excessive coats.
c. Fast reducers creating overloading.
d. Surface drying trapping solvents.
e. Fresh film subjected to heat too soon.
Remedy
Break open top surface by sanding and allow to dry thoroughly.
Prevention
a. Reduce enamels according to directions.
b. Apply as recommended.
c. Do not force dry until solvents have flashed off.

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