Help With Black Paint Final Polish

BMack

BMack

New member
May 27, 2017
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First time posting although I'm a long time reader and learner.

I'm going crazy trying to final polish black paint on a 2016 Dodge Challenger. Everything is fine up to this step. Two bucket wash, microfiber towel & blow dry, clay bar, 5" microfiber cutting pad with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. Compounding leaves behind a swirl and scratch free finish with micro marks from DA cut. Then when I go for the final polish I get these faint larger circle type marks. They can only be seen when I hold the light at certain angles and do not look like the DA marks left after compound. They don't even look like scratches, more surface marring of some type. As I move the light they appear holographic/rainbow. The paint looks perfect when I hold the light a different way.

I'm using a TorqX DA and have tried various combinations of Gyeon Polish, Chem Guys V-38 and Meguiar's Ultimate Polish. I've tried foam and microfiber finishing pads. I've used speeds 3 to 6 and used proper technique according to all the info read and videos watched. Surface is clean, new microfiber towel, new pads, etc. Pads are primed with product with 3 dime size drops afterwards. Product is spread around on speed 1. I've also tried lighter and heavier foam pads with the polish. I've wiped down the area with 50/50 iso and Gyeon Prep.

Is this normal? Should the paint be perfect (as is possible) without these lines? Maybe I'm over thinking it. Maybe I need to up to a better DA polisher if the Torq is junk?

Here's the before and after. Appreciate any suggestions. Could come down to the operator, but I feel I'm doing everything correctly.

View attachment 57514
 
Exactly what kind of finishing pads are you using?
And yea try not priming them, just start with a normL amount of a circle around the pad w/Ultimate Polish on speed 4.5 and hopefully it turns out normL.
 
Thank you! I will try not priming.

For pads: LC Microfiber polishing pad, LC foam Hydro Tech orange and also tried blue, and the yellow Meguiar's polish pad that comes with their drill DA adapter for polish (had a new one from years ago, I'm not using that adapter).

Hopefully not priming will work.
 
I am watching this tread.

I thought the Challenger's paint would be in the middle between hard and soft paint.

From what you're describing, it sounds as if paint is soft. Soft paints are difficult to finish out to a flawless finish.
Your DA should be ok. It's all in the abrasives and pads.

If it was me coming from a Rupes point of view---I would move to a little "harder" pad (yellow Rupes pad) and use the yellow keramik polish (fine polish.) You could
actually feel the grit between your fingers!

Guess the concept is a little more firm and harder pad, less polish on pad (not primed) and a bit more abrasives in the polish. Fine polish is more abrasive than the ultra fine.

If you figure this out---please do tell!!!! Soft paints freak me out!

Tom
 
I would also try a firmer pad as mentioned. Give a polishing pad with one of those polishes a try and see if that solves the issue.
 
Tried a LC HydroTech orange pad un primed with 3 pea size dots of Meguiar's ultimate polish. It did seem to do a better job, but the lines are still there.

I was wondering about the hard/soft paint issue. Seems to be varying opinions about Dodge Challenger paint. I've seen it described as hard and soft. I have heard that using a harder pad on softer paint is the way to go. I don't have a Rupes yellow but I do have a LC Hydro blue. I'll try that un primed and see what happens.

I wouldn't really be so concerned about "perfection," but I'm going to put on Gyeon Mohs so I'd like it as good as possible.
 
Best combo so far: Ultimate Compound on an un primed LC HydroTech blue foam pad. One step without polish.

I'm going to order a Rupes Yellow pad and their fine polish to see how that works.
 
BMack said:
Best combo so far: Ultimate Compound on an un primed LC HydroTech blue foam pad. One step without polish.

I'm going to order a Rupes Yellow pad and their fine polish to see how that works.
Click to expand...

Are the lines still there?
 
Yes, the lines are still there, but they're much more difficult to see now. I'm thinking the harder pad/polish method is the way to go on this paint since this was such an improvement. Unfortunately have to wait for an order to arrive to know for sure. Invaluable help posting here.
 
I have a 2014 black charger and Im a complete noob to detailing. Reading this about the hard/soft paint I hope I dont mess it up because I wouldn't know how to fix it :(
 
TMQ said:
This might offer you ideas other than just getting Rupes pads.
https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...-haze-scratching-when-working-soft-paint.html

Also give this thread a couple of days since it's a holiday weekend. I'm curious what the old hats have to say about this. I'm sure someone have had
the same problem as you.

Tom
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. My ultimate objective is to finish off with Gyeon Mohs coating. Would that work over a cleaner/wax as suggested in the article?
 
See post 8 and 9 of Mike's article for other suggestions.

Since you are going to coat, then no because cleaner waxes in general fills in the voids caused by marring. I am not sure about sonax tho...
I'll let other chime in...

Tom
 
McKee's 360, Sonax paint cleaner and Meguiar's M20 Polymer Sealant mentioned in Mike's article are AIO's and should not be used prior to coatings.
They fill in the voids caused by marring.

What I was thinking of was the Sonax EX 04-06. It's a pure polish that is silicone and wax free. I was wondering if this will be able to deal with soft paint. Just thinking
out loud here.

Tom
 
New microfiber towels might need a good washing before use.

What kind of pressure are you using with the tangerine Hydro?

How many passes? Maybe try just doing one pass, wipe off residue, and inspect. If that isn't satisfactory, try two passes, so on and so forth.

With the tangerine Hydrotech I actually enjoy priming those when using Meguiar's liquids. Once primed, I'll add anywhere from one to three dots of product, depending on the size of the panel I'm buffing. I also have the PC set to as low as speed as possible that still gives me backing plate rotation. My pressure is fairly light as well. My goal is to "burnish" the paint.

Your polisher is fine. It will do the job.
 
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