Fluid film fun issues/input

[2ndGearRubber]

Went to spray some fluid film today, no-go. Air flows out the tip, but zero FF is flowing. This is a woolwax branded gun but it appears nearly identical to the handle assembly on the fluid film gun. The fluid film gun reviews say that it's obviously designed for this thick stuff. This woolwax gun always sucked to me, lots of air but tough to dial in a good spray of the product. Either it's a small window of product for minimal coverage, or it's mostly air. Perhaps woolwax is way thinner than fluid film? It seems like sometimes it would just aerosolize the product into haze rather than spray anything on the car.


Some specs: shop air is around 130psi static, I have a regulator on the tool which came with it. It leaks some air, but it does flow despite having a very tight window to try and bring the gun down to 60psi with the trigger open. I've tried 20 to 110 trying to get this gun going.

I can spray compressed air through the tube which sits in the bottle of FF, and it flows air to the nozzle. However there's basically zero vacuum or anything at this tube with the trigger wide open. If I clean this tube out it will refill with more product after holding the trigger down but the product doesn't seem to make it out the tip.


I don't clean it, and the bottom half of this current bottle is product from last year. Spray, finish, throw the gun in the box until next year. Have I hopelessly clogged or otherwise screwed something up internally? The gun is maybe 7 years old.


Did I neglect it to death? Did I buy a mediocre gun to begin with? What guns and what air settings are you using?

 

[no704]

Soak the gun in something like lacquer thinner. Disassembled as much as you dare.

 

[rlitman]

... woolwax is way thinner than fluid film...

Woolwax has a solvent thinner added, but when that evaporates, what's left behind is way thicker than Fluid Film. I'm pretty sure the Woolwax viscosity starts out thicker though.

I'd put the gun out in the sun to warm up. Lanolin thins out a whole lot when heated.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Soak the gun in something like lacquer thinner. Disassembled as much as you dare.

I would think mineral spirits might do better.

 

[Kurt4440]

I always heat my Fluid Film or Woolwax bottles by immersing them in hot water for about 30 minutes. Additionally, I use vegetable oil for a thinner and shake the bottles a few times while heating.
Last year when I had the same issue you are having, (after not using the gun for months) I sprayed vegetable oil through the gun and it cleared up the problem.

 

[PCustoms]

This kind of looks more solid then liquid, did it dry out in the sprayer bottle?



That also looks like an undercoating/bedliner gun. Not sure that matters.

I've used Woolwax and other then leaking from the vent in the canister if I spray out of position I haven't had any issues.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I always heat my Fluid Film or Woolwax bottles by immersing them in hot water for about 30 minutes. Additionally, I use vegetable oil for a thinner and shake the bottles a few times while heating.
Last year when I had the same issue you are having, (after not us the gun for months) I sprayed just vegetable oil through the gun and it cleared up the problem.

I wonder if I could run motor oil through it, I have plenty of 1/4 filled bottles to try. That or acetone which we use for brake clean.

This kind of looks more solid then liquid, did it dry out in the sprayer bottle?



That also looks like an undercoating/bedliner gun. Not sure that matters.

I've used Woolwax and other then leaking from the vent in the canister if I spray out of position I haven't had any issues.

It's half fresh, half new, all pretty jiggly like it looks in the can. I tried pushing some fresh stuff into the tube and forcing it through with compressed air. Didn't help.

 

[PCustoms]

It's half fresh, half new, all pretty jiggly like it looks in the can. I tried pushing some fresh stuff into the tube and forcing it through with compressed air. Didn't help.

Normally I'd say start with a solvent and make sure the gun is perfectly cleaned out, then make sure whatever you're spraying is the right consistency.

With how cheap a new gun is going to be compared to the solvent just buy a new gun

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Normally I'd say start with a solvent and make sure the gun is perfectly cleaned out, then make sure whatever you're spraying is the right consistency.

With how cheap a new gun is going to be compared to the solvent just buy a new gun

Well the fluid-film branded gun is $120 so I'm motivated to try and fix this. I'll run some acetone or similar through it as a test. It's 100F in the shop all day so I think the product should be soft enough to flow well. If I have to buy one I'll probably try their specific tool.


The fluid-film instructional video had some information on tip adjustment I'll see if that makes a difference in performance if the gun can get cleaned out.

