rdarlington
09-29-2013, 06:55 PM
After researching this and reading a short but to the point post on how to fix the inner engine cover, I decided to document my own fix that I performed today.
Materials:
High temperature marine epoxy. I bought LOCTITE brand rated for 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lots of clamps. Spring, squeeze, C, or other. Get as many as you can.
Mixing container. I used an empty soda can with the top half cut off.
Strip of aluminum from the local hardware store. It's about 1.25" wide.
File to bevel the edge and remove burrs
Saw to cut it. Bandsaws make short work of this stuff.
Empty frozen pizza box
Some type of matt or sheet of cardboard to protect your work surface.
Step 1, measure and cut the aluminum to length. Don't throw out the scrap. Make it a little long so that you can bevel the corner for a nice tight fit. Sand this or sandblast it. You want a nice rough surface for the epoxy, and later the paint to adhere to.
Step 2, remove the cover and move it to some place with a large flat work space where it's comfortable to work. I used the floor. Before bringing it in, I hit it with the sandblaster where the epoxy will be going. Hold your breath unless your cabinet is big enough for the whole thing. Silicosis is not fun.
Step 3, grind down or chisel away that small rib. You want a flat surface between the hinge mounts. The goals is to have no large pockets to fill with epoxy. It should be a near perfect fit between the aluminum and the fiberglass:
22252
Step 4, vacuum up any bits of fiberglass. Again, silicosis is bad, m'kay.
22253
Step 5, check your bevel. Test fit the aluminum.
22254
Step 6, clean the aluminum surfaces with acetone. Get fingerprints and grease off. It should be pretty clean if you sandblasted it. I also did a very quick wipe of the fiberglass to remove dust and get rid of oils. Don't go nuts here. You don't want the fiberglass absorbing solvent.
22255
Step 7, get your mixing container ready. Ever keep around old paintbrushes for modeling, long after they are hard with paint? Now's your chance to use one. Use the handle to mix up the epoxy. Use the whole tube, don't cheap out. Mix for a solid minute to 90 seconds to make sure it's thoroughly mixed.
22256
Step 8, use another small brush, or the same one if you wiped the handle, to brush epoxy onto both surfaces. Get a pretty even coating, and get it into all the crevices. Try not to get it on areas you don't want it on. It wipes up easy enough though.
22257
Step 9, carefully center up the aluminum strip, beveled side down (you did put the epoxy on the beveled side, right)? and press it in tightly. Start clamping from the middle and work your way toward the ends. My engine cover had little raised areas on the edge toward me that held the strip of aluminum down. Figure out how to lay down your strip before you put the epoxy on everything. Remember that pizza box and the piece of scrap aluminum? Wrap the box around the scrap aluminum and use that to clamp against. Don't use C-clamps directly on the fiberglass!
22258
Step 10, clamp. Make sure clamps are tight! Again, start from the middle, work your way toward the ends.
22259
Note the pizza box under the fiberglass.
22260
Another shot of the pizza box wrapped around the scrap aluminum strip. There are many ways to do this, but this worked for me. I considered using a shop towel but this cardboard just felt right.
22261
Give this at least 24 hours before painting. I plan to mask off most of the cover before painting with SEM trim paint. I hear that stuff works well and matches the rest of the trim and engine covers. I don't have this yet but will update this post with additional photos once I completely finish this.
Use your finger to smooth the excess epoxy that squeezes out for a nice clean finish.
Remember, before painting, use a little acetone, sandpaper, or both.
Original post I based this on: http://autos.dir.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dmcnews/conversations/topics/63402
-Bob, 1982 DMC-12 10904, sitting at 3706 miles as of 9/29/2013
Materials:
High temperature marine epoxy. I bought LOCTITE brand rated for 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lots of clamps. Spring, squeeze, C, or other. Get as many as you can.
Mixing container. I used an empty soda can with the top half cut off.
Strip of aluminum from the local hardware store. It's about 1.25" wide.
File to bevel the edge and remove burrs
Saw to cut it. Bandsaws make short work of this stuff.
Empty frozen pizza box
Some type of matt or sheet of cardboard to protect your work surface.
Step 1, measure and cut the aluminum to length. Don't throw out the scrap. Make it a little long so that you can bevel the corner for a nice tight fit. Sand this or sandblast it. You want a nice rough surface for the epoxy, and later the paint to adhere to.
Step 2, remove the cover and move it to some place with a large flat work space where it's comfortable to work. I used the floor. Before bringing it in, I hit it with the sandblaster where the epoxy will be going. Hold your breath unless your cabinet is big enough for the whole thing. Silicosis is not fun.
Step 3, grind down or chisel away that small rib. You want a flat surface between the hinge mounts. The goals is to have no large pockets to fill with epoxy. It should be a near perfect fit between the aluminum and the fiberglass:
22252
Step 4, vacuum up any bits of fiberglass. Again, silicosis is bad, m'kay.
22253
Step 5, check your bevel. Test fit the aluminum.
22254
Step 6, clean the aluminum surfaces with acetone. Get fingerprints and grease off. It should be pretty clean if you sandblasted it. I also did a very quick wipe of the fiberglass to remove dust and get rid of oils. Don't go nuts here. You don't want the fiberglass absorbing solvent.
22255
Step 7, get your mixing container ready. Ever keep around old paintbrushes for modeling, long after they are hard with paint? Now's your chance to use one. Use the handle to mix up the epoxy. Use the whole tube, don't cheap out. Mix for a solid minute to 90 seconds to make sure it's thoroughly mixed.
22256
Step 8, use another small brush, or the same one if you wiped the handle, to brush epoxy onto both surfaces. Get a pretty even coating, and get it into all the crevices. Try not to get it on areas you don't want it on. It wipes up easy enough though.
22257
Step 9, carefully center up the aluminum strip, beveled side down (you did put the epoxy on the beveled side, right)? and press it in tightly. Start clamping from the middle and work your way toward the ends. My engine cover had little raised areas on the edge toward me that held the strip of aluminum down. Figure out how to lay down your strip before you put the epoxy on everything. Remember that pizza box and the piece of scrap aluminum? Wrap the box around the scrap aluminum and use that to clamp against. Don't use C-clamps directly on the fiberglass!
22258
Step 10, clamp. Make sure clamps are tight! Again, start from the middle, work your way toward the ends.
22259
Note the pizza box under the fiberglass.
22260
Another shot of the pizza box wrapped around the scrap aluminum strip. There are many ways to do this, but this worked for me. I considered using a shop towel but this cardboard just felt right.
22261
Give this at least 24 hours before painting. I plan to mask off most of the cover before painting with SEM trim paint. I hear that stuff works well and matches the rest of the trim and engine covers. I don't have this yet but will update this post with additional photos once I completely finish this.
Use your finger to smooth the excess epoxy that squeezes out for a nice clean finish.
Remember, before painting, use a little acetone, sandpaper, or both.
Original post I based this on: http://autos.dir.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dmcnews/conversations/topics/63402
-Bob, 1982 DMC-12 10904, sitting at 3706 miles as of 9/29/2013