Need Some Help

[scott504]

I detailed my truck today, washed, dried, clayed, M83, M80, and NXT wax. I used the DA with the 8006 and 9006. The process was great on everything except the hood. The process removed all the swirls and light scratches but the hood has what look like water marks or etching of some kind that wouldn't come up. Also, there are little white specs all over the hood that can't be seen from two feet away but are visible up close. Is there anything stronger than the 83 that I can use with DA that will remove the water spots and etching?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Need Some Help

How many passes did you do with the M83/M80? If it was only one of each it may well be that the marring is stubborn enough to require two or three passes. If you still can't knock 'em down with three passes then you'll either need to step up to a rotary, wet sanding, or just learn to live with 'em. Those first two may require pro help, and while the third one sounds like a cop out, sometimes it's all you can realistically expect.

[scott504]

Re: Need Some Help

Two passes with 83 and one with 80. I will try to get some pictures up today.

[Whelan]

Re: Need Some Help

It took me 3 passes with M83 on my hatch to get it back to par. The rest of the car was one or two, but the hatch was terribly marred. I really put the pressure on too, almost using my chest against the G100 to get it worked in.

[scott504]

Re: Need Some Help

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/500/100_12971.JPG

This was after two passes of 83 and one pass of 80 and NXT.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Need Some Help

Hmmmmm....the little white specs could actually be very tiny chips in the paint that have been filled in with a polish or wax that dried white. It's pretty common actually. As for the etching and other marring in the paint, since you've hit it a couple of times with 83 on the DA and they're still there, it may be time for a rotary. Or live with it. Yeah, yeah, I know, I wouldn't want to live with it on my car either, but sometimes there's only so much you can do.

[scott504]

Re: Need Some Help

I don't think that they are chips, they are all over the hood and very tiny. I can't feel them by touch. Maybe clear coat failure.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Need Some Help

Here's the picture,

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Need Some Help

Doesn't look like clear coat failure, just for fun, re-polish with M80 and then apply a coat of wax and then inspect.

If the places where the white dots are present are still there after re-polishing and applying wax then likely that more cleaning isn't going to improve or remove them and you're have to learn to live with them.


What are you working on? As is the age of the truck? Factory paint or re-paint?

[scott504]

Re: Need Some Help

Mike,
Thanks for getting the picture in correctly. I couldn't figure out how to do it. It is a 2001 Ford F150 SC with factory paint. I can live with the white specs but the water marks and etchings are what really bother me.

Thanks

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Need Some Help

Re-clean with the M83 and this time shrink your work area size down to about 16" square or so... move your polisher very slowly and try to make 2 passes in two directions for each section you work. Clean your pad after each section you work minimum.

Here's something related we posted last week...


M83 Question

When you are saying to clean after one or two applications of product are you talking a 2x2 area or a whole vehicle?

Say you're starting on the hood, you work a 2x2 area, work the product, wipe of the residue when you're done. Because your pad is dry when you start out, if you want to work the area again, go ahead and apply more product without cleaning and work the section again. If you're done with that section, then apply more product and work the next section.

Now that your pad is broken in, clean you pad and continue to work around the car. After you work a section, or two, after wiping the residue off, take a moment to clean your pad before continuing around the car.

IF you think about it, cleaning your pad after each section or after two section would mean cleaning your pad a lot as you work around the car.

Most people don't clean their pads often enough. (Like once or twice for the entire car). It doesn't hurt to clean your pad often, it causes problems when you don't.

When you say clean your pad are you suggesting using a terry cloth and holding the pad on a slow speed over the towel while applying pressure or do you just mean to use a brush?

No, take a clean terry cloth towel and hold it against the face of the pad and push the towel into the wet pad. Do this on the 5.0 setting which should be the setting you're using to apply any cleaner/polish to remove defects.

When waxing it's not as much of a problem because waxing is fast and you only use a little wax as you go. (A little wax goes a long way because you only want a thin coat).