Strange OptiCoat happening

swanicyouth

swanicyouth

New member
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
9,388
Reaction score
0
In March of 2012 I polished out my vehicle finishing with Wolfgang Finishing Glaze. After I wiped it down with 20% IPA and Opticoated it. At the time I didn't realize how significant the "glaze" is in Wolfgang Finishing Glaze. Since, I've realized it does leave a significant glaze behind.

Since then, I've applied different spray waxes to it after washing. I wash it weekly, and it always beads well. About a week ago I applied PB White Diamond and Nattys to exactly one half the good to see if there was any durability. Before applying that, I cleaned the hood with IPA and Sonus APC to kill any of the spray wax.

Yesterday I washed the vehicle and the waxed half didn't bead at all. So I figured the Nattys was gone. So, I decided to clean the hood only with the Sonus APC 30:1 to remove any residue to re apply the spray wax. Sonus says this product is OK to use on paint an it removes wax
Nicely.

However, after cleaning the whole hood after washing, I noticed it appeared the OptiCoat was gone! I thought maybe this was a remnant of the Sonus cleaner, so I cleaned it again with Griots Paint Prep. Gone! The water just sat on the hood with no sheeting or beading whatsoever.

Thing back, ever since I coated this vehicle it always beaded well. When I first washed it after coating it I recall it beading well. Since then, it's beaded we'll and evenly while washing, and whenever it rains. However, I always apply
A spray wax after washing to slicken the surface and boost gloss.

After I noticed the hood wasn't beading, I wiped half the front fender with APC. It still beaded well. Looking back, I should have wiped down the whole vehicle while it was clean and I had a hose out to see of this problem was isolated to the hood.

For some reason, it seems the OC is gone from at least the hood of my vehicle. I wondering if has has to do with my initial polishing with the Wolfgang Finishing Glaze? Maybe it wasn't all wiped off, even though I did extensively wipe it down with IPA.
But why only the hood??? I'll have to strip all the spray wax off the vehicle and rinse it again to be sure it's isolated to the hood only.

Anyway, last night I ordered another syringe of OC and a liter of eraser. I plan on polishing (hopefully only the hood) with Optimum Finish Polish, cleaning with Eraser and re coating. I'm hoping it's only the hood.

A few questions:

1. Has experience shown Erasor is able to kill any left over wax or polish?

2. Anyone have any idea what happened here or a similar experience ?

Thanks
 
Opti coat is very resistent to chemicals after only a week into the curing process. CEE DOG documented this a thread and that is consisten with my use. I have been able to kill the beading with Power Clean only to have it restored after a couple of washes, so I wouldn't do anything just yet. Wash it a couple of times and maybe a pass with mild clay and see where you are. I've only had one other customer mention something like this and after we spoke, we discovered that the panel that wasn't beading was polished with M205 and the rest of the car was polished with Optimum Polish II. He repolished with Polish II on that panel and recoated. That's by no means a slam to M205...but it is harder to remove what's left from it than OPII apparently.
 
The funny thing is, I have to high spots on the roof I wasn't worried about(it's an SUV) because you can't see them. They look like typical OC high spots, rainbow like. So, I'm hoping it's just my hood.
 
I used it on 3 cars last year. All three had areas that OC seemed to be gone. 2 were DD's and one a garage queen. The DD's had more areas than the garaged one.
 
loudog2 said:
I used it on 3 cars last year. All three had areas that OC seemed to be gone. 2 were DD's and one a garage queen. The DD's had more areas than the garaged one.
Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue. Only thing I can think of is maybe we are applying it TOO thin. I'm trying it once more. This time I will only wipe it with ONR after washing to remove any water spots, no spray waxes. If it doesn't last this time, I'm going back to a sealant topped with a wax. Sixty bucks for 20cc plus shipping is too much for a single application to be having these issues.
 
swanicyouth said:
I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue. Only thing I can think of is maybe we are applying it TOO thin. I'm trying it once more. This time I will only wipe it with ONR after washing to remove any water spots, no spray waxes. If it doesn't last this time, I'm going back to a sealant topped with a wax. Sixty bucks for 20cc plus shipping is too much for a single application to be having these issues.
Click to expand...

Are you using 20cc per application? That's way too much. I get about 2.5-3 cars per syringe depending on how much extra I coat other than paint (glass, wheels, trim)
 
Chris@Optimum said:
I have been able to kill the beading with Power Clean only to have it restored after a couple of washes, so I wouldn't do anything just yet. Wash it a couple of times and maybe a pass with mild clay and see where you are. I've only had one other customer mention something like this and after we spoke, we discovered that the panel that wasn't beading was polished with M205 and the rest of the car was polished with Optimum Polish II. He repolished with Polish II on that panel and recoated. That's by no means a slam to M205...but it is harder to remove what's left from it than OPII apparently.
Click to expand...

