GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

PAINT, CLEAN & PROTECT CAST ALUMINUM/ WIRE WHEELS

CAST ALUMINUM WHEELS WITH A CLEAR COAT FINISH THAT HAVE PEELING PAINT OR SEVERE DISCOLORATION OF THE PAINT SHOULD BE REPAINTED INSTEAD OF REPLACED USING THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE:

NOTICE: DURING ENTIRE PROCEDURE, BE CAREFUL NOT TO SCRATCH OR OR DAMAGE THE SHINY ALUMINUM SURFACES.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

- LACQUER REMOVING SOLVENT

- 360 GRIT SANDPAPER

- NYLON AUTO GLASS TYPE SCRAPER

- 3M NO 8985 GENERAL PURPOSE ADHESIVE CLEANER AND WAX REMOVER, PREP-SOL

- THINNER

- DUPONT 225S ALUMINUM CLEANER

- DUPONT 226S CONVERSION COATING

- ENAMEL COLOR COAT PAINT

- CORICONE 1700 CLEAR METAL PROTECTANT

- ZINC CHROMATE PRIMER

- GENERAL PURPOSE PADS (3M SCOTCH-BRITE #7447) 3M #5979 CLEAN-N-GLAZE OR EQUIVALENT MEDIUM ABRASIVE RUBBING COMPOUND

- ALUMINUM CLEANER-POLISH TYPE-(MAG WHEEL CLEANER AND POLISH)

IF THE MACHINED SURFACES ARE DULL OR CORRODED, CLEAN THEM AS DESCRIBED BELOW.

1. USING A GENERAL PURPOSE PAD AND THE CLEAN-N-GLAZE, AGGRESSIVELY RUB OVER THE MACHINED SURFACES TO REMOVE SOME OF THE CORROSION AND RESTORE MOST OF THE LUSTRE.

2. WIPE OVER THE PREVIOUSLY CLEANED SURFACES WITH AN ALUMINUM CLEANER-POLISH TO OBTAIN MAXIMUM LUSTER.

3. REMOVE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY FROM CAR. REMOVE TIRE FROM WHEEL (AFTER MARKING WHEEL/TIRE RELATIONSHIP) OR MASK OFF TIRE PRIOR TO PAINTING. IF WHEEL AND TIRE ARE NOT SEPARATED, MARK WEIGHTS AND REMOVE.

4. THOROUGHLY CLEAN WHEEL WITH SOAP AND WATER. WASH OFF WITH CLEAR WATER AND BLOW DRY.

5. SCUFF SAND PAINTED AREAS WITH 360 GRIT SANDPAPER, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS WHERE THE ORIGINAL PAINT IS PEELING. SCRAPE OFF ANY LOOSE OR ROUGH PAINT WITH A NYLON SCRAPER. SAND OVER THOSE AREAS A SECOND TIME. IF PEELING IS EXTREMELY BAD, REMOVE ALL PAINT WITH LACQUER REMOVING SOLVENT.

6. WIPE ENTIRE WHEEL CLEAN WITH 3M NO. 8985, PRE-SOL, OR EQUIVALENT.

7. WIPE OVER THE PAINTED SURFACES WITH THE ALUMINUM CLEANER, THEN THE CONVERSION COATING, FOLLOWING LABEL DIRECTIONS. THIS IS A TWO-STEP SYSTEM WHICH IMPROVES THE ADHESION OF THE PRIMER.

8. COVER THE SHINY OUTSIDE SURFACES WITH MASKING TAPE.*

9. APPLY ZINC CHROMATE PRIMER TO THE COMPLETE WHEEL SURFACE IN FOUR VERY LIGHT APPLICATIONS, ROTATING THE WHEEL 90 DEG. BETWEEN APPLICATIONS. THIS WILL INSURE COVERAGE IN ALL AREAS.

10. APPLY THE COLOR COAT USING THE SAME PROCEDURE AS FOR THE PRIMER. SELECT COLOR FROM THE PAINT INFORMATION CHARTS FOR THE CORRESPONDING MODEL YEAR.

