Primer / Paint Blistering Need Help

[Mitch Krause]

Hello,

Many searches and web advice and nothing seems to make sense. I have primed or painted this same area at least three times, with sanding and removing material in the middle of those as well as wiping down with pre-paint prep and I get the same thing happening in the same place every time. Here are the steps after the last time. Sanded the area to smooth, including wet sanding with 600 and getting a very smooth finish. That was all done a few months ago. The "base" when was a very smooth combination of some fiberglass gelcoat, with maybe a little paint/primer in some areas. I then scuffed this area (less than one square foot) as well as the whole rest of the front clip (10's of square feet) with 120 sandpaper. Washed once with soap and water. Dried. Washed once with soap and water. Dried. Washed with water only. Waited a day. Used Dupli-Color pre-paint prep (Grease and Wax remover) on the entire clip. Let dry for an hour with a fan blowing on the clip. Primed the entire clip with Eastwood Epoxy Primer. Everything is perfect, except for this same area on the one headlight that I continue to have "bubbling" issues with. The only thing I can imagine is some sort of contamination, but I thought once again, I should have eliminated that. But apparently didn't. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[John Cohen]

Have you used Etch primer ? thats what i used after this happend to me ....

 

[Neil]

Mitch;

If that is silicone residue it isn't easy to remove it. You might try wiping down the area with acetone or MEK. Multiple wipe-downs may be needed if there is much contamination in that area.

 

[Mitch Krause]

Have not tried etch primer, was thinking that I might have to try some acetone and a few wipes next time, so that is good confirmation of maybe trying that.

 

[just ernst]

hi mitch,..for me this Looks like the last Color demages the primer, wich material you use ??,..what primer??, 1K ??,...and Color is waterbase or base with normal thinner??,...if so,...thinner opend the primer, the only Chance to repair is to Isolate with an ep / epoxy primer, let it dry and sand it, than spray some layers 2K filler-primer on it,..let it dry and sand it,....and after paint it in Color,....i paint cars since 1984,..if have question, contact me

 

[Glenn M]

That's not a silicone or a cleaning problem, it's a reaction between the silver and one of the underlying layers. The solution is as Ernst describes.

 

[Mitch Krause]

Thanks everyone for the good ideas, I have some things to try now.