Well, I think a lot of us are relying on 20% IPA and I don't think that it is doing enough with modern polishes and LSPs.

Frankly, after I was done with this vehicle, I polished some light marring out of another vehicle with the same polish (Wolfgang Finishing Glaze). Knowing its a finishing polish AND a glaze I worked diligently with IPA to check that the defects were gone. They were, or so I thought. Next day I drove the car in a rain storm, and the defects returned. I wouldnt believe it unless I saw it.

Maybe that is what is going on here. Maybe it wasn't all off.
 
I have some Wolfgang Finishing Glaze that I used recently on a Black G Wagon before I Opti Guarded it. I used Polish II on it first and it wasn't doing what I wanted it to...anyway, the WFG worked great on that vehicle, I wiped it down with mineral spirits and then coated it. I have washed it about 5 times since and all is well.

I don't like IPA because I'm afraid is doesn't have enough lubrication. I also think it flashes too fast and you are likely to just have the stuff you're trying to remove just deposit right back on the surface unless you change your towel after every panel...but that's just my opinion.

I prefer mineral spirits because they have always worked fast and I can tell by the "feel" when I am finished (hard to explain). I have heard many others comment that Eraser works well...but, it has a very high alcohol content so I haven't tried it. I requested that Dr. G make a paint prep product and he has sent me a few samples to date. They work very well and will be dilutable to suit your task. I'm not sure when we'll release it...but know we are working on something that will meet the pre coating prep specifically.
 
Are mineral spirits safe on paint undulated? Can i use them to strip spray wax off Opticoat to see if the OC is on fact still on the surface. What I mean is, if I wipe an Opticoated panel down with mineral spirits, if the panel is indeed coated, will it still bead?
 
Last edited:
swanicyouth said:
Are mineral spirits safe on paint undulated? Can i use them to strip spray wax off Opticoat to see if the OC is on fact still on the surface.
Click to expand...

Undulated? I had to read that 3 times before I realized you meant undiluted. Must be one of those auto-correct things, lol.

Why don't you use some APC or IPA? Even if IPA isn't the...er...optimum way it should still serve the purpose for your experiment.
 
And what kind of mineral spirits are we talking about? Prep-All? That seems hardcore to me, but I guess IPA is too if it's strong enough.
 
Mineral spirits won't dilute with water. The two don't mix. What are you thinking of diluting it with? It won't hurt anything at full strength.

I finish polished my personal car with PO85RD, then bucket washed with regular car wash concentrate with 1 ounce of APC added to it, rinsed and then gave the car a wipedown with a glass cleaner which is basically an RO water-alcohol-vinegar mixture.

I have been torture testing the Opti-Coat for about 2 years now with no signs of failure. When I say torture test, I mean doing things like spraying the entire car down with undiluted APC and allowing it to fully dry in the sun before re-wetting and brush washing with a quality wash brush. I've done this dozens of times trying to kill the Opti-Coat and it's still on there.

Having said all of this, it's probably something in your prep or application that has caused the failure, if in fact there has been a failure and not just some of the White Diamond remaining on the Opti-Coat.

Just a bit of my experience.

Sorry I have nothing on the Eraser. I have never used it nor would I ever pay a premium for an end that can be met for around a dollar from the local dollar store. That's just my opinion.
 
Chris@Optimum said:
I requested that Dr. G make a paint prep product and he has sent me a few samples to date. They work very well and will be dilutable to suit your task. I'm not sure when we'll release it...but know we are working on something that will meet the pre coating prep specifically.
Click to expand...


I thought you already had a prep product and that it was called OPC :D This potential product will be a WOWA or WOWO prep product that doesn't require rinsing?


tuscarora dave said:
I have been torture testing the Opti-Coat for about 2 years now with no signs of failure. When I say torture test, I mean doing things like spraying the entire car down with undiluted APC and allowing it to fully dry in the sun before re-wetting and brush washing with a quality wash brush. I've done this dozens of times trying to kill the Opti-Coat and it's still on there.
Click to expand...

I had no idea (or didn't remember) you had Opti-Coated your car, that's great to hear that it's standing up to that kind of abuse!
 
tuscarora dave said:
Mineral spirits won't dilute with water. The two don't mix. What are you thinking of diluting it with? It won't hurt anything at full strength.

I finish polished my personal car with PO85RD, then bucket washed with regular car wash concentrate with 1 ounce of APC added to it, rinsed and then gave the car a wipedown with a glass cleaner which is basically an RO water-alcohol-vinegar mixture.

I have been torture testing the Opti-Coat for about 2 years now with no signs of failure. When I say torture test, I mean doing things like spraying the entire car down with undiluted APC and allowing it to fully dry in the sun before re-wetting and brush washing with a quality wash brush. I've done this dozens of times trying to kill the Opti-Coat and it's still on there.

