I'm stumped...

K

kb798

New member
I did a full detail job on my car recently, and the results are worse than what the car was like in the first place. I used:
  • Mother's Californa Gold Wash
  • Mother's California Clay Bar
  • Meguiar's No.83 DACP with LC yellow pad
  • Menzerna FP with LC white pad
  • Klasse AIO with Pakshak MF towel
  • Klasse SG with Pakshak MF towel

I've already polished my car before using the Menzerna Twins and I've been extremely successful with them. This time around, I wanted to give the DACP and the Klasse a try.



The end result?

IMG_0413.jpg


IMG_0412.jpg


IMG_0411.jpg


IMG_0410.jpg




Even though I used the DACP on a yellow cutting pad at 6 on the PC :scared I felt like I was creating new swirls. I used the Bill North method for applying the SG and it seemed to make those hazy streaks and boy was it impossible to buff off.



Anyway, I came up with a couple of possible reasons why the car is swirled, streaked, and marred:

  • Pads were previously washed and became contaminated
  • I applied the SG the next day after rinsing the car with water. I could have marred the surface with unseen contaminants
  • Towels were contaminated
  • Clearcoat is extremely hard...but then again I was succesful with the Menzerna Twins from a previous detail



Do you suppose that I could be the poster-child for what will happen to you if you're not careful with how you wash your pads, how you store them, and making sure your towels are clean? Or can anyone think of another reason why my hard efforts aren't paying off :(?



Any input is appreciated and sorry for the long post/rant...
 
Well, it appears to me that you've not completely removed something...



Was the AIO applied with the PC? One panel at a time, wipe off? At that stage, was it swirl-free?



Contaminated pads and towels? Maybe, but a true Autopian wouldn't let that happen!



BTW, I never run the PC on 6, and I always remove product by hand, evaluating the finish as I go.



If a good, clean MF towel and QD don't improve the shine, you may want to start over...



Jim
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
Well, it appears to me that you've not completely removed something...



Was the AIO applied with the PC? One panel at a time, wipe off? At that stage, was it swirl-free?



Contaminated pads and towels? Maybe, but a true Autopian wouldn't let that happen!



BTW, I never run the PC on 6, and I always remove product by hand, evaluating the finish as I go.



If a good, clean MF towel and QD don't improve the shine, you may want to start over...



Jim
Click to expand...

It does look like there is some sort of haze/film on the car, and I ended up buffing a small area to see if it comes off. I thought it was the SG leaving a haze and even though a small portion of the haze did come off, the swirls and streaks are still noticeably visible.



The AIO was applied with a Pakshak MF towel. I applied it one panel at a time, and wiped it off using the same towel but with a different, clean section of the towel. At that stage, there were still swirls in the paint, which leads me to believe that the pads were possibly contaminated.



At first I never ran the PC at 6, but after playing around with different speeds, products, pads, and settings, I've found that at speed 6 is where the polishing really occurs. Perhaps it could be my impatience as well...
 
My first step would be to go back to the DACP, on one panel, speed 5, and lots of patience. Once completed, wipe well with 50/50 isopropyl. At this point, the surface should be to your liking. Don't move forward until it is.



Jim
 
After you use DACP with a cutting pad (work until dry and dusting) repeat again, but use a polishing pad (work until dry and dusting). Look at your efforts under strong light (grocery store parking lot at night). Then you may want to revisit some areas with DACP and polishing pad. Finally, if some DACP hazing iremains, go over one more time with the polishing pad, this time with #82 (SMR No 2) - work this at high speed but DON'T work until dry - wipe it off while still damp, otherwise it can be very difficult to remove. Repeat as needed, then go back tothe grocery store.



THEN AIO.....



Preparation is everything. With a good prep, you can put lard on your vehicle and it will look great. With an inadequate prep, you can put on the best products, and the finish will still look ................. inadequate.
 
At first I would have said it looked like you didn't work the DACP long enough for it to break down, but since you followed up with FP I would doubt that haze is marring. Probably in the top coats.



You mentioned that when you applied the SG with the WOWO method that it was tough to buff off. WOWO should be very easy to remove. Did you happen to do the SG application in the sun or on a hot panel? I've gotten SG hazing on a panel that happened to be getting a little sun.



Before going back to DACP, I'd suggest applying AIO to one of those hazy areas. Make sure it's cool to the touch and see if the hazing is removed. If so, then you know the hazing is in the SG layer. If not, you probably have surface marring remaining and need to follow Gonzo's advice.



Let us know how it turns out.



Michael
 
every product is different to use...you just gotta get the hang of it....1z products are much easier to remove defects.....and VM is a great final polish....maybe just switching products would make your headaches go away....
 
mpauly said:
At first I would have said it looked like you didn't work the DACP long enough for it to break down, but since you followed up with FP I would doubt that haze is marring. Probably in the top coats.



You mentioned that when you applied the SG with the WOWO method that it was tough to buff off. WOWO should be very easy to remove. Did you happen to do the SG application in the sun or on a hot panel? I've gotten SG hazing on a panel that happened to be getting a little sun.



Before going back to DACP, I'd suggest applying AIO to one of those hazy areas. Make sure it's cool to the touch and see if the hazing is removed. If so, then you know the hazing is in the SG layer. If not, you probably have surface marring remaining and need to follow Gonzo's advice.



Let us know how it turns out.



Michael
Click to expand...

I really did work in the DACP until it started to become dusty and powdery. This picture was taken as it started to break down:

IMG_0380.jpg




I kept on working it in until I couldn't notice the haze anymore, but I sitll new that FP would "burnish" the paint anyway. I'm going to give the AIO a try on the streaks and see if that removes any of the streaks. If it doesn't...then I suppose it's really a marred surface.



The SG was applied first with a damp terry applicator as said in the instructions. I applied the rear decklid in the sun, and instantly it became like glue. So I moved the car into the garage and started to work it in away from the sun and with a MF towel because the terry applicator was marring the surface. I have a feeling that I used too much because after reading some SG posts, everyone said that you should literally use droplets for a panel or half a panel. I used a quarter-size amount for half a panel...:o
 
Sounds exactly like SG hazing. I'd start with the AIO and then apply SG with a DRY applicator (not damp) in the garage out of the sun. I personally haven't really had great success with the WOWO method and like to let it cure for 1 hour. I then come back with a slightly damp MF to remove and a dry MF to buff.



Good luck.



Michael
 
I don't think a damp or dry applicator really matter as the applicator will become saturated with the SG after awhile anyways. A quarter sized amount is way too much, it should be a dime sized amount. If you can see the SG clearly as you're putting it on you're putting too much. It's happened to me where I would get hazing the next day on some panels and needed some Sonus QD to get it off. It doesn't matter what method you use if you use too much it will be a ***** to get off.



It is tempting to put more than a dime sized amount on as that doesn't seem to be nearly enough for a panel but it's more than adequate.
 
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