11. AFTER TEN (10) MINUTES OF AIR DRYING, HEAT MAY BE APPLIED TO REDUCE DRYING TIME.

12. AFTER THE COLOR COAT IS COMPLETELY DRIED, APPLY CLEAR COAT (CORICONE 1700) PER LABEL DIRECTIONS, AGAIN USING THE SAME PROCEDURE AS FOR THE PRIMER.

13. ALLOW 24 HOUR DRYING TIME ON CLEAR COAT APPLICATION.

DO NOT USE HEAT ON CLEAR COAT FOR DRYING.

14. REINSTALL TIRE AND WHEEL (REALIGN INDEX MARKS AND/OR BALANCE WEIGHTS).

*THIS PROCEDURE MAY BE ELIMINATED BY SPRAYING OVER THE ENTIRE WHEEL AND WIPING THE SHINY SURFACES WITH A CLOTH DAMPENED WITH THINNER IMMEDIATELY AFTER PAINTING.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

OPERATION NUMBER T3037 TIME ALLOWANCE 2.4 HOURS (INCLUDES R & R WHEEL ASSEMBLY) MATERIAL ALLOWANCE $7.00

NOTE: THIS OPERATION SHOULD BE USED FOR BOTH 1980 AND 1981 WARRANTY CLAIMS.

CLEANING AND PROTECTING WIRE WHEELS

WIRE WHEELS WITH A RUSTING CONDITION OR BLEEDING RUST SHOULD BE REPAIRED RATHER THAN BEING REPLACED USING THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE:

NOTICE: DO NOT USE AN ABRASIVE TO CLEAN THE SURFACE OF THIS WHEEL.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

- RUSTOR D-85 - RUST REMOVER - VINEGAR AND WATER - CORICONE 1700 CLEAR METAL PROTECTANT

1. REMOVE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY FROM CAR. REMOVE TIRE FROM WHEEL (AFTER MARKING WHEEL/TIRE RELATIONSHIP), IF NECESSARY, FOR CLEANING AND PAINTING.

2. THOROUGHLY CLEAN WHEEL WITH RUSTOR-D-85 SOLUTION FRONT AND REAR.

RUSTOR-D-85 - A CAUSTIC CHROME CLEANER AVAILABLE THROUGH:

H. A. DENUNZIO COMPANY 10426 INGLEWOOD AVENUE INGLEWOOD, CA 90304

SURLUSTER PRODUCTS 1451 SANTA FE AVENUE LONG BEACH, CA 90813

THE CORICONE CO. CHEMICAL FINISHING DIV. NORTHFIELD, IL 60093

THE USE OF RUBBER GLOVES WITH THIS PRODUCT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. IT CAN BE USED IN A PUMP SPRAY CONTAINER. THIS PRODUCT WILL DAMAGE PAINTED SURFACES.

3. FLUSH THIS SOLUTION OFF WITH CLEAR WATER AND WIPE DOWN WITH VINEGAR AND WATER TO REMOVE ALL RESIDUE. THEN FLUSH WITH CLEAR WATER AGAIN AND BLOW DRY. REPEAT IF NECESSARY, TO REMOVE ALL CORROSION.

4. LAYING WHEELS FLAT, SPRAY WHEEL COMPLETELY WITH CORICONE 1700 IN FOUR THIN LAYERS. TURN THE WHEEL (90 DEG.) BETWEEN APPLICATIONS TO INSURE COVERAGE IN ALL AREAS. AFTER THE WHEEL HAS BEEN CLEAR COATED, IT WILL REQUIRE TWENTY-FOUR (24) HOURS DRYING TIME BEFORE REUSING.

DO NOT APPLY HEAT TO CLEAR COAT FOR DRYING.

5. REINSTALL TIRE AND WHEEL (REALIGN INDEX MARKS AS NECESSARY).

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

LABOR OPERATION NUMBER T3038 TIME ALLOWANCE 1.6 HOUR MATERIAL ALLOWANCE $5.00

NOTE: THIS OPERATION IS FOR 1980 WARRANTY CLAIMS ONLY

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.