Pontiac Fiero 1988 Service Manual page 1279

1J-6 G E N E R A L INFORMATION
3. RIGHT ROOF SEALING STRIP
4. OVERLAP OF SEALING STRIPS, FRONT AND REAR
5. BUTT JOINT PILLAR FLANGE TO ROOF SEALING STRIPS
G94050
Fig. 10-Sealing Locations
area Is good. Sandblasting is an excellent method
for cleanup and preparation of open joints,
underbody components and hem flange areas.
• Wire brushing (power and by hand).
• When access is good, sandpaper and steel wool
can be used.
BODY REPAIR
E X T E R I O R
PANEL
I D E N T I F I C A T I O N
All exterior panels are made from reaction
injection molded urethane (RIM), glass fiber
reinforced RIM (RRIM), sheet molded compound
(SMC) or thermoplastic olefin (TPO) They are not
susceptible to rust and can sustain minor impact
without damage. However, if the impact force is great
enough to create damage, they can be successfully
repaired and refinished.
Different materials require different procedures
for repair and refinishing. Before starting any repair,
identify the type of material involved using Figure
#4051 and follow the correct procedure.
S H E E T
MOLDED
C O M P O U N D ( S M C ) P A R T S
Any SMC panel may be repaired using structural
adhesives and the procedure outlined for RIM and
RRIM. However, on SMC panels when structural
strength is not involved, you may use a polyester body
filler for repair. Simple economics should dictate the
repair method.
As an example, a surface gouge on an SMC part
where structural strength is not involved may be more
economically repaired with polyester body filler. On
the other hand, puncture damage that requires a
backup or structural type repair that requires
reinforcing the back side can be accomplished by using
a combination of structural adhesive and polyester
body filler. Since epoxy resin has superior adhesive
properties, all repair work done on the back side of the
part should be done with fiberglass cloth and structural
adhesive. Then, cosmetic repair on the face side of the
part may be completed with polyester body filler.
Preparation of the back and face sides of the part
and the use of structural adhesive will be the same as
the procedure for RIM and RRIM.
R E A C T I O N I N J E C T I O N M O L D E D (RIM) A N D
R E I N F O R C E D R E A C T I O N I N J E C T I O N M O L D E D
(RRIM) P A R T S
Briefly, the repair system amounts to a filling
and, where necessary, a reinforcing operation. After
curing, the patch is dressed to conform to the
surrounding contour.
Following are typical damage conditions and
respective repair procedures:
1. Gouge or puncture repair
a. Clean the repair area with a wax, grease and
silicone-removing solvent applied with a
water-dampened cloth. Wipe dry. With a
random orbit sander fitted with a #180 grit
disc, remove the paint film in and
surrounding the area to be filled. The repair
material should not overlap the painted
surface (Fig. 12).
b. Use a clean 2" or 3" # 5 0 grit disc to enlarge
the gouge or puncture in order to ensure
removal of grease, oil or dirt from the area
to be contacted by the repair material. This
action should also create at least a 25 mm
(1") taper around the damage for extended
contact between the repair material and
substrate. Remove all dust and loose
particles from the repair area (Fig. 13).
Aluminum Autobody Repair Tape (3M
#06935, #06936 or equivalent) can be
used on the back side of a puncture to
support the repair material (Fig. 14).
c. On a clean, flat surface of nonporous
material such as metal, glass or plastic,
deposit equal length beads of each
component (3M Flexible Parts Repair
Material #05900 or 3M Brand Structural
Adhesive #08101 or equivalent). With a
paddling motion, mix the two components