Browning of paint on strut towers?

[gringo]

I'm getting some browning in the paint on my strut towers. Since I have white, it's getting to be very noticeable.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[hammdo]

Did someone paint the towers with a clear paint? What year camaro?

If so, certain clear coats can brown with age if not quality auto clear paint.

More detail and Pics would help...

-Don

[gringo]

Originally Posted by hammdo

Did someone paint the towers with a clear paint? What year camaro?

If so, certain clear coats can brown with age if not quality auto clear paint.

More detail and Pics would help...

-Don

The strut towers were painted by the factory. There have been other posts about this issue with pics posted so I know I'm not the only one. However, I was just wondering if the root cause of the issue has been indentified yet.

Mine is a 2015 with only 3267 miles on it. Yes, only 3,267 miles on it. I bought it new back in summer of 2015.

While searching, some say it has to do with the strut towers heating up and causing the discoloration. However, when I purchased the car, it had only 7 miles on it and it already had the brown stains in the strut tower paint.

Some say it's some kind of outgassing from the strut or tire causing the discoloration. Could be, but highly unlikely. If that was the case, then every Camaro would have the brown stains in the paint, I would think.

I was hoping a TSB would be released from GM for this particular problem, but I haven't seen one yet.

I know I'm going to have to get the strut towers repainted or repaint them myself, but I'd like to know what caused the brown stains in the first place so it doesn't happen again.

[nancygrl]

Certain 5th gen cars did not get a "good" full coat of paint on the strut towers. That browning is more than likely the primer showing thru. I had a '13 Hotwheels edition that had this same thing. I was not a happy camper. Also, I've gone to many car shows and I've seen it on later 5th gens, 2013 thru 2015. And now color was immune to the thin engine bay paint.

[Reichler]

A picture would be nice. Sure it's not just contamination that could be clayed/polished off?

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Reichler

A picture would be nice. Sure it's not just contamination that could be clayed/polished off?

Been a long time since I used this

[Grandpa'sSS]

I have a summit white and here's one pic, I can post more tomorrow that shows the browning more clearly. They towers were discolored the day I bought it, new.

[JusticePete]

The rubber on the edge of the strut retaining plate is the source of the stain. It bleeds some type of oil that penetrates into the paint. Unless the strut top is sanded down to bare metal, it will bleed through new primer and paint.

[gringo]

My towers look like Grandpa'sSS, only a little worse. If it is the rubber retaining plate on the strut, is there any way to completely eliminate it?

It's weird that it happens on some SW cars and not on others.

I'm also getting the same brown stain discoloration under the rubber grommet for the air intake box.

[Reichler]

I actually just went and checked my white SS. Sure enough there is some slight staining on mine as well.

I wouldn't worry about it though.

[Jayjellyfish212]

My friend has same car as mine in white (1LE) and he has those same spots of discoloration on his towers .. I think more so on one tower. Looks like it's below the clear too. Strange because nothing gets hot in that location so I was puzzled when I first seen this on his car.

[JusticePete]

The retaining plate is necessary and cannot be removed.