Updated 11/21/11: Clear Coat Failure and Repair(with all pics)

**02nissanISR** · 09-17-2011, 03:57 PM

timaishu:

If it were me I would deffinatley try it
1: you have a much smaller area
2: all you have to do us smoothe the edges of that spot and alittle around it to give the clear something to cling to.
Mine got bad because I was removing a defect that was causing the failure. Yours seems to be pretty straight forward.
Just be careful when sanding not to hit the base coat to much. Light pressure over that area so you don't go through it.
like I said with mine no risk here at this point it needs a repaint anyway so even if you mess up your posision hasn't really changed

**timaishu** · 09-17-2011, 10:05 PM

I think I will attempt this one of these days.

So you chip off the loose clear, sand the edges and shoot it with clear.

Wet sand down the raised edge and compound it?

**Garry Dean** · 09-17-2011, 11:21 PM

Fantastic job!

**02nissanISR** · 09-18-2011, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by timaishu

I think I will attempt this one of these days.

So you chip off the loose clear, sand the edges and shoot it with clear.

Wet sand down the raised edge and compound it?

Yes try to get as much of the loose clear off as possible. The problem i had was trying to fill in where the clear had failed so as to have an even surface when i was finished. If you see it in person you can still see a slight out line of the defect. I don't think just taping around the affected area will work because i would think you want some overlap to protect the edges of the surrounding clear. Try to concentrate the spay to the exposed area and feather it out till you build it up. I've also heard that there is some painters tape out there that wont leave as much of a line this might be worth looking into as well.

**02nissanISR** · 09-18-2011, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by Garry Dean

Fantastic job!

Thanks Gary I had a video of me compounding the sanding marks but after all the issues i had with the original post i just wanted to get it done. I appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos. Informative and entertaining.

**02nissanISR** · 09-18-2011, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by CEE DOG

Never mind, I see the picture that answered my question.

Just wanted to say again.... excellent work and documentation. Thank you for sharing with us all!

Thanks again for the compliment. You are the master of the review so that means a lot.

CEE DOG I got an email for your last post but for some reason it didn't show up in the thread you were talking about doing the work on a car and going through the base coat. Not sure what happened, but i definitely want to see how it turns out.

**MirandaAutoSpa** · 09-18-2011, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by 02nissanISR

Yes try to get as much of the loose clear off as possible. The problem i had was trying to fill in where the clear had failed so as to have an even surface when i was finished. If you see it in person you can still see a slight out line of the defect. I don't think just taping around the affected area will work because i would think you want some overlap to protect the edges of the surrounding clear. Try to concentrate the spay to the exposed area and feather it out till you build it up. I've also heard that there is some painters tape out there that wont leave as much of a line this might be worth looking into as well.

Awesome job!! I thank you for the great write up. I have a friend with a green Corolla that has the same clear coat failure on the fender. It is just the clear flaking off no damage to the base. It looks like it was a repaint a while back and now the edges, starting from the hood, started peeling and flaking away.
I am worried about it being a darker color though, it may show up more. what do you think? If it shows a little on the silver color it would probably show more on a darker right?

**timaishu** · 09-18-2011, 04:50 PM

So I definitely want to try this. One of you guys mentioned using 2k clear.

Is this the stuff I should buy?

SprayMax 2K Urethane Aerosol Clear Coat

If Im going to do this I figure I should "do it right" the first time if this stuff is way better than the duplicolor clear.

Let me know you guys.

**02nissanISR** · 09-18-2011, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by MirandaDetailin

Awesome job!! I thank you for the great write up. I have a friend with a green Corolla that has the same clear coat failure on the fender. It is just the clear flaking off no damage to the base. It looks like it was a repaint a while back and now the edges, starting from the hood, started peeling and flaking away.
I am worried about it being a darker color though, it may show up more. what do you think? If it shows a little on the silver color it would probably show more on a darker right?

to be honest i think the only reason its visible is because i wasn't able to build up the area where the clear failed quite enough. so when i wet sanded, it didn't come perfectly even. i really think thats the key. once you do that it should hide the edge of the failed clear and blend pretty well.

with all the interest here i might just go out and test my theory out. though its hard to see and and hard to pick up with a camera i know its there and its starting to bug me. plus as i said in the beginning I'm not a pro painter so this is trial and error for me as well. what i can say is if you do everything that i did it will at least greatly improve the appearance. if you improve on what i did then ill be asking you for advice

**02nissanISR** · 09-18-2011, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by timaishu

So I definitely want to try this. One of you guys mentioned using 2k clear.

Is this the stuff I should buy?

SprayMax 2K Urethane Aerosol Clear Coat

If Im going to do this I figure I should "do it right" the first time if this stuff is way better than the duplicolor clear.

Let me know you guys.

That's probably the more permanent way to go. My only reservation would be that "Shiny Lil Detlr" said that once you mix the product in the can it has a pot life of 48 hours and i would imagine its a bit more costly. For as small as your repair is well lets say its something to think about. i don't know what the durability of the dupli color clear is. it was an automotive clear so it should have some durability. the can doesn't mention uv protection but i can't believe it has none. I'm definitely going to watch it and will keep the forum posted on durability.

just checked the link you posted and that product only lasts 24 hrs after activated. it seems to me you will have a lot of wasted product. the can i used was half that size and i still feels full. you just don't you that much doing these spot repairs. just my 2 cents. if you do try it we will at the very least now have a comparison test. :-)