So Toyota White is a one layer paint?

[masphx]

Been doing some research guys. My 98 Runner is natural white which I have read is a one layer paint (no clear coat). Have never owned a non clear coat car. The truck must have been left outside by the previous owner a lot as the paint has a few issues. Mainly the paint is foggy and will leave marks/stains if I touch it with dirty hands. Some of these are easy to remove while others seems like they set into the foggy paint. Also when I wash the truck my towels will turn white as the paint come off on them.

I know this is a truck and I some what don't care too much but want to do a couple things. One of which is the paint the back license plate area white and put on a TRD sticker. Concerned the area I paint won't match the foggy paint and the TRU sticker will not attach well because of the fog.

So my question is what can I do to repair the paint if it is repairable? Just run some wax over it and buff it out? Truck will be in the hot AZ sun for much of the summer (direct sun light). I want to prevent any further damage so what can I do?

A side question so I don't take up board space: Doing my Tundra brake upgrade soon. When I bleed the brakes do I need to do all four sides or just the front?

I will post pictures of the paint if needed.

Thanks guys.

Mason

 

[farmerjon]

Subscribed and very interested in this thread... I myself have a Natural White 1998 SR5 and I know what you mean by the staining... I'm not sure if it is the wax showing everything (as in, smearing sometimes) or if it is because it's a white color...

The whites are a nice rig, you'll have to check out my build thread for pics...

Good luck!

 

[Millerad1651]

Our white paint is a single stage, meaning there is no clear coat. Single stage white paint is actually a very hard paint. Here is an article I found to explain a little better...
The Lesson White Paint Teaches Us - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

"Here's the lesson...
If your car is a daily driver, exposed to the environment for at least some portion of each day, then your paint becomes dirty over time and you need to either use a dedicated paint cleaner of some type to remove the dirt build-up and then afterwards apply a finishing wax or finishing sealant. The other option is to use a one-step, cleaner/wax, which will clean, polish and seal the paint in one step.
Don't use a finishing wax on dirty paint as this will just trap and seal the dirt build-up and gray your car's finish."

Since there is no clear coat, there is no oxidation. But it can get really dirty and filmy. So it is best to use a cleaner wax, then buff/polish. Read the article, he does a lot better job of explaining.

 

[HCurphy]

and for your second question, bleed all four.
starting from the bleeder farthest from the master cylinder to the closest.
(rear passenger, rear driver, front passenger, front driver)

 

[Millerad1651]

Mine doesn't smear or come off like you guys are describing. But I can tell that it is a little dingy, and there are some scrapes and scratches I want to get rid of. I clay barred it ast year, and it made a ton of difference. In the next couple weeks I plan to use a cleaner to brighten it up and get rid of marks, then use a sealer, then polish. I'm going to take off the roof rack and spend a bit of time up there as well.
From jobs I've seen, some effort into these white ones makes a huge difference.

 

[jspagna1]

Yup that's just like my white 97 4Runner. No clearcoat at all. No problem with puttinf the sticker on, I put the TRD Off Road sticker on both sides on the back about 3-4 years ago now and no problems at all.

 

[Illicitdream]

Single stage Natural White...

That's crazy I never knew that about our Natural White 4runners. I have buffed mine out using Meguiar's Ultimate Compound, and Scratch remover, then top it off with Tech Wax 2.0. I love the shine and glossy finish when I'm done.

I have wet sanded a single stage paint before to get rid of some of the grit and film in the paint. I am a little hesitant to do it on here though... What do you guys think? My roof rack was on there a long time without ever being buffed or waxed. There are still some dull points in the paint where the bars layed across the roof. I tried buffing them out, but it only works to a certain point. I also use a porter cable random orbital buffer.

 

[T4R2014]

Sounds like heavy oxidation. I actually prefer single stage since they can be buffed to almost new and because I don't have to worry about a clear coat flaking off. I too have a 4Runner with single stage paint.

I'd try using clay bar (not that junk liquid turtle wax type), then compound + polish then wax. That Ultimate compound that someone else mentioned is very good at getting rid of oxidation and my favorite polish is Meguiar's #7.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Go to Wallyworld and buy some Meguiars Ultimate Compound. Rub the @#$& out of it on the paint with an applicator. Buff off with a microfiber towel. If you see the paint regain some of its luster, then I would recommend either having a professional detailer detail it or buy yourself a D/A polisher and some pads to bring the paint back to life with the UC, Ultimate Polish, and top off with wax.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

I've done a ton of detailing over the years, these things actually clean up well. What you're describing sounds like heavy oxidation. The good news is that this paint is actually easy to work with IMO, it's forgiving.

1.) give it a very good wash
2.) clay bar with a decent spray wax as the lubricant
3.) compound. (try using a damp cutting pad.)
4.) polish.
5.) spray and wipe down with a 50/50 mix of water/alcohol
6.) wax

It'll take some time but it'll look awesome when you're done.

 

[Killa-Cotton]

X2 on waxing the **** out of it. Mine took several weekends before really coming back to life. You can't go wrong with Mothers Carnauba Cleaner wax or Meguiar's #26 . Small scratches/chips hide very well Turtle white color wax as well.

 

[masphx]

Cool,

Thanks for the tips guys. From the detailing process listed above looks like I will have to take a power tool to the paint. Something I have never done so looks like I will have to take it to a professional unless this can all be hand done. Back to the brake bleeding... do I need any special tools like the computer reader or is this a simple job for two people? The FSM looks very confusing using scan tools and such. Is there just a basic guild to doing this?

Thanks for the input and glad this is helping a couple other Natural white owners. It is nice not having a clear coat to worry about on an older car.

Mason

 

[LittleCaesar]

Nope, just bleed the brakes as any other. Start with the rear right.

I have been able to do well with Meguiars Ultimate Compound by using a hand applicator. Just make to take it off right after you apply it. But a rotary or D/A polisher will make quick work of your paint problem.

 

[Killa-Cotton]

If you decide you use a cutting compound make sure to do this in a garage or very shady area. Also if you've never used a power buffer be very careful. You may watch to a couple youtube videos on the proper way to use one because It's easy to burn through the paint. I learned this the hard way on my first car.

 

[Mf Baker]

Liquid Glass is pretty much the best 1 stage restorer i've found. most older car people seem to know about it, but nowadays so few cars have non-metallic paint that its not talked about a lot. i had an old mazda with single stage yellow that looked like mus****, used liquid glass and the entire car was nearly canary yellow! Great stuff, definitely worth a shot. :guitar3: