Help! Not getting the desired results

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Kasper20

New member
I have been lurking on this site for a year or so and have become more and more interested in the detailing aspect of the car now that the power upgrades are done (for now). I purchased a PC 7424 with pad kit and velcro backing attachment.



What I'm working on is a 1997 Nissan 240SX and I can't seem to polish the finish to what I have seen others accomplish on worse paint. I used an orange foam pad with 3M "rubbing compound" (PN39000). Followed it up with a white foam pad with maguire's 82 polish/antiswirl compound. Below are some pics of what I'm working with and the stage that I'm currently at. Can someone point me in the right direction on this?



Before

IMG_8022.jpg




After

IMG_8024.jpg




Before

IMG_7985.jpg




After

IMG_7996.jpg




Hood is not cooperating at all!

IMG_7997.jpg
 
There is definitely a marked improvement there. What size buffing pads are you using? 4" pads seem to work best on a PC7424.
 
I see what you mean about improvement on the fender. That was what I was expecting to happen. But when I moved to the hood and sides of the car, the same procedure didn't seem to have any affect or maybe even made it worse.



I was using 6-inch pads on speed 4. Should I run it faster or use more pressure?
 
Kasper20 said:
I see what you mean about improvement on the fender. That was what I was expecting to happen. But when I moved to the hood and sides of the car, the same procedure didn't seem to have any affect or maybe even made it worse.



I was using 6-inch pads on speed 4. Should I run it faster or use more pressure?
Click to expand...





I see an improvement in the door panel too.



I don't have any experience with the compound you are using so hopefully someone else can chime in.
 
Kasper20 said:
.........I was using 6-inch pads on speed 4. Should I run it faster or use more pressure?
Click to expand...
Faster! I run no slower than 6 when using a > 6" pad and trying to remove defects with a PC. Apply enough pressure to see the pad stop rotating (put a mark on the back with a Sharpie if needed) and then back off until it starts rotating again. Do a small area ~ 2' x 2' and move the PC fairly slow. Also make sure you're breaking down the polish/compound and try it with a clean pad. If you haven't seen it before I have a link to a DA guide at the end of this post.



At some point you might want to try some 4" pads (you'll need a 3.5" backing plate). The 4" pads allow the PC to do more correcting since it won't bog down as easily with the smaller pads.



Below is the link to the guide:



http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/images/misc/dapolishing.pdf



I haven't used the 3M RC you're using, but I do use the older stuff (05933) and it works quite well. With that I normally follow up with 3M's machine glaze (05937) or something like Meg's #80.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses. It is comforting to know that I'm not doing it too hard and/or fast and creating scratches of my own. As far as I know, the car has not been repainted. The rear bumper has been and I just put a new front bumper on it so that is new paint as well. Other than that, it is all original. It has been touched up in quite a few spots and the polish tends to pick it up and turn the pad red. Freaked me out for a second there until I figured out where it was coming from.



I'll give it another shot tomorrow and see if I can get it the way I want it.
 
Your fender doesn't look too bad to be honest. Your hood, however, needs a few more applications. Just be sure you're moving slow enough since you have 6" pads at speed 6. 4" pads do wonders on the PC.



Good luck!
 
D&D Auto Detail said:
Use the PC on speed 6.
Click to expand...



Eliot Ness said:
Faster! I run no slower than 6 when using a > 6" pad and trying to remove defects with a PC.
Click to expand...



+1 The PC needs to be used on speed 6, especially with that size pad.



Move the PC about 1" per second with moderate pressure on speed 6 and you should get better results.
 
Just my .02 I've used 3m RC and followed up with 106 and finished down very nice but that was with a rotary. I was just playing around and it seemed to be a nice combo. BTW the 3m RC finished down very nice on its own.
 
You are getting there! I usually start polishing with my PC at 4 and work up to 6 as the polish breaks down.



Of course, each polish finishes differently.
 
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