Vauxhall Workshop Service and Repair Manuals

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 cleaning and rinsing operations before and afterwards is the base of the paint structure.

The following sequence applies:

• Clean and degrease
• Spray / Dip Phosphatisation
• Rinse
• Blow with warm air

Spray / dip phosphatisation takes place by treating with a phosphatising 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 / 25 minutes

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

The positively charged paint particles displace to the body under the effect of the electrical 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.

Included in this are flanges, welding flanges and open seams in the following areas of the body shell:

1. Vehicle front section, wheel housing
2. Vehicle front section, lower A-pillar
3. Vehicle rear section, bottom pan
4. Vehicle rear section, rear quarter panel
5. Vehicle rear section, wheel housing
6. Lower A-pillar, sill trim, bulkhead

II Vehicle front section

Lower A-pillar

III Vehicle rear section

Bottom pan

IV Vehicle rear section

Rear quarter panel

V Vehicle rear section

Wheel well

VI Lower A-pillar

Sill trim, bulkhead

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, such as 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 achieved by drying the primer.

PVC sill protection

PVC sill protection cures on heating, is solvent-free and is sprayed in a complex automatic spraying operation to give "visible edges".

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

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

A straight, clean and seamless visible edge (section I – I) is achieved in the spraying operation using a special application procedure

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 / approx. 35 minutes

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

The top coat forms the final layer of the paint structure due to its blocking action towards the diffusion of water and oxygen.

The following sequence applies:

• Clean
• Apply top coat
• Dry at approx. 130 °C / approx. 30 minutes

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

After painting is finished, the following cavities are given a protective wax protection:

• Sill panelling
• Bonnet.
• Front and rear door
• Wing.
• Luggage compartment lid and tailgate
• Wheel well
• Side member, crossmember

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

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 wells 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.

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 bird droppings, insects or tree resins

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

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

Paint-damaging particles only settle on the surfaces accessible from above.

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