Fluid Film Application Tips. (3 Viewers)

[davespider]

I recently picked a 'new to me' 2001 LX w/just 108,000 miles. I live in N. Michigan and need to treat the undercarriage. There's already some rust...but pretty good considering it's from Ohio. But I really don't want it to get much worse.

Does anyone have any tips/tricks/suggestions on the preparation and application of Fluid Film? My goal is to just get thru this winter and then next year dig in and really make it more rust-proof. How much prep will I need to do? Do I need to wire wheel all the flaky bits before applying? How many cans will it take?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated since I'm not that familiar with Fluid Film. I moved up from TX where salted roads are not an issue. I also have a '78 FJ40 that's in pretty good shape rust wise considering it's 40 yrs old.

Cheers.

 

[badlander]

Depends how ambitious you are. I've scraped first and not scraped first. Both methods seem to work equally well. It really does a great job of preservation. It pretty much STOPS any further rusting. But, the down side is, after a while everything turns black and nasty from road dust. It's a messy job to work on anything. That said, I think it's worth it to extend the life of your cruiser. Just expect to get grimy when you have to work under there.
I just used the spray cans. Probably 4 cans to really put a good coating under the vehicle. Spray everything except the exhaust. And be prepared for the smell to last 3 or 4 days then it will go away. I have even sprayed inside all the doors and body panels. Get every opening you can. Inside the frame rails too.

 

[06 flstfise]

I had a chance to watch GoISU do mine a couple of weeks ago. Doesn't seem all that bad and I plan on getting the my own set up to continue to do all our vehicles. I did wire wheel and touch up all the rust prior though. I would be concerned on how much of a pain it would be to do it after application, although this is my first experience with it so may loose that grime after a season. Agree about four cans should be enough, although I would recommend on just buying the kit after seeing it.

 

[flintknapper]

Fluid Film Spray Applicator Guns

 

[Spike555]

As one Michigander to another...let me know how it goes.

 

[Kabanstva]

Masking off the exhaust seems like a real pain in the ass. I know because I have done it before on my brother's IS-F when spraying it with Boeshield T9.

What I realized is that when you're all done, after unmasking the exhaust, alot of the undercoating will still drip down onto the exhaust for a few days. For instance, when I coated his rear diff and entire subframe (above the exhaust), I sprayed everything very heavy and while the vehicle sat in the shop to cure for a few days, alot of the Boeshield did drip down on the exhaust and the shop floor.

I contacted the manufacturer and they said there is no problem with getting some undercoating on the exhaust and it's been over a year and everything is fine.

So next time I do it, I will try to not directly spray the exhaust, but in case some gets on it, I will just wipe off the bulk of it with a rag and call it a day. Much easier than masking everything. I used tinfoil based on an undercoating shop's recommendation but even that was not a fun task and very time consuming.

What is the worst that can happen if fluid film get on the exhaust/mufflers, etc.? Just a bad small until it burns off? I can live with that.

 

[badlander]

Don't worry about getting fluid film on the exhaust system. It just stinks a little more is all, until it burns off.

 

[Snowrydr01]

I ended up using 10 cans. if you have any plans on using a rust converter do that first or eles itll be realy difficult to remover the fluid film 100% to do that later. it was borring tedious labor but i felt worth it. it also stinks up the interior for a week so plan on leaving the windows open every time you park

 

[KLF]

I would get the gun and buy a gallon (assuming you have access to a decent air compressor), works much better than the stuff in the spray cans. It is thicker, probably because it doesn't need to be thinned down for spraying thru that little nozzle on the can. I have this set-up and it works well. If it's cold out I will heat the fluid film up in the microwave, seriously it's that thick in the gallon cans, looks like chicken gravy. Then I keep a couple of spray cans around for touch up and getting into tight places like inside doors.

 

[uHu]

Last thing first: Yeah, a bit burnt lanolin oil is ok. No problem. Just avoid the exhaust as well as you can. It will smell bad, so a run down a remote country road would be the best.
A wire wheel will not get to all the nooks and crannies. I see that there is a problem when the black coating on the frame is still intact, with rust under, so I try to scrape off a bit with a bigish screwdriver. The oil creeps in under the paint/coating a bit, so you don't have to remove it all.
A lot of loose flakes will come off by blowing with compressed air as well.

