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I went to great lengths to go to an auto paint specialty store, the PPG paint dealer in Lafayette, LA, to buy what I thought were top quality paint products. After getting my primer down on my floors and letting it set over night, I took out the tube of "special" 3M sealer to go over my seams before I topcoat.

That sealer sat there for two hours, would not firm up, and COMPLETELY DISSOLVED the primer anywhere it touched it. Turned the paint to jelly. I didn't know there were so many 4-letter words in my vocabulary. Back to square one, with lots of work to get there yet.




<span style="color: #CC0000">YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW....</span>


The idiot that works at the paint store didn't have a clue what he was selling. Had to be kin to the owner.
 
I do know how you feel. Many years ago, I worked for three straight vacation days, morning until night, stripping a car to bare metal, priming, painting and clear coating with Imron when it first hit the market (1972). Followed Duponts' instructions to the letter. The car was only three years old, no rust but faded paint so I got a deal.

I was working at a big GM dealer at the time. So I had a state of the art facility to work at during my so called vacation.

Came to the body shop the next morning to open the doors and take off the masking and the entire car had "sagged and distorted" into one curdled mess, but it was as hard as a rock. I had to sand, scrape and strip and repaint all over again. It took me the rest of the week working day and night just to get it ready to paint again because it was so hard, no stripper would touch it. Luckily, one of the master painters was nice enough to shoot it twice for me.

For compensation I received 1 gallon primer, 2 gallons of lacquer and a refund for the money spent on original paint.

Believe me, I know exactly how you feel. Just remember, it's only a car and you can fix it. It's not totaled, so stay cool.

When you think that it's so bad, think of Dale's car issues.

My only saving grace was that I learned one heck of a lot about body prep work, so it wasn't totally wasted time.
 
Bill,
Modern day automotive paints and sealers are almost always incompatible with older technologies. I would bet that the red lead marine primer you are using is not designed for todays epoxy and urethane based products. If I were you, I would test the chassis black you intend to paint over the lead primer to insure it will properly cure and not lift or dissolve the substrate.

A little test now is better then acres of goo in the bottom of your car.

Ray
 
Bill,

Sorry to read about your incompatibility problem. I've been there too. Paint incompatibility a big issue when I painted the 3. One guy at the PPG distributor told me that the primer sealer he recommended would stick to the original paint. I decided to test on a small area and wow did I get a reaction. Same guy told me I applied the primer with too heavy an application. I explained to him again that I'm glad he thinks the new primers and paints are compatible with the lacquers of old but I didn't want to get into a finish course and have it all peel off due to some gas exchange reaction. For what it's worth first guy goes into the back room and second guy comes over and Say's to be sure it won't happen again you should strip off all the old paint. I think it's that lead primer you say you have no rust under that's causing and caused most of the reaction when I painted the 3. I then proceeded to strip it all down to bare steel. No problems after that!
 
Hi Bill,
Sorry for your problem.

That's pretty strange. I've used 3M Fast'n Firm Sealer over & under a number of different paints. Not a sign of a problem. I have not found a problem with this sealer on any paint combinations.

I just did a quick test. Krylon sandable primer over bare aluminum. Warmed the test piece to dry it quicker. 5 minutes later, applied 3M Fast'n Firm sealer over the primer. (This was a partial tube of year old sealer) Let the sealer set to firm for 20 minutes. No sign of damage to the primer. Immediately top coated the sealer & the unsealed primer with Krylon gloss enamel. Heat dried the whole works. Perfect adhesion, great finish. I would think if Krylon worked, anything else would.

I would definitely consult the paint store manager. Sometimes they get a bad batch of product from the factory. Could be the primer or the sealer.
D
 
I just tested the Eastwood Chassis Black on the primer. It curdled. I read the label closely on the primer and it says to use their paint only. Dummy. Back to the paint store. In the next town over. On my day off.
 
Dave Russell said:
That's pretty strange. I've used 3M Fast'n Firm Sealer over & under a number of different paints. Not a sign of a problem. I have not found a problem with this sealer on any paint combinations.



I would definitely consult the paint store manager. Sometimes they get a bad batch of product from the factory. Could be the primer or the sealer.
D
Click to expand...


3M Fast'n Firm Seam Sealer (Beige0 #08505 is exactly what I have. First, after 2 hours, it was as soft as putty. Then, I stuck my findernail under an edge that seemed to be dry and it peeled right up. I stuck a sharp probe into the stuff and it was still soft. I said a phrase that began with, "aw ....", grabbed a screwdriver and scrapped a bead off. The paint underneath was re-liquified! and liquid to the metal. That is when I went ballistic and started scrapping, cursing, etc. Got it all off, and the paint in the area, recoated the bare metal and will wait till next week. Will call 3M. I use many of their products in my office, they are a topnotch company, this product sucks.
 
Now I'm really glad that I ordered their base coat. By dumb luck too, I never read about any compatability issues.
 
TR6bill, I have run across reactions on many jobs and most of the time it was the using different products, or the different stuff underneath. I now seal with a W. Davids and sons product from England called Barcoat, I got it from a PPG dealer. I used it on a quick job for a friend over three coats of paint and we had a lot of feather edge circles and nothing lifted. Runs about $30.

Wayne
 
I saw the title and though "regularly".
I was most disappointed when I saw it was about paint...
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I've been in this situation a few times, most recently I had spent my 2 week summer vacation preping an MGB LE(black for you rumphies) for paint, while the last coat of primer was drying on front hood/fenders someone opened the garage door letting a gust of wind blow a peice of newspaper right onto the wet paint...took me the next 3 days to get it right again.
 
I've just now made myself a promise to use ONLY epoxy primers for the rest of my days...

I remember times like those above, hate the idea I'd have to relearn those lessons.
 
DrEntropy said:
I've just now made myself a promise to use ONLY epoxy primers for the rest of my days...

I remember times like those above, hate the idea I'd have to relearn those lessons.
Click to expand...


When using PPG DPLF epoxy primers specifically please remember to carefully read the caution statement concerning lacquer substrates. That's why I decided to remove all the original paint and primer. It can work then again it may not work.
 
SOunds like the horror show I had with my 1st car, a '68 Chevelle 327. It was a faded powder blue & I wanted it black. The paint shop said laquer was the only way to go, this was 1973, they did all the body work, sealed it & sprayed down the first coat on a friday. Monday they came in & the whole car had curdeled! Had to scrape to bear metal. My orig quote was $600, which is how much I paid for the car, they ate the difference, but boy did it look nice when they finally finished it!
 
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