Having said all of this, it's probably something in your prep or application that has caused the failure, if in fact there has been a failure and not just some of the White Diamond remaining on the Opti-Coat.

Just a bit of my experience.

Sorry I have nothing on the Eraser. I have never used it nor would I ever pay a premium for an end that can be met for around a dollar from the local dollar store. That's just my opinion.
Click to expand...

I am correcting the finish on my car right now with M205 and plan to finish up with PO85RD. Then I was planning on wiping down the car with eraser and then coating with Opti-coat.

Chris, what do you recommend Eraser or Mineral spirits?

TIA, I just want this to go smoothly.
 
Tomorrow I will do a waterless wash (car is already pretty clean), then "strip" it with Prep Al or mineral spirits. Maybe both. Then, I will spray it with hose water to see if there is any beading or sheeting.

The thing is, I have cleaned the entire hood with IPA and APC+. After that, water just sat on the hood like nothing was there. I was pressed for time, as I should have checked the rest of the vehicle.

Now I'm wondering if my beading has been caused by the Optimum Spray Wax I have been using after every wash, since if OC wasn't on the surface, that spray wax is very durable.

About IPA, this isn't the first time Ive been burned by IPA 20%. I think it's pretty poor at removing wax or polishing oil. So, I'll be using other products for this. But, when I applied the OC I really did go over the surfaces many times indoors to make sure it was clean. Also, I know it was on there initially, because I did not spray wax after the first wash and it was beading and sheeting.

The only other thing I could think of is I applied it too thin. I used 8cc for a Pathfinder, no glass or wheels.
I'll try it once more. I had to buy another syringe for 60 bucks plus shipping. Not cheap. If it doesnt last for me this time I give up.

The stuff is too expensive to not know for sure if It's going to last or not. I know the initial reaction is to blame it on the person's prep or application method, but yesterday there were 2 other posts from 2 other people that are having the same exact issue. They also had it with multiple cars. It's a little hard to believe that they all had grease, wax, or oil on the surface during application.
 
swanicyouth said:
Tomorrow I will do a waterless wash (car is already pretty clean), then "strip" it with Prep Al or mineral spirits. Maybe both. Then, I will spray it with hose water to see if there is any beading or sheeting.

The thing is, I have cleaned the entire hood with IPA and APC+. After that, water just say on the hood like nothing was there. I was pressed for time, as I should have checked the rest of the vehicle.

Now I'm wondering if my beading has been caused by the Optimum Spray Wax I have been using after every wash, since if OC wasn't on the surface, that spray wax is very durable.

About IPA, this isn't the first time Ive been burned by IPA 20%. I think it's pretty poor at removing wax or polishing oil. So, I'll be using other products for this. But, when I applied the OC I really did go over the surfaces many times indoors to make sure it was clean. Also, I know it was on there initially, because I did not spray wax after the first wash and it was beading and sheeting.

The only other thing I could think of is I applied it too thin. I used 8cc for a Pathfinder, no glass or wheels.
I'll try it once more. I had to buy another syringe for 60 bucks plus shipping. Not cheap. If it doesnt last for me this time I give up.

The stuff is too expensive to not know for sure if It's going to last or not. I know the initial reaction is to blame it on the person's prep or application method, but yesterday there were 2 other posts from 2 other people that are having the same exact issue. They also had it with multiple cars. It's a little hard to believe that they all had grease, wax, or oil on the surface during application.
Click to expand...

As Chris mentioned, a solvent wipe is not the most foolproof method when you are doing large surfaces, as you may redeposit the soil on the surface. Typically solvent wipes work well on small or non-sensitive surfaces where you can use disposable toweling and do it multiple times...I don't know how you did it, but I imagine if you're using a MF you might just be moving the soil around.

I would do an OPC wash on the car, rinse, and dry with clean towels. If you have a CRSpotless, that would be the perfect use for it, a real good OPC wash, a real good rinse, then a real good CR rinse, let dry, coat.
 
Originally Posted by tuscarora dave
I have been torture testing the Opti-Coat for about 2 years now with no signs of failure. When I say torture test, I mean doing things like spraying the entire car down with undiluted APC and allowing it to fully dry in the sun before re-wetting and brush washing with a quality wash brush. I've done this dozens of times trying to kill the Opti-Coat and it's still on there.
Click to expand...

Setec Astronomy said:
I had no idea (or didn't remember) you had Opti-Coated your car, that's great to hear that it's standing up to that kind of abuse!
Click to expand...

Yes this poor Buick of mine has endured the perils of many torture tests, including how to run a rotary polisher learning both what to do and what not to do. She has many battle scars. My theory was that If Opti-Coat would survive ridiculous and severe examples of what not to do to a vehicle such as the one's I noted above, it will surely last if cared for gently. No further convincing is needed in my case.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top