I have for a few years used a proffesional anti-rust service, where they do the inside of all panels, frame rails, and the whole underbody while I'm waiting for an hour. They use compressed air for cleaning first. But, I always find places where they didn't reach afterwards, so I go back to complain and get a rattlecan or two for free. They do make holes in panels or doors, which they cover with a rubber bung, if there are no other ways to get the oil to the backside of panels. (E.g. rear wheel arches, where you could instead remove the tail lamps and get a long sprayer hose all the way forward to the back doors)

This year, I got a 5 litre can of the stuff, Fluid Film NAS, but it seems to be thicker than what is on the rattlecans. I also got a spray bottle which you can fill up 2/3 with any liquid and add compressed air, 10 bar, but the FF nas is a bit too thick at todays temperature. It comes out as a concentrated stream only, making "worms" of fat on the surface, like spaghetti-fat.
After a bit of experimenting, I found that using a cheap (5$) spray applicator with compressed air, and heating the FF to 40+ Celsius is very efficient. Gets too all the corners, and even blows off some flakes of loose frame-paint at the same time. This method does give a bit of oil mist in the air, but not to bad. It is a friendly oil after all. The sprayer is a bit like those linked to 4 posts up, but a cheaper version.

 

[jonheld]

Check out post# 28 on this thread.
Rust proofing with cosmoline
I use a paint sprayer https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018S8JC4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and a bunch of disposable plastic drop cloths. Drive the truck up on 4 ramps, put on a Tyvek suit to keep it off your clothing https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0008F4HPQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1, and spray like a madman from tip to tail.
The sprayer atomizes the FF really well so the spray gets EVERYWHERE. I use a little less than 1/2 gallon for an 80 Series.
It smells really bad when it burns off the exhaust, but it's temporary.

When I picked up my LX450 in Phoenix, I had a case of FF spray cans shipped to the seller. I used 8 cans in a hotel parking lot before I drove back to Jersey.

 

[davespider]

Great Advice! Thanks every one.

Quick question: If I wanted to apply a rust converter next summer...but wanted to give my 100 some protection this winter, is FF still the best route? As Snowry suggested...getting this stuff off so I can really seal it down the road...may not be the best idea. Also...I have a few rattle cans of Eastwood HD Anti Rust in the shop. Similar to Fluid Film?

Also...what temp can this stuff be applied at? I live in N Michigan and it's currently snowing and 28 degrees. The LX is too long to completely fit in my heated shop area.

 

[davespider]

I'll keep ya updated.

Funny...the LX I just got...I it bought in Wyoming, MI. It was on a used car lot on Division between 36th and 44th.

As one Michigander to another...let me know how it goes.

 

[scrappyslexus]

is fluid film a better option than krown rust protection?

 

[SlowBuild]

Is fluid film a better option than wire wheel and POR15?

 

[uHu]

is fluid film a better option than krown rust protection?

Same thing, more or less.

Is fluid film a better option than wire wheel and POR15?

I think so, unless you separate body and frame, and redo it every 5 years.
Lanolin oil gets everywhere, but has to be reapplied annually (at least the most exposed parts).

 

[badlander]

It's way less work and probably just as, or more, effective. I did the grind and rust converter prior to applying fluid film but I wouldn' waste my time on it if I had to do it all over again. WAY too much work. Spray the FF and be done with it. JMO.

 

[SlowBuild]

Thanks, I’ve been considering best way to tackle this. Not much rust here in southern Oregon but the local Line-X place sprays an undercoating which they said is heavier than a paint but lighter than a typical undercoating. Sounds like fluid film might be better, even though it will make my truck awful to crawl underneath.

 

[davespider]

Do you need to remove the plastic fender liners before applying FF?

 

[hifu]

Nope, most just get the mud, or down here, sand washed off a spray away. Get ya a throwaway suit, face mask and goggles and have at it. FF will penetrate thru most junk