BMW 3 Series E30

since 1983-1994 release

Repair and operation of the car

Repair of small scratches

If scratch superficial also does not affect body metal, repair is very simple. Slightly rub the scratched surface with thin polishing structure to remove friable paint and wax. Wash out a surface clear water.

Apply paint for coloring on scratch by means of a small brush. Continue to apply paint coats until paint completely does not fill scratch. Let's new paint dry up, at least, within two weeks, and then mix it with surrounding paint, заполировав the painted area by means of thin polishing structure. And, at last, apply the top layer of wax on the scratched surface.

If scratch got through paint and damaged body metal, having caused emergence of a rust, it is necessary to apply other procedure of repair. Remove a rust from the scratch basis by means of a pocket knife, and then apply anticorrosive paint to prevent emergence of a rust in the future. Having used the rubber or nylon applicator, cover the scratched area with a glaze (a glaze – a translucent paint layer). Before the glaze in scratch will harden, place a piece of smooth cotton fabric around a finger-tip. Ship fabric in a thinner, and then quickly carry out by it around a scratch surface. It will help you will be convinced that a glaze surface slightly hollow. Now it is possible to paint over scratch as it was described in this section earlier.

If it is necessary, the glaze can be mixed with a thinner to prepare very thin putty which is ideal for filling of narrow scratches.

During repair of dents the first that needs to be made, it to correct a dent that the damaged place was as it is possible closer to an initial form. There is no sense to try to restore completely an initial form as metal in the damaged place stretches, and it cannot be restored to an initial contour. It is better to level a dent so that its level was about 3 mm below than the level of surrounding metal.

In case the dent very small, is not present sense it at all to level.

Strongly hold wooden whetstone from a reverse side of metal to absorb blows of the hammer and to prevent metal stretching.

The following stage of repair this removal of paint from the damaged surface and from surrounding metal approximately on 2,5 cm. It becomes by means of a wire brush or the disk for grinding which is put on a drill, however with not smaller efficiency it can be made manually by means of an emery paper. To finish preparations for filling, smooth out the screw-driver or a file the surface of the bared metal, or drill small openings in the damaged area. It will provide good coupling of metal and a glaze.

Repair of openings from a rust or cracks

Peel all paint from the damaged surface and from surrounding metal in a radius about 2,5 cm, having used the emery paper or a wire brush which is put on a drill. If they are inaccessible, this work can be made manually by means of several sheets of an emery paper.

Having peeled the paint, you will be able to define extent of corrosion and to solve, whether to replace the whole panel or if it is possible, to repair the damaged surface. New panels of a body are not so expensive as many people think, and to install the new panel very often much quicker, than to repair the big surface damaged by a rust.

Remove all parts of decorative finishing from the damaged area, except for those which work as the directing initial form of the damaged car body, such as the headlight case and so on. Having used scissors on metal or a hacksaw cloth, remove all damaged metal, and also any other metal on which there are rust traces. The hammer bend edges of an opening inside to create small dredging for filling material.

Wire brush smooth out the damaged surface to remove a powdery rust from the surface of metal. If there is an access to a back part of a rusty surface, cover it with anticorrosive paint.

Before final seal to a zakuporta in any way opening. It can be made by means of a tin, priklepanny or screwed in in an opening, or establish in an opening by a wire grid.

When the opening is corked, the damaged area can be filled and painted over.

Filling and painting

Now well large number of fillers for repair of a body, however, frankly speaking, a set of details for repair of a body in which there is a filling paste and a tube of a hardener of polymers best of all is suitable for carrying out repair work. The wide flexible plastic or nylon applicator will be necessary for you for alignment of a surface of filling. Mix a small amount of mix of filling on a pure wooden plate or a piece of cardboard (economically spending a hardener). Follow instructions of producers on packing, otherwise filling will harden incorrectly.

Using the applicator, apply filling paste on the prepared surface. Carry out by the applicator on the surface of filling to reach a desirable contour and to balance the surface of filling. When the initial level and a contour are reached, stop work with paste. If you continue, then paste will stick to the applicator. Continue to apply thin films of paste with 20-minute intervals until the level of filling precisely corresponds to the level of surrounding metal.

When filling hardens, its surplus can be removed by means of a file. Further it is necessary to use an emery paper, gradually increasing its granularity, having begun with paper with an indicator of granularity of 180 units and having finished with waterproof paper with an indicator of granularity of 600 units. Always reel up an emery paper on rubber or wooden whetstone, otherwise the surface of filling will not be completely flat. During grinding of a surface of filling the waterproof emery paper with an indicator of granularity of 600 units needs to be moistened periodically in water. It will help to reach very smooth surface.

Now the ring of naked metal which, in turn, has to be surrounded with the good intact paint has to surround the field of repair. Wash out the field of repair by water until all dust which remained after grinding is not removed.

On all smoothed-out surface apply a thin film of a soil covering. It will help to find all defects on the surface of filling. Correct the found defects by means of fresh filling or a lassirovka and once again smooth out a surface an emery paper. Repeat the procedure of putting primer and filling until you are not satisfied with quality of a surface of filling and an edge of paint. Wash out a surface clear water and let's it dry completely.

Now the field of repair is ready to painting. Coloring by dispersion needs to be carried out at warm, dry, windless weather when in air there is no dust. These conditions can be reached if you have an access to the big production room. However if you have to work in the open air, it is necessary to choose day of painting very carefully. If you work indoors, sprinkle water a floor. It will help you to beat dust which differently can rise in air. If the field of repair is on one panel of a body, close all surrounding panels. It will help you to minimize small discrepancy in color of paint. Decorative details of finishing, such as chromic slips, door handles and so on, it is also necessary to disguise or remove. For masking use an adhesive tape and several layers of paper.

Before dispersion carefully shake up paint, and then be trained to spray it to learn to do it correctly. Apply a thick layer of primer on the repaired surface. It is better to apply several thin films, than one thick. By means of an emery paper with granularity of 600 units smooth out the surface of primer until it does not become very smooth. During this operation the processed surface has to be moistened with water carefully. The emery paper needs also to be lowered periodically in water. Let's primer dry before drawing additional layers.

Spray paint on the top layer, increasing its thickness by drawing several layers. Begin to spray paint from the center of the repaired area, and then, using roundabouts, process all repaired surface, and also about 5 cm of surrounding paint. Remove all masking material in 10–15 minutes after drawing the last paint coat. Let's new paint dry, at least, two weeks, and then by means of very thin grinding structure make imperceptible transition from new paint to initial. In conclusion of work put a wax layer.