Vauxhall Workshop Service and Repair Manuals

Standard Corrosion Protection Measures - Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

General

In recent years, the subject of corrosion protection has been forcefully pushed into the foreground as a result of increasingly corrosive environmental pollution.

The customer expects that his vehicle has received high quality anticorrosive protection with enduring effectiveness during series production.

For these reasons, improvements are continually being introduced into production:

• Increased use of sheet metal galvanised on both sides.
• Additional PVC sill protection for vehicles without panelling in the area of the sill.
• Cavity protection wax in the entire underbody area.
• Cavity protection wax for all frame side members and crossmembers.

In this section, the typical corrosion protection steps in series production will be explained using a flowchart and subsequent description of the individual steps.

The details of the individual steps may differ depending on production plant.

Note:   All of the measures for corrosion protection discussed in the operations can be understood with reference to the descriptions in this section.

Flowchart for Corrosion Protection Steps

Step Designation 1 Body shell 2 Spray dip phosphatisation 3 Cataphoretic dip priming 4 Seam seal 5 PVC underseal 6 PVC sill protection

Step Designation 7 Primer 8 Top coat 9 Cavity protection wax 10 Underbody protection wax 11 Transit protective wax

Body shell

Effective measures to prevent corrosion start as early as the structural design of the body shell such as, e.g.: Development of water-deflecting and dirt-deflecting body shapes Deliberate selection of material at areas at risk of corrosion due to galvanised metal sheets Optimum shaping and joining methods for body sheet-metal parts Production of well-ventilated cavities Introduction of water drain holes

Example:

The good drainage of dirt and water is assisted by water drain holes in door shells.

Spray dip phosphatisation

Spray dip phosphatisation with the preceding and succeeding cleaning and rinsing processes is the foundation for the build-up of the paint.

The following sequence applies: Clean and degrease Spray dip phosphatisation Rinse Blow with warm air

Spray dip phosphatisation is performed by treatment with a phosphate solution.

This causes a crystal layer to form which neutralises points of different potential.

Cataphoretic Dip Priming (CDP)

CDP is the next corrosion protection step in series production.

The following sequence applies: Cataphoretic dip priming Rinse Dry at approx. 180 °C

The body (cathode) passes through a dip tank with water-soluble paint (anode).

The positively charged particles of paint migrate to the body under the influence of the voltage and form a layer of paint.

The thickness of the layer is determined by the amount of electricity, the length of coating and the temperature of the paint bath.

Seam seal

Heat-curing and solvent-free seam seals are applied to flanged seams and folds and smoothed.

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

Included in this are flanges, welding flanges and open seams in the following areas of the body shell: Front Frame Side Member Inner wheel housing

Inner bulkhead Inner wheel housing

Outer bulkhead

Outer wheel housing

Plenum chamber

Plenum chamber

Lower A-pillar

Roof, front

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Roof, rear

Models F 25, F 06

B-pillar

Roof

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Lower rear end panel

Models F 25, F 06

Rear end panel

Rear end panel

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Side wall/rear wheel housing

Models F 25, F 06

Rear wheel housing

Rear wheel housing

Rear inner wheel housing/rear end panel

Models F 25, F 06

Inner left wheel housing/rear end panel

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Inner floor

Models F 25, F 06

Rear floor

Rear floor

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

Front underbody

Rear underbody

Models F 25, F 06

Rear underbody

Rear outer wheel housing

Rear outer wheel housing

Tank filling pipe mount

Front door hinge

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 25, F 06

Front door

Model F 68

Front door

Rear door

Models F 25, F 06

Rear door

Rear door

Rear door

Vehicles without rear door

Upper rear door guide

Lower sliding door guide

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

Bonnet.

