GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

CLEAN, PAINTING & COATING ALL MODELS W/ ALUMINUM WHEELS

MODELS AFFECTED: ALL MODELS WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS

Cast aluminum wheels with a clear coat finish that have peeling paint, discoloratim of the paint or corrosion should be cleaned and repainted instead of replaced using the following procedure:

NOTICE: During entire procedure, be careful not to scratch or damage the shiny aluminum surfaces.

Required Materials

- 360 grit sandpaper

- Nylon auto glass type scraper

- 3M No. 08984 General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner and Wax Remover, Prep-sol or equivalent

- Thinner

- C.I.L. Metal Prep No. 33 (For Aluminum), or equivalent - Enamel colorcoat paint or lacquer

- Coricone 1700 Clear Metal Protectant (stock code DCC or equivalent)*

- Zinc Chromate Primer

- General Purpose Pads (3m scotch-Brite No. 7447 or equivalent)*

- 3M No. 05979 Clean-N-Glaze or equivalent medium abrasive rubbing compound

- Aluminum cleaner-polish type--(Mag Wheel Cleaner and Polish Stock No. PGC)

- Paint Stripper (Strip-Off, Stock No. SSO or equivalent)*

Procedure

1. Remove wheel and tire assembly from car. Remove tire from wheel (after marking wheel/tire relationship) or mask off tire prior to painting. Mark location of weights and remove.

2. Using a general purpose pad or buffing wheel and the Clean-N-Glaze, aggressively rub over the machines surfaces to remove some of the corrosion and restore most of the lustre.

3. Wipe over the previously cleaned surfaces with an aluminum cleaner-polish to obtain maximum lustre.

4. Using a silicone remover, clean the entire wheel. Wash off with clear water and air blow dry.

CAUTION:

USE OF RUBBER GLOVES AND EYE GOGGLES IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT PERSONAL INJURY.

5. Using the paint stripper, spray the entire wheel surface with this product. Wait two to three minutes and then remove with a high pressure water hose.

Steps 6 through 12 are to be used only on aluminum wheels with painted surfaces. Painted aluminum wheels began to be installed in 1980.

6. If peeling or discoloration is extremely bad, it may be necessary to use the paint stripper. Scrape off any loose paint with a nylon scraper and/or 360 grit sandpaper.

7. Wipe entire wheel clean with the silicone remover and flush off again with water, followed by blow drying.

8. Mask off areas of wheel not to be painted.

9. Wipe over the painted surface with the aluminum cleaner; then apply the metal prep., following label directions. (This is a two-step operation which will improve the adhesion of the primer.)

10. To ensure coverage in all areas, an application of zinc chromate primer should be applied to the wheel painted surface in four light applications, rotating the wheel 90 degrees between applications.

11. Apply the color coat using the same procedure as for the primer.

12. After ten minutes of air drying, heat may be applied to the paint to reduce drying time.

13. When the wheel is completely dry, remove masking tape. Wheel must be perfectly clean of foreign material and dry before applying Coricone 1700, and clean the masked area with wax or silicone remover to eliminate tape residue.

14. Spray two light coatings of Coricone 1700 wheel protector on wheel allowing two or three minutes between coats. The clear coat will put an invisible coating on top of the painted surface and the polished aluminum.

15. Do not use heat on clear coat, allow to air dry for 24 hours.

16. Reinstall the tire and wheel (re-align the index marks and/or the balance weight).

* One source that these materials are available from is Dominion Sure Seal Limited located in the following areas:

Dominion Sure Seal Limited Serving Ontario, Maritimes, SK, MB 4635 Burgoyne St. Plant 1 & 2 Mississauga, Ontario 416-625-7900

Rocky Mountain Sales Dominim Sure Seal Limited Serving British Columbia arid Alberta #8-11711 #5 Road Richmmd, BC 604-277-1711

Les Industries Geno, Inc. Serving Quebec 1439 Begin Street St. Laurent, PQ 514-331-4915

For the nearest distributor in your area, Call collect: (416) 625-7900

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.