nrengle
08-23-2008, 12:59 AM
Ok I was working on my friends Carbon Fiber hood on his Prelude. He's already decided to get a new one, but we had to try to save it first before his wife would get off him about ordering a new one.
The problem is, it's got a white hazed/oxidized look to it. He's washed, clayed and used a cleaner wax on it. Figure it's time to get a little more aggressive with it. Did a ONR wash, then a IPA wipe down. So broke out the rotary, orange pad, and Wolfgang TSR 3.0. Nothing, upon inspection it still looked hazed, and white. So went to the yellow pad with TSR (strongest stuff I had at the time). It leveled the clear slightly, but it still looks oxidized and hazed. And after doing a IPA wipedown on the hood in the test area it started to get weirder. I wiped the hood down, then it looked like it hazed, ran my finger across it, and it felt oily. So hit it with IPA again, same thing. Hit with 50/50 IPA, still oily. Went to pure IPA, still oily. Is it possible the gel coat is failing from the inside out? Whenever I'd run a finger or a cloth across the hood it'd leave a streak even with no pressure, and then my finger or cloth would feel oily. I'm at a loss as to whats up.
The main thing about this hood is it feels thin for carbon fiber, and when it's cool in the morning you can see the support structure frame in the dew outline.
I'll post pictures later when I find the dang'd cable for my camera.
I really want to try and save this hood even though he just ordered the new one online. I'd like to do this for practice and since it's a odd problem have a solution for the future if I would run into it again.
The problem is, it's got a white hazed/oxidized look to it. He's washed, clayed and used a cleaner wax on it. Figure it's time to get a little more aggressive with it. Did a ONR wash, then a IPA wipe down. So broke out the rotary, orange pad, and Wolfgang TSR 3.0. Nothing, upon inspection it still looked hazed, and white. So went to the yellow pad with TSR (strongest stuff I had at the time). It leveled the clear slightly, but it still looks oxidized and hazed. And after doing a IPA wipedown on the hood in the test area it started to get weirder. I wiped the hood down, then it looked like it hazed, ran my finger across it, and it felt oily. So hit it with IPA again, same thing. Hit with 50/50 IPA, still oily. Went to pure IPA, still oily. Is it possible the gel coat is failing from the inside out? Whenever I'd run a finger or a cloth across the hood it'd leave a streak even with no pressure, and then my finger or cloth would feel oily. I'm at a loss as to whats up.
The main thing about this hood is it feels thin for carbon fiber, and when it's cool in the morning you can see the support structure frame in the dew outline.
I'll post pictures later when I find the dang'd cable for my camera.
I really want to try and save this hood even though he just ordered the new one online. I'd like to do this for practice and since it's a odd problem have a solution for the future if I would run into it again.