Paint condition / defect identification help
- Thread starter bradman77
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #3
yes it's that line i am referring to - all the clear coat layer appears to be there and in the shade this defect disappears.
is there a way to confirm clear coat burn?
Evan.J
New member
- Sep 18, 2012
- 4,915
- 0
Was that part recently polished that you know of
MirandaAutoSpa
New member
- May 29, 2010
- 278
- 0
It appears to be burn through, but if you say it is still cleared over, it could be a repainted panel with damage on a portion of the panel and that was burn through that was carelessly clear coated over. Sometimes they repaint a section of the panel and blend it, so as not to repaint the entire panel, then clear coat the whole thing. The shop did a bad job of checking that area before he clear coated the hood. If that is the case its trapped now, it needs to be repainted again. Hopefully that is not the case and its something else?
- Thread starter
- #6
Yes, but is it possible to burn clear without actually removing it? There is no evidence of texture difference in this area vs. the rest of the adjacent paint.
- Thread starter
- #7
Hood has never been painted except original coat from factory... paint is 3 years old.
Vegas Transplant
Active member
- Oct 11, 2011
- 4,447
- 3
From my perspective it appears to be a previous buffer trail with added waterspots. Both easily removable.
Edit: unless the ws's are etched.
MirandaAutoSpa
New member
- May 29, 2010
- 278
- 0
That is strange! I'm confused. It looks exactly like burn through, especially being on the body line.
Vegas Transplant
Active member
- Oct 11, 2011
- 4,447
- 3
Take a MF with a dab of compound and rub the area. If burnthrough, then should get color on the MF. If WS's, then should get corrected appearance.
If the spots remain, then etched.
If spots remain and appear filled with residue, possibly delam.
If the spots remain, then etched.
If spots remain and appear filled with residue, possibly delam.
- Thread starter
- #11
- Thread starter
- #12
I'll take some additional hi-res macros to help with diagnosis and post them tomorrow.
- Thread starter
- #13
Additional picture to add. Struggling with proper lighting so more to follow. Clear coat is not compromised such that it has been removed. This defect appears to be subsurface. Not sure if burning of paint or excessive heating can cause this or what this is really classified as. From different angles it appears to fade in and out. Looks milky & cloudy below clear coat.
- Thread starter
- #14
-No correction, no color on MF.
-Not water spots
-No residue left after buff.
- Appears to be under clearcoat or possibly some clearcoat defect.
Evan.J
New member
- Sep 18, 2012
- 4,915
- 0
Brad (I'm assuming thats your name)
Was this panel repainted at all that you know of?
My thinking is that since you say there is no burn through then if it was repainted maybe that was a thin spot that was missed?
Just trying to think of things this could be
Was this panel repainted at all that you know of?
My thinking is that since you say there is no burn through then if it was repainted maybe that was a thin spot that was missed?
Just trying to think of things this could be
- Thread starter
- #17
Vegas Transplant
Active member
- Oct 11, 2011
- 4,447
- 3
I think you guys nailed it.
My perspective was way off base.
Since it seems less noticeable in indirect light, probably less visible when car is polished and blinged out.
Happy detailing...:autowash:
MirandaAutoSpa
New member
- May 29, 2010
- 278
- 0
Panel never repainted (original 3 yrs. old) but looks like it might be soon
I still think it was repainted at some point. I remember working as a bumper repair guy contracted by dealerships and they would never tell the customer that any sections of the cars were repainted, even on new cars. This could be a case of the panel being repaired or repainted and this was a burn through that was missed. Perhaps it was repainted because someone did a horrible buff job and screwed up the paint. It's the only thing I can think of that makes sense.
Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 7
Looks like burn through to me...
On the other side of the pond they call it
Strike-through
The most common place for paint to be burned through or technically "buffed through" is a raised body line. This is for a couple of reasons,
Buffing the lower panels means dropping to one knee or sitting down, this isn't any fun. It's like I say,
There's no glory in buffing out a car...
By that I mean, look at myself an my students buffing out the sanding marks on the 1971 GTO from one of my wetsanding classes, does sitting on your butt buffing on the side of the car look like there's any fun or glory in it?
Pictures & Comments from July 10th, 2011 Sunday Detailing 102 - Advanced Class
That was a fun class by the way, two black cars, one a classic Cadillac and one a 1971 GTO
Pictures & Comments from July 9th, 2011 Saturday Detailing 101
Two Black Beauties with show car finishes restored at Autogeek's Show Car Garage!
Anyway, that's what it looks like is burn through on a raised body line.
Vegas Transplant told you how to check and that would be to rub a white polish with a white cloth to the affected area.
If the clear coat is all intact then you won't see any dark pigment coming off the area when you rub on it.
If the clear coat has been burned through, then you should pull a dark pigment color off and around the "edge" of the burn through. I say edge because if you just rub on the white section that looks like primer you'll pull white pigment and it won't be very noticeable on your cloth.
You need to rub on the perimeter of the area between where the white ends and the darker color starts back in. Somewhere in this perimeter area there will be basecoat paint.
Do note that the more you rub or buff on this area the larger the burn-through will grow and you'll also start removing the primer and expose the body panel below.
On the other side of the pond they call it
Strike-through
The most common place for paint to be burned through or technically "buffed through" is a raised body line. This is for a couple of reasons,
1. Paint is thinnest on a raised body line because gravity will cause the paint that was sprayed to flow downward, at least to some degree.
2. When a pad is being moved over a raised body line, when the pad is "on" the raised body line there is more pressure and abrading action taking place to this thin section of paint.
3. When a the average person buffs out a car, if they are not careful, or a better way to say it is if they don't care about doing the best quality work, it's easiest to stand and buff on surfaces like the hood and trunk lid area because they are usually waist high, this makes it easy.
2. When a pad is being moved over a raised body line, when the pad is "on" the raised body line there is more pressure and abrading action taking place to this thin section of paint.
3. When a the average person buffs out a car, if they are not careful, or a better way to say it is if they don't care about doing the best quality work, it's easiest to stand and buff on surfaces like the hood and trunk lid area because they are usually waist high, this makes it easy.
Buffing the lower panels means dropping to one knee or sitting down, this isn't any fun. It's like I say,
There's no glory in buffing out a car...
By that I mean, look at myself an my students buffing out the sanding marks on the 1971 GTO from one of my wetsanding classes, does sitting on your butt buffing on the side of the car look like there's any fun or glory in it?
Pictures & Comments from July 10th, 2011 Sunday Detailing 102 - Advanced Class
That was a fun class by the way, two black cars, one a classic Cadillac and one a 1971 GTO
Pictures & Comments from July 9th, 2011 Saturday Detailing 101
Two Black Beauties with show car finishes restored at Autogeek's Show Car Garage!
Anyway, that's what it looks like is burn through on a raised body line.
Vegas Transplant told you how to check and that would be to rub a white polish with a white cloth to the affected area.
If the clear coat is all intact then you won't see any dark pigment coming off the area when you rub on it.
If the clear coat has been burned through, then you should pull a dark pigment color off and around the "edge" of the burn through. I say edge because if you just rub on the white section that looks like primer you'll pull white pigment and it won't be very noticeable on your cloth.
You need to rub on the perimeter of the area between where the white ends and the darker color starts back in. Somewhere in this perimeter area there will be basecoat paint.
Do note that the more you rub or buff on this area the larger the burn-through will grow and you'll also start removing the primer and expose the body panel below.