painting louver cowl top ventilator PP plastic?

[sleepydad]

I have an extra top cowl and I would like to see if I can clean it up and make it look good again.

I have had mixed results painting plastic, I would like to get a glossy satin black finish out of this effort.

I plan on washing it off really really well with soap/water.

spending some time scuffing with green 3m pad, then using an adhesion promoter. followed up by some auto satin enamel. possibly a clear coat top coat.

does this sound correct if you have suggestions please because like I said I have had some bad results painting older plastics.

thanks

<a href="https://imgur.com/HJz13uK"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/HJz13uKl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/MseWRq4"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MseWRq4l.jpg?1" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

 

[T4R2014]

I prefer plastic dye for something like this. No worries of flaking or scratching either.

 

[sleepydad]

I prefer plastic dye for something like this. No worries of flaking or scratching either.

as a woodworker I have used transtint and dye's for wood.

never used plastic dye, any helpful resources? a howto guide for noobs?

 

[hugo2go]

I used this spray from Chemical Guys called Back to Black. After the third application, the cowl looked brand new.

 

[JZiggy]

For what's it's worth, I painted my SR5 black flares back in Fall 2016 and they are still holding up great. They ended up with a slightly glossy, matte black finish. You can see some pics in my build thread.

Here's my painting process:
- Clean and scrub with Simple Green
- Wipe with rubbing alcohol (90% is best) and let it dry
- Paint with rustoleum gray primer
- Paint with Rustoleum Trim & Bumper paint

No clear coat

 

[4Runner4Leon]

I don't think you can dye polypropylene without remelting it first to liquid form, not a viable solution for your cowl. And the Back to Black thing is a dressing, so it'll require constant maintenance.

I'd try some type of trim paint, like the one JZiggy recommended, or SEM Trim Black. In fact I plan to use the latter on the cowl and the rear bumper trim piece soon.

 

[T4R2014]

I have no idea what it’s made of, but I used Forever Black dye which has held up great.

 

[2ndhandyotaman]

This is what I've used over the years with excellent results, the company is called SEM. You might find it at a supply house that caters to the professional body shops in your area or you can buy it on line. Be sure to use their adhesion promoter before the dye coat. This stuff stinks to hell and back but it works very well. It gets into the pores of the plastic instead of just coating a thin top layer like paint.

If you're going to use a scrub pad, use a very "fine" one like the white ones, any marks you make in the plastic from scrubbing with a heavy abrasive will reflect back right through the dye coat.

 

[4Runner4Leon]

This is what I've used over the years with excellent results, the company is called SEM.

That's the stuff I use! You can get it from Amazon.

 

[IBallEngineer]

I hate to give painting advice on this forum. I only have like oh 38 years of experience and teach Autobody full time, so most people think I don't know anything.

Like most people, I heard dye and thought, nahhhhh. I know and use SEM products, very good quality stuff and pricey too. But they don't address all issues and in the case of black plastic, I've had only so/so results.

The Forever black works, and it works very well. Doesn't mean you can't have some measure of success with the trim black. However by the time you buy the adhesion promoter, the Forever Black is half the price.

Here is my write up on the product from several years ago.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/166127-forever-black-pictorial-initial-impressions.html

 

[MN4runnerman]

If you go the SEM route text me I’ll hook you up. There was a back to black product I’ve used before that worked really well. I got it at target of all places. I’ll have to find it

 

[sleepydad]

I prefer plastic dye for something like this. No worries of flaking or scratching either.

I used this spray from Chemical Guys called Back to Black. After the third application, the cowl looked brand new.

For what's it's worth, I painted my SR5 black flares back in Fall 2016 and they are still holding up great. They ended up with a slightly glossy, matte black finish. You can see some pics in my build thread.
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I don't think you can dye polypropylene without remelting it first to liquid form, not a viable solution for your cowl. And the Back to Black thing is a dressing, so it'll require constant maintenance.

If you go the SEM route text me I’ll hook you up. There was a back to black product I’ve used before that worked really well. I got it at target of all places. I’ll have to find it

SO... I'm not going back to black, it seems like a auto detailer product. sure it's good but only temporary.

if I add up the price tag for the SEM solution. with their suggested path.

SEM 39063 Gloss Trim Black Aerosol - 12 oz. $16.89
SEM 77723 XXX Adhesion Promoter - 11.3 oz. $17.99
SEM 38353 Plastic Prep - 12 oz. $15.35
SEM 39362 Soap - 15 oz. $15.37

total $65.60

Forever Black Bumper & Trim Kit $14.96

rust-oleum $4 primer/adhesion promoter
rust-oleum $4 trim and bumper

total: $8

it's a hard call with forever black because the louver deal has some many little ridges. I think it might be really hard to get into all those little spaces with a sponge and get nice coverage. dam it people!

flares seem really easy because they are devoid of any hard contours.

thanks for all your input. still not sure what I'm going to try this time around.

