Paint - Removing Etched Spots
89Mitsubishi07The following ATIN was transmitted by Electronic Mail 8/11/89.
To: ALL MITSUBISHI DEALERS AND MMSA FIELD PERSONNEL:
ADVANCED TECHNICAL INFORMATION NOTICE
ATIN NUMBER: ATIN-89-51-001
DATE: AUGUST 11, 1989
Eclipse Etched Paint
During the period July 15-25, some Eclipses were exposed to conditions that etched some of the horizontal painted surfaces. The etched spots will look like "water spots", which cannot be removed by normal washing and must be removed by very careful sanding and buffing (Known as "Finessing" in the Auto Body Trade). Some, but not all, vehicles produced from July 5 through July 17 are affected. The affected surfaces can include the hood, roof, tops of fenders, and some spoilers. Areas not affected are the vertical panels, lower sections of doors, lower sections of fenders, front bumper, rear bumper, and areas under the rear spoiler.
Correction of etched paint
CAUTION: The clear coat is only 1.6 mils thick. Field tests indicate that nearly all pits can be removed when only 0.4 mils of clear coat is removed. Do not buff through the clear coat; a light touch is all that is necessary.
Notes:
You MUST use separate buffing or polishing pads for each operation. Mark them so it will be easy to identify which pad is to be used. This will prevent continued buffing when you want to polish, or diluting the buffing material with a mild polishing chemical.
When buffing the hood, open it to prevent digging into the edge of the fender.
When buffing the fenders, open the hood to prevent digging into and marring a surface that is already finished.
When buffing the roof, remove the drip rail mouldings and mask the Bpillar trim to prevent marring panels that do not require buffing.
Repair sequence:
1. Wash the vehicle thoroughly with water to remove any foreign material such as dirt, grit, etc. Clean the affected areas using a mixture of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water.
2. By hand, wet color sand the affected panels using 3M micro-fine 1200 (P# 02022) grit sandpaper. Note: Always sand the length of the panel. Do not use sandpaper back-up devices such as a hard or semi-hard block.
3. Completely remove remaining grit and residue using a clean cloth.
4. Machine buff affected areas using 3M Finesse It II finishing material (P# 05928) and a Schegel 7 or 9 inch diameter pad.
5. Clean the affected areas a second time using a mixture of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water.
6. Polish the affected areas using 3M Imperial hand sand glaze (P# 05990).
Warranty Information
All claims for correcting these paint conditions must be submitted as claim type "W". Only claims for those VINs listed on official VIN listing will be allowed.
Use only the following labor operations:
Operation Material
Numbers Repair description Time Allowance
23600203 Roof (includes drip rail R&R) .7 hr. $2.26
23600204 Hood (includes headlight doors) .5 hr. $1.62
23600205 Each Additional Horizontal Panels .4 hr $.82
Claim the material allowance by entering "Paint" or "NPN" in the Parts section of each claim.
NOTE: ALL TIMES STATED ABOVE INCLUDE MASKING ADJACENT PANELS.
Each dealer will receive within the next few days a detailed Technical Service Bulletin and a VIN list of Eclipses that may have experienced the paint conditions. MMSA does not plan to contact customers since this is not a service campaign and MSSA recommends that dealers perform this service only if customers request it. Any questions regarding this condition should be directed to the District Service Manager.
NO VEHICLES OTHER THAN THOSE LISTED WILL BE COVERED BY THIS BULLETIN.