[Shin240sx]

While my engine is out, I figured I'd paint my engine bay the color I plan to paint my car (Nissan D13 Canteen Green). I degreased, pressure washed, scuffed the paint with 400 grit (down to the metal in a few spots). Will Rustoleum auto primer be a durable enough base for my Napa Crossfire paint?

The exterior will be painted in Chromabase by professionals in the future, so $195 was to much for me to spend on my engine bay paint (hence the Crossfire).

 

[julmer]

I'd paint right over the scuffed original finish long before I'd use rustoleum rattle cans for anything.

 

[302 Z28]

I agree, I would not paint anything with Rustoleum primer:nono:

Vince

 

[Centerline]

Rustoleum is not designed for automotive use and you may have a serious reaction if you spray automotive paint over it. Use Rustoleum to prime your metal patio furniture but NOT your car.

Go talk to your DuPont supplier and ask him what he recommends based on the type of finish coat you're intending to use.

Centerline

 

[cboy]

Rustoleum does put out a rattle can which is labeled "Automobile Primer". The fine print says it can be used under automotive lacquer or enamel - although it does recommend doing a test patch when the top coat is going to be lacquer. I'm just wondering if this is the stuff you guys are recommending against or is it the regular Rustoleum primer you are talking about.

(Unfortunately I bought a few cans of this a couple weeks ago but may not use it if others have have a bad experience with it.)

Dewey

 

[troy-curt]

All primer is for is a filler and leveler. Most rattle cans use silicon or propane as a propellant, which is a no no on auto bodys.

Get a quart of urethane primer sealer, or a epoxy primer and use a paint gun.

Troy

 

[cboy]

Get a quart of urethane primer sealer, or a epoxy primer and use a paint gun.

Makes sense if you are doing a medium to large job...but all I want to do is get some quick cover on small, recently sanded/welded chassis components. It just doesn't make sense to me to load up the paint gun (and then clean it all up) just to spray 10-20 square inches.

 

[troy-curt]

If you have already made up your mind what you wanted to do , why ask the question? I answered the right way it should be done. Even if you paint a bolt or a washer you still have to clean the gun. If a car comes into my shop with rattle can paint or primer on it, I charge extra to strip it of. But it is you car, You paint it however you want to.

Troy

 

[Shin240sx]

Excuse the lateness of my reply

I am talking about the Rustoleum "Auto" primer.

I've used it before for an arcade joystick panel with great results, but I topped it with a gloss rattle can paint instead (that panel came out flawless).

I'm mainly looking for someone who used it for it's intended purpose

 

[cboy]

If you have already made up your mind what you wanted to do , why ask the question? I answered the right way it should be done.

Hey Troy,

I'm assuming this response was directed at my prior post...sorry if I gave the impression I wasn't listening to your advice and that I had already made up my mind. I couldn't agree with you more about what is the "correct" way to primer. And, as I indicated in an early post on this thread, I'm ready to toss my Rustoleum auto primer if that product can do more harm than good. My point about only painting a small area was just to bring up the quandary one faces when doing this sort of task - 3 minutes for a quickie rattle can coat vs. 30 minutes to prep/apply/clean for a gun coat.

I'm beginning to wonder if the better alternative is not to do these "spot" primer applications at all but rather leave the raw metal exposed until you are done with a major area (like a whole chassis or large sections of the body) then wire brush or sand any surface rust and apply good gun coat(s) of the proper primer. Is that how the pros would handle the situation?

Dewey

 

[troy-curt]

I've never seen a rattle can paint that would last very long when exposed to the elements.

Normally you would coat a panel at a time as they are repaired or finished. There should not be any rust on raw metal while doing a repair.

Troy