Windshield Repair Forum

Today, I attempted a combination repair on a 1987 Cutless that had WS damages that occured about a year ago. The vehicle in an older body shop and had been covered with dirt and grim for several months. The damaged area consist of a combination bullseye and star with the poi about 3 inches from the edge of the WS with a crack leading from one of the star points to the edge. I also had about 14 inch crack on the opposite side of the poi leading from a star point toward the center of the ws. As normal, I attempted to clean the ws and used a pressure washer to clean the damaged area as well as possbile, followed by drying with compressed air and then used GM crack dry to help dry out any remaining moisture. I them drilled the end of the center crack and made a minature bullseye to stop the crack from running. I then proceeded to to repair both bullseyes as it normally would by applying two cycles of vacuum and pressure injection, followed by curing each. I then attempted to fill the crack with GM crack filler. I was very supprised to see that the crack did not want to take the crack resin, nor did the original bullseye star combination. The minature bullseye that I created looked great, but the rest was a disaster. I have made repairs in the past that had simular damages with success, but none have been as old or dirty. Do you believe that the age and condition played a big part in my results. I think this is why a lot of WSR techs shy away from older damaged area especially cracks. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Mike,
I can only hope this is a joke post! If not, immediately go to your trainer and pop him in the nose!
If you did this to gain experience, O.K. You have learned. We are not majicians. Your second and third to last sentences are your answer. Lose the pressure washer, bad idea! Be gentle.

Formatting

Loose the pressure washer, moisture = headache.

To start with, I do not consider this a JOKE post. Secondly, I guess I need to pop Manny at Glass Mechanix in the nose. This is the process that is being taught to ensure that as many contaminates are removed from the crack as possible. That is why you blow the crack dry with air and then use the Crack Dry solution prior to injecting the resin. I have done a lot of repairs of a wide variety and have never had this problem. I was just eager to hear from some Experienced WSR tech that might have used the same process that is being taught.

Mike,

To answer your question, absolutely, age and contaminates can play a huge role.

Unfortunately, some of the methods you used can cause even more of a problem.

Definitely, as stated, lose the pressure washer. If it's so bad that it needs a pressure washer, don't do the repair.

Second, if this "dry out" solution contains alcohol, immediately discontinue use. Alcohol is what laminate manufacturers use to cut the laminate, so obviously you do not want this in contact with the laminate. For the life of me, I still don't understand why this is recommended by some. Anyone can do an experiment, and watch what it does to laminate.

Hey Mike, we dont think this is a joke post, just never heard of that method before. Water is your enemy so stay away from it, I have a Glass Mechanix training video and that was not on the tape. Must be something new they are doing.

I am going to comment on this because it happened to me last fall when just getting into WSR. That system you are using theoretically might work.... but in the real world I quit trying. The resin is too thick to go in very well on long cracks and the injector system is too sloppy and laborious with having to use messy lube. A crack specific resin combined with crack jacks and a delta injector works wonders. Why?? The spring loaded Delta injector keeps the resin flowing until it gets where it needs to go. The power washing thing might work but only if the vehicle can sit for hours after in the sun to ensure good dry out of the entire crack-including edges under the moldings.

Mike,
Sorry my answer upset you. You received bs info(how long has Manny been repairing w/s)? 14 years for me! Good luck, ask me, and I might help again!

Content, See TOS #19. Bill, see your private message

Ok I gotta ask. Why would you want to repair a 14 year old windshield? Is this a one of custom car that will lose points at a car show because it dosen't have the original w/s? When do you say to your customer this glass is beyond repair get a new one?

The method Mike used is metioned in the GM manual pg. 15. However, they say "some techs" use this method but make sure the windshield dries out for a day. In the manual, GM actually recommends using a high-powered air hose (like at a gas station) to blow the dirt out, then use Dry-Out solution to make sure there is no moisture in the crack. (This information all follows a 3 paragraph discussion on how contaminates will ruin the repair.)

HOWEVER, at GM school, Mark was instructed to go to the carwash and use the pressure washer to clean out the crack, then let the ws dry out for a day or use an air compressor to dry it out.

Mark never did this because he had already heard from somebody not to get water in the break. If Mark hadn't had this info from an experienced tech, he would have followed the instructions from GM. A new tech that gets taught wrong has no way of knowing any different--until a problem occurs or someone instructs him otherwise. So guys with experience should not be critical of newbies who make mistakes! Mark's assumption was that if he had received training from the manufacturer, he was learning the proper methods.

P.S. Mike, Mark never had good results with the GM Crack Mender. He stopped doing crack repair on anything over 6" or over a few days old because the system just didn't work. He finally realized he had good results at GM school because the training was under perfect conditions--no contaminates in the break, no sun, no wind, no moisture. By the way, he is going to trade the crack mender in for some Delta equipment!

Sue (and Mark) Huckle
GlassLogic