Stubborn Paint Transfer

[Rustyyy]

Streets of Chicago are tough. Normally garage parked but the one night I decide to street park, I awake to this gem:

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/30/sujebeqy.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/30/vu2eneza.jpg

Rubbed it with Meguiars scratch x 2.0 and a foam applicator for a total of 1.5 hours and the scratch still persists.

I've read the thread on removing paint transfer with pinnacle paintwork lotion but do I need something stronger? If I use a rubbing compound will I require a dual action buffer?

Any advice appreciated


Sent from my iPhone

[Paul A.]

I never use an abrasive until absolutely necessary and because there is a light scratch remaining after chemically removing what was transferred on to my paint. I would keep trying the Pinnacle CL several times if it is working, even slightly, with each attempt. I still have some left over Zaino AIO that i use religiously for this purpose. Again, it doesn't have any abrasives and uses chemical action to remove transferred paint. I might resort to Goof Off or Goo Gone with a MF towel and then insure all of that is removed before reapplying your LSP back to that area.

Mike P. has explained the difference in above surface defects versus below surface defects. While many times a "rub" does come with a scratch (hopefully not) i exhaust every attempt to remove all of the above surface stuff chemically FIRST to see if i have to deal with anything that has scratched below the surface. I am not a fan of taking an abrasive to something simply sitting on top of the paint.

[mwoolfso]

I've read the thread on removing paint transfer with pinnacle paintwork lotion but do I need something stronger? If I use a rubbing compound will I require a dual action buffer?

A pre-wax cleaner such as Mothers Step 1, Meguiars Pre-wax cleaner, or Pinnacle PCL will be fine. If you get "some" results after each pass using this type of product then continue to use it. When you reach the point of diminishing returns then try a rubbing compound with a microfiber applicator (not a towel - there is a difference); which you can use by hand since your primary goal is to eliminate the paint transfer rather than correct the paint.

You will know when you need to amp it up and move to more aggressive methods/products.

[Mike Phillips]

Rubbed it with Meguiars scratch x 2.0 and a foam applicator for a total of 1.5 hours and the scratch still persists.





Two suggestions if you want to work by hand....

Get the Meguiar's Ultimate Compound or the Wolfgang Uber Compound.

Start by appling/rubbing with a microfiber applicator pad instead of foam. The FIBERS act as a mild form of abrasive and this together with the abrasives in the product will make abrading the paint faster and more effective.




If I use a rubbing compound will I require a dual action buffer?



From experience, mostly from hearing and reading guys say the below after using a dual action polisher for the first time,

I should have bought a poisher years ago...


You can hand apply some compounds, like the ones I listed as they have great abrasive technology. A caveman compound will remove paint and thus remove the scratches you're trying to get rid of but will leave it's own scratches behind in their place.

So don't skimp on abrasive technlogy it is the most important factor when it comes to working on car paint.





I've read the thread on removing paint transfer with pinnacle paintwork lotion but do I need something stronger?



In most cases you want and need a true compound, just depends upon how stronly the offending paint is impacted onto your car's paint.


IF you look at this pictures you'll see I"m using a microfiber applicator pad as the FIBERS themselves act as a gentle form of abrasive.


In this article here,

How To Remove Paint Transfer (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/28170-how-remove-paint-transfer.html)

Paint Transfer is a term used to describe when the paint off of some other object is transferred onto you car's finish usually by some kind of accident.

My friend Rob is a Fitness Instructor at the gym I work out at and someone, somehow sideswiped his 2006 Ford Mustang GT and in so doing took off is side mirror and transferred some white paint onto his car's finish along with instilling some marring and scratches.



http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer001.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer002.jpg


Luckily the damage wasn't worse!
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer003.jpg



Here's how you can remove paint transfer by hand using a light paint cleaner. For this example I'll use Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion (http://www.autogeek.net/pinpainclean.html).

Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion non-abrasive, it is designed to safely take off old wax, embedded road grime and pollution that washing will not remove. It prepares the surface for waxing by creating a clean, smooth, highly-reflective surface.

This is a very mild polish and because it's non-abrasive I'm going to apply and work it with a microfiber applicator pad, in this situation were using the nap of the microfiber as our abrasive along with the lubrication and cleaning ability of Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion to gently remove the offending paint.

If you find Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion is not aggressive enough, you can use XMT Heavy Duty Swirl Remover #4 Polishing Compound (http://www.autogeek.net/pinnacle-polishing-compound.html). This is very aggressive rubbing compound and after using it you will need to follow it with a less aggressive product.


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer004.jpg


Place a small amount of Paintwork Cleansing Lotion onto the face of your applicator pad...
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer005.jpg


Next work the polish and applicator against the transferred paint putting a little passion behind the pad (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/23568-put-little-passion-behind-pad-mike-phillips.html) but don't push too hard or you could instill fingermarks (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/20496-fingermarks.html) just from the concentrated pressure from your fingertips...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer006.jpg


After working the product for about a minute, stop and inspect to check your progress.. You can see most of the paint transfer has been removed but not 100% of it. Sometimes you many need to repeat the process a few times to completely remove the paint transfer.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer007.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer008.jpg


After you've successfully removed the paint transfer you can apply a protective coat of wax or paint sealant or like I've done here, machine polished the paint and then machine waxed the paint.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer009.jpg


Looks as good as new and now Rob's going to have the mirror replaced.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/917/PaintTransfer010.jpg




:)

[Mike Phillips]

Also just to note...

It could be the scratches left under the paint transfer are deep enough that they will require sanding to remove 100%.

If this is a daily driver then I'd recommend taking a simple approach, either get some microfiber applicator pads and rub on the scratches at about a 90 degree angle going over them, not in line with them using either the ScratchX or get a true compound.

Once you have shmooed the area over to the point where it's hard to see them then apply some wax or sealant and call it good.

Probably just be a matter of time before you get similar damage to your car due to the area you live. (Just a guess)


:)