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Tailgate

Models F 25, F 06

Rear end door

Rear end door, left

Rear end door, right

Window insert

Window insert

PVC underseal

PVC underseal is applied after CDP. The areas of the vehicle underbody at risk of stone impacts are coated in a targeted manner with PVC underseal. This produces long-term protection against mechanical stress (e.g. stone impact) and corrosion. To a greater extent, PVC underseal is applied fully automatically using robots. The remaining surfaces and flanges are sealed manually with PVC or a combination material. The final curing is carried out by drying the primer.

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

Rear underbody

Models F 25, F 06

Rear underbody

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Rear wheel housing Rear floor

Rear wheel housing

Models F 25, F 06

Rear wheel housing

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

Front underbody

Front underbody/bulkhead

Lower front wheel housing

PVC sill protection

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

The PVC sill protection cures in heat and is solvent-free and is sprayed in a sophisticated, "Visible Edge" automatic spray process.

With regard to corrosion protection, PVC sill protection has the following advantages:

• Adhesive
• Wear resistant
• Temperature resistant
• Water resistant
• Highly elastic

A straight and clean visible edge without any transition is achieved in the spraying operation using a special application procedure

Models F 25, F 06

Side sill Lower sill

Primer

The water-soluble primer is applied with an electrostatic rotary atomiser unit.

The following sequence applies:

• Clean
• Coat with primer
• Dry at approx. 160 °C

Advantages of primer: Application with rotary atomiser, therefore application almost without loss. High surface quality. Optimum Adhesion to CDP and PVC Optimum metal primer for top coat. Damping layer between CDP and top coat.

Top coat

With its blocking effect to the diffusion of water and oxygen, the top coat is the final layer of the paint build-up.

The following sequence applies:

• Clean
• Apply top coat
• Dry at approx. 130 °C

Two different top coat systems may be used:

• 1-layer coat based on synthetic resin
• 2-layer coat with metallic or mica effect base coat and clear coat

The top coats in the body outer area are sprayed on in electrostatic rotary atomiser units.

The interior of the body is painted manually.

Plastic parts are provided with a special paint structure in separate processes prior to assembly.

Cavity protection wax

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Sill/door Rear quarter panel Advantages of cavity wax: High creep capability High non-volatile matter content Low solvent content Environmental compatibility Long-term protective action Once dried, forms a strong, sealed wax layer

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

Bonnet.

Plenum chamber

Wheel housing strut

Front Frame Side Member

Front Frame Side Member

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Rear frame side member

Rear frame side member

Models F 25, F 06

Rear frame Sill Cross struts

Sill Sides Lower rear end panel Cross strut

Rear frame/side wall Cross strut

Rear quarter panel Cross strut

Underbody protection wax

In the further production sequence, all vehicles are given an underbody protection wax to the vehicle underbody.

The entire vehicle underbody and its body attaching parts are coated, such as, e.g.:

• Fuel tank
• Wheel housings with coil springs and shock absorbers
• Axle body

Catalytic converters and parts in the exhaust area are not coated.

Advantages of underbody protection wax:

• High non-volatile matter content
• Low solvent content
• Environmental compatibility
• Optimum adhesion
• Once dried, forms a smooth clean wax layer
• Insulation and moisture barrier due to water-deflecting property.

Underbody protection wax is applied in an automatic spraying operation.

Models F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68, F 25, F 06

Front underbody

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L, F 68

Rear underbody

Models F 25, F 06

Rear underbody

Bearing and Transit Protective Wax

The final application of bearing and transit protective wax prevents corrosion damage caused by.

• Dust, dirt during transport
• Environmental pollution such as, e.g. soot
• Corrosive substances such as, e.g. bird droppings, insects or tree resin

All vehicles are given bearing and transit protective wax in the following areas:

• Roof
• Bonnet.
• Tailgate
• Wing.
• Doors
• Rear quarter panels

Particles which can damage the paint accumulate only on the surfaces accessible from above.

Therefore, enclosed, vertical surfaces (front, side, rear) are not included in the wax coating.

Model F 08, F 08 & W5L

Body

Model F 68

Body

Models F 25, F 06

Body

Body

Body