Gtechniq C4 issues.

bigbadbp7

bigbadbp7

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I been having a terrible problem with a Honda Element. The lower trim of the car came out VERY blotchy and streaky. I did a really good prep trust me. So I went to recoat again and the SAME PROBLEM. The top trim is beautiful! So I have done another prep and reapplied the coating.

I feel like I am going to be married to this car. Is there any way I can remove the coating? Could I put Dlux over it and will it help out the issue? I have applied it flawlessly on my Fathers vehicles trim no problems at all. I am just to disappointed for doing work for free.

I want to bang my head against the wall lol Feed back please
 
I stick with dummy proof super easy coatings ,black fire ,Americana gloss coat.I find g tech to expensive and finicky to work with
 
I've tried apc, alcohol, acetone, lacquer thinner, paint thinner and nothing would remove C4.
 
Removal of C4 will require an abrasive polish/compound to remove.
 
My n=1 experience with C4 was enough to direct me away from it again. I've found DLUX much easier to apply and is more durable.
 
bigbadbp7 said:
I been having a terrible problem with a Honda Element. The lower trim of the car came out VERY blotchy and streaky. I did a really good prep trust me. So I went to recoat again and the SAME PROBLEM. The top trim is beautiful! So I have done another prep and reapplied the coating.

I feel like I am going to be married to this car. Is there any way I can remove the coating? Could I put Dlux over it and will it help out the issue? I have applied it flawlessly on my Fathers vehicles trim no problems at all. I am just to disappointed for doing work for free.

I want to bang my head against the wall lol Feed back please
Click to expand...

by blotchy do you mean there are white marks? if so that is excess product that has crystallised.

to remove you can do this by scrubbing with a medium brush and strong apc solution.
 
kevincwelch said:
My n=1 experience with C4 was enough to direct me away from it again. I've found DLUX much easier to apply and is more durable.
Click to expand...

Dlux comes of with an alkaline APC and elbow grease. it's more durable than C4? that is surprising information.
 
gtechrob said:
by blotchy do you mean there are white marks? if so that is excess product that has crystallised.

to remove you can do this by scrubbing with a medium brush and strong apc solution.
Click to expand...

Hey Rob, since we've got you in this thread, some of us have experienced that C4 does a great job of restoring, say, windshield cowlings, and then over time it fades, but another application of C4 doesn't seem to restore it again...is there some C4 residue that needs to be removed by the method you mention above?
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Hey Rob, since we've got you in this thread, some of us have experienced that C4 does a great job of restoring, say, windshield cowlings, and then over time it fades, but another application of C4 doesn't seem to restore it again...is there some C4 residue that needs to be removed by the method you mention above?
Click to expand...

not something I have seen over this side of the pond. the only trim we have had a common issue with is on renaults but other than excess product which can turn into a white powder (it's a quartz product) or trim that is too faded to restore (easiest test is to wipe over with a damp mf cloth - if the colour looks right c4 will work), we have very few issues.

if you have some pics I can take a look - send to technical at gtechniq dot com
 
gtechrob said:
not something I have seen over this side of the pond. the only trim we have had a common issue with is on renaults but other than excess product which can turn into a white powder (it's a quartz product) or trim that is too faded to restore (easiest test is to wipe over with a damp mf cloth - if the colour looks right c4 will work), we have very few issues.

if you have some pics I can take a look - send to technical at gtechniq dot com
Click to expand...

I don't know if I have any good pictures really, I'll have to check, but I did start this thread last year http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/83098-silvering-c4.html and it doesn't seem like I'm the only one that has had this problem.

It does depend on the surface, the vehicle I mention in that thread that had another piece of trim going strong still looks great a year later (3 years total).
 
builthatch said:
Dlux comes of with an alkaline APC and elbow grease. it's more durable than C4? that is surprising information.
Click to expand...
Like I said: my n=1. When I properly prepped my trim with wash, APC and panel wipe, c4 lasted only a couple of months. DLUX has lasted through an entire winter on all three of my cars. C4 looked great; it just didn't last for me.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I don't know if I have any good pictures really, I'll have to check, but I did start this thread last year http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/83098-silvering-c4.html and it doesn't seem like I'm the only one that has had this problem.

It does depend on the surface, the vehicle I mention in that thread that had another piece of trim going strong still looks great a year later (3 years total).
Click to expand...

c4 is an optically clear coating but the same way ice goes white when there is air under it in a pond, for eg, the same would hold true here. this looks to be that the c4 has either not bonded correctly with the substrate or that there is too much product on the surface which has then crystallised.

you will need to remove the coating using the method I listed above and reapply making 100% sure that you remove all residue.
 
gtechrob said:
c4 is an optically clear coating but the same way ice goes white when there is air under it in a pond, for eg, the same would hold true here. this looks to be that the c4 has either not bonded correctly with the substrate or that there is too much product on the surface which has then crystallised.

you will need to remove the coating using the method I listed above and reapply making 100% sure that you remove all residue.
Click to expand...

How long does it take to crystallize? Could it take months? If so I guess I could have put too heavy a layer on initially, although it looked great when I first put it on.
 
Try gas ,I coated my transit with cq ,wanted to re letter the van I couldn't get the decals to stick ,I tried all that was mentioned,I used gasoline cause it was my last option in arms length ,and it worked I was losing patience for something so minor.hope that helps ,really surprised lacquer and acetone didn't help me either.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
How long does it take to crystallize? Could it take months? If so I guess I could have put too heavy a layer on initially, although it looked great when I first put it on.
Click to expand...

yes - can take months for the effect to appear.
 
gtechrob said:
yes - can take months for the effect to appear.
Click to expand...

Very interesting, so the "buff off excess with a microfiber" is a critical step. I just don't remember there being much excess, plus it seemed to cure almost instantly.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Very interesting, so the "buff off excess with a microfiber" is a critical step. I just don't remember there being much excess, plus it seemed to cure almost instantly.
Click to expand...

the buff bit is critical. correctly applied the coating becomes part of the structure of the top layer of your trim - no matter how much it flexes you will get no "crazing". but leave too much on and you have a layer of crystal that will craze or lift which will show as white blotches.

most common issue is when you get excess product in the "valleys" of highly textured trim parts where the microfibre hasn't been sufficiently buffed into remove. you will then get these small pools of product showing up white after a few weeks.
 
As I said this is very interesting, I think most of us understand the concept with paint coatings and "high spots", but I certainly didn't understand that it would take weeks/months for high spots to appear with a trim coating.

It also explains why there can be such varying results from user to user, trim piece to trim piece, vehicle to vehicle. Thanks, Rob.
 
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