 

[T4R2014]

it's a hard call with forever black because the louver deal has some many little ridges. I think it might be really hard to get into all those little spaces with a sponge and get nice coverage. dam it people!

Yeah, I totally understand. It took TIME. But, I liked the result much better.

 

[4Runner4Leon]

SEM 39063 Gloss Trim Black Aerosol - 12 oz. $16.89
SEM 77723 XXX Adhesion Promoter - 11.3 oz. $17.99
SEM 38353 Plastic Prep - 12 oz. $15.35
SEM 39362 Soap - 15 oz. $15.37

total $65.60

Keep in mind that some of these will cover much more than just the cowl, so there is some savings there if you are doing several panels/items.

thanks for all your input. still not sure what I'm going to try this time around.

Whatever you do, please post back - it'll help me decide what I should do too! I actually might try the Forever Black, based on the positive comments here.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

I’m a Dupli-Color fan, so I used their Trim & Bumper paint on my cowl back in May. I just washed it with soap & water and then hit it with 3 coats. I didn’t use a clear, but apparently they make a clear coat in the same product line.

 

[MN4runnerman]

SO... I'm not going back to black, it seems like a auto detailer product. sure it's good but only temporary.

if I add up the price tag for the SEM solution. with their suggested path.

SEM 39063 Gloss Trim Black Aerosol - 12 oz. $16.89
SEM 77723 XXX Adhesion Promoter - 11.3 oz. $17.99
SEM 38353 Plastic Prep - 12 oz. $15.35
SEM 39362 Soap - 15 oz. $15.37

total $65.60

Forever Black Bumper & Trim Kit $14.96

rust-oleum $4 primer/adhesion promoter
rust-oleum $4 trim and bumper

total: $8

it's a hard call with forever black because the louver deal has some many little ridges. I think it might be really hard to get into all those little spaces with a sponge and get nice coverage. dam it people!

flares seem really easy because they are devoid of any hard contours.

thanks for all your input. still not sure what I'm going to try this time around.

Skip the SEM soap it’s overpriced dish detergent as far as I’m concerned and the plastic prep is just a solvent degreaser. Nothing special and probably is unecessary. Cuz dish soap is also a degreaser.

 

[2ndhandyotaman]

Dawn dish soap does a great job of de-greasing, then do a wipe down with alcohol prep pads.

I remember years ago using a product called either 'back to black' or 'forever black', something like that.. it came in a bottle that looked like a shoe polish bottle with the foam applicator tip. I used on faded VW plastic door trim and it did a great job, it was a dye. All I remember is that it was made by a German company, I used to get it a local VW parts wholesaler.

 

[Lamer]

SO... I'm not going back to black, it seems like a auto detailer product. sure it's good but only temporary.

if I add up the price tag for the SEM solution. with their suggested path.

SEM 39063 Gloss Trim Black Aerosol - 12 oz. $16.89
SEM 77723 XXX Adhesion Promoter - 11.3 oz. $17.99
SEM 38353 Plastic Prep - 12 oz. $15.35
SEM 39362 Soap - 15 oz. $15.37

total $65.60

definately dont need everytyhing in red.

I used the SEM trim black on my fenders after a wash with simple green. they look great, and have not faded/scratched/rubbed off at all. certainly something like your cowl does not need the full treatment cause its not in a high contact area. leaves and water will probably be the only things that touch it. just my 2cent

 

[4Runner4Leon]

So I tried Forever Black based on the recommendations above. I started with the easy piece, the rear bumper cover. I have to say that I am extremely impressed. Very easy prep, easy application, and the results are phenomenal.

If it lasts like folks here seem to suggest, this will be my new go-to plastic restorer.

Before:



First coat:



Second coat:



I applied a third coat, but really it didn't make any difference, so two coats looks like the sweet spot.

 

[sleepydad]

So I tried Forever Black based on the recommendations above. I started with the easy piece, the rear bumper cover. I have to say that I am extremely impressed. Very easy prep, easy application, and the results are phenomenal.

If it lasts like folks here seem to suggest, this will be my new go-to plastic restorer.]

I have been out burning gas. Just got back home from a 3850 mile road trip.

This is great thanks for trying it out. So how hard do you think all the little ridges will work out with forever black?