Is this clear cost burn through?

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Here's pic

IF buffing ON the area makes ZERO difference - then the visual defect must be under the clear.

At least that's my guess. Don't sound right BUT if you abrade the surface and there's no effect then the defect, whatever it is runs THROUGHOUT the layer of paint or is under the layer of paint.


Topical Defects vs Sub-Surface Defects - Living life on the edge of the razor blade

 

[Farmallluvr]

Man that’s just so strange, good to see you’ve got some thick paint though!

Being you bought it new, possibly a defect from the factory?

Only other thing, big shot in the dark here, possibly a light reflection off the chrome window trim shining onto the paint? At this point I’m all out of ideas :/

Keep us updated!

I think you may have hit it on the head,,looking at my PC and not my small phone I can see it,,it even curvers where the chrome molding does,,I have chased phantom marks before ,,I even made a meme once after I did it,,lol

View attachment 70677

 

[BenRothman]

Here's pic

IF buffing ON the area makes ZERO difference - then the visual defect must be under the clear.

At least that's my guess. Don't sound right BUT if you abrade the surface and there's no effect then the defect, whatever it is runs THROUGHOUT the layer of paint or is under the layer of paint.


Topical Defects vs Sub-Surface Defects - Living life on the edge of the razor blade

I agree 100% the fact that in bright sunlight I can’t see the mark and in the shade I can’t see the mark. I can only see the mark in very certain light and the fact that nothing happens when I polish and compound it means that it’s under the light.

 

[Odrapnew1]

In regards to the question if it's reflection off the chrome, next time you see it, try putting something between the chrome and the paint, like a piece of paper, or even your hand....or if the chrome is on the door, open the door.

@Farmallluvr - I did that when I was correcting my Golf R. First time ever correcting paint and it seemed like I couldn't get hazing out. Turns out it was the way the light was reflecting off the paint through my eye glasses (glasses were not perfectly clean). Put my contacts in and all the hazing was gone.

 

[TTQ B4U]

I thought I would post this shot here just as a good way of showing how THIN clear coats are. This is off a 2 year old Lincoln that is experiencing a factory defect of the clear flaking off. Really puts things in perspective to see it as a flake and how thin it really is.

 

[DUBL0WS6]

About as thick as a piece of paper.

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

If you're not seeing pigment from the area then it's likely not clearcoat burn-through.

Place a strip of tape across the area and buff on just one side then check to see if there's a difference. If not - could it be UNDER the clear?

Are you saying if you burn through the clear you’ll get pigment from base layer (green car/ green pigment)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DUBL0WS6]

Are you saying if you burn through the clear you’ll get pigment from base layer (green car/ green pigment)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, the basecoat will transfer paint to a pad or towel.

 

[mc2hill]

Are you saying if you burn through the clear you’ll get pigment from base layer (green car/ green pigment)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Correct...ask me how I know

BTW, just got a quote of $400 to repaint the door on my car where I sanded thru the clearcoat.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Here's pic

IF buffing ON the area makes ZERO difference - then the visual defect must be under the clear.

At least that's my guess. Don't sound right BUT if you abrade the surface and there's no effect then the defect, whatever it is runs THROUGHOUT the layer of paint or is under the layer of paint.


Topical Defects vs Sub-Surface Defects - Living life on the edge of the razor blade

Are you saying if you burn through the clear you’ll get pigment from base layer (green car/ green pigment)?

What I'm saying or trying to teach is how you would,


Troubleshoot


To troubleshoot a paint defect - you place a strip of tape OVER an affected area and then only buff on one side of the tape line. Then LOOK to see if anything changed. If you see CHANGE - that is whatever the ugly thing is that's buffing you about the paint is now gone or at least improved - you just PROVED to yourself the UGLY is on the surface and YOU can fix it.

If there's ZERO change then whatever the UGLY is - it's not on the surface because buffing on it made zero change.


That's what I'm trying to teach. It's how you troubleshoot if a defect is on the surface or not and if it is if you can fix it or not.