 

[PCustoms]

Well the fluid-film branded gun is $120 so I'm motivated to try and fix this.

Damn, I would be too.

Here's the fun I bought for Woolwax.

Only issue I had was it does drip. But I tarped the floor, wore gloves and had a rag handy so it wasn't a big deal.

This thread reminds me I need to see if I have enough WW left or if I need more for this year's coat.

 

[plinker]

FWIW, I have the Fluid film gun, paperwork said to clean with hot water & dish soap IIRC.

 

[gizardlizard]

I have the Wool Wax gun and have had it for years. I run a gallon of soapy water thru it after I’m done using it. Never had an issue. It’s all in how you take care of it when done using it.

 

[Wolley]

I have that one too. The tip is adjustable to make it spray more volume

 

[rlitman]

FWIW, I have the Fluid film gun, paperwork said to clean with hot water & dish soap IIRC.

...It’s all in how you take care of it when done using it.

Both of these are lanolin products. The same as cosmoline, which is the thickest of the bunch. They all thicken with age (that happens faster in a hot environment), and cosmoline nearly a century old still comes off with hot soapy water. People who go at it with solvents always curse the stuff, but the water folks understand not to fight it.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Got the gun cleaned out and spraying, decided against harsh chemicals and just forced more product through with compressed air.

My plan is to fill the bottle with soap and water when I'm finished with my current project and flush it.

 

[rlitman]

...My plan is to fill the bottle with soap and water when I'm finished with my current project and flush it.

Excellent. Just be sure to use hot (or at least very warm) water. It makes a big difference here.

 

[liliysdad]

I have curiosity, does this stuff actually work? I’ve never messed with a vehicle that had this kind of stuff on it, but my brain tells me that a layer of greasy hard wax on everything would be just as bad as the rust it’s trying to prevent.

 

[PCustoms]

I have curiosity, does this stuff actually work? I’ve never messed with a vehicle that had this kind of stuff on it, but my brain tells me that a layer of greasy hard wax on everything would be just as bad as the rust it’s trying to prevent.

why would it be bad?

Grease, that can be cleaned if needed, sure seems a lot better then rust everywhere.

This will be the 4th year I do my truck.

 

[rlitman]

I have curiosity, does this stuff actually work? I’ve never messed with a vehicle that had this kind of stuff on it, but my brain tells me that a layer of greasy hard wax on everything would be just as bad as the rust it’s trying to prevent.

It does work. WWI weapons put away with cosmoline can still be found rust free today.

A layer of greasy hard wax wouldn't work nearly as well, because like paint, that can trap moisture. Lanolin actively wicks into pores (ok, grease can also do that to an extent since grease is a suspended oil) and binds to itself in ways that form a continuous barrier coating that's pretty unbeatable. It also weakly binds to water, allowing it to transport water off the metal and effectively dry the metal, because a fair portion of lanolin is actually an alcohol, though one that's less volatile than water.

 

[Wrench97]

Around here where we get a lot of rain/slush/wet snow I don't think it works as well as places where it gets cold and stays cold.
The slush/puddles seems to wash it off fast.

 

[liliysdad]

It does work. WWI weapons put away with cosmoline can still be found rust free today.

I’m quite familiar with cosmoline, and the absolute nastiness that it is. It is relatively effective within reason.

I can’t imagine that stationary, long term storage would be the same as a daily driven vehicle exposed to weather and moisture and temperature variations. I’m sure it’s better than nothing.

Just another reason to stay south.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Around here where we get a lot of rain/slush/wet snow I don't think it works as well as places where it gets cold and stays cold.
The slush/puddles seems to wash it off fast.

Agreed, the high pressure spray will wash it out. However protected areas on this car are still wet 2 years later from initial application. Wheel wells need reapplied yearly for sure if you want them protected for winter.


For me, it's cheap insurance. I work on it, and will likely be driving it until it has no value. If $200 worth of film get me another few years with the car, or without bubbling paint, or make a repair go easier - that's worth it to me. It does work, less so after something is rotted out and you're attempting to slow it. I like the wands so I can stuff it inside areas surrounded by plastic. So when I have an EVAP leak in 10 years those bolts and studs are less likely to fall apart.

 

[mikegt4]

I have a Wool Wax "pro" gun that works great. That being said I heat the Wool Wax up to about 110-120* to make it flow better especially when using the long extensions to reach deep into places such as the rockers.