removing cilajet

[baup5f]

Anybody have any experience removing a product called cilajet? My Camaro came with it when I got it. Here is there website: http://cilajet.com/ . The website states the product chemically bonds to the paint.

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The car had a few swirls when I bought it and I have also added a few since owning it and I would like to strip, polish, and seal my car. I guess I’m worried about the cilajet hazing up if I don’t get it all off and start polishing. I do believe it is something more than just a sealant as after a strip wash the car still beads up well. I have not tried claying it though.<o:p></o:p>

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Just wondering if anybody has any experience removing this specific product or not. If nothing else I will just try polishing a very small area with the focus pads and see what happens.<o:p></o:p>

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I’m definitely not advertising this product so mods feel free to remove their website or name. Bird crap still etches the clear, bug guts won’t simply wipe off, still shows swirls… Just another overpriced protectant/sealer dealers make a buck off of, imo.

[mc2hill]

You can spot=treat those areas with a mixture of IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol / Rubbing Alcohol) and water mixed about 50/50. Use either the 70% or 90% IPA. Spray on the surface and wipe off with a microfiber towel.

 

Save the other IPA until after your done!

[baup5f]

One last thing, seems like you can use clay bar to find new scratches or rock chips, as it makes a noise as you go over it. Rub over it again and it still makes the scratch noise. This is what I found yesterday, a pretty nasty scratch behind the rear drivers wheel. It's deep too, nothing I can fix with the PC. My thought is to hit it lightly with some 3000 grit wet sand paper to knock the edges down, that's about my limit to being able to help it.

 

Fortunately it's pretty low and unless you know it's there you can't really see it. This is the first I've noticed it and have no idea how it got there. Looks like I almost backed into something. Looks like I need to polish up my stainless steel mufflers too...

[baup5f]

Forgot about the baggie test. You guys are correct as this car stays in the garage most of the time. I've got a 91 dodge dynasty as my dd lol.

 

I'll fess up. I'm only 24 and this is my first new car. I had it special ordered, kept track of it as it was getting built, etc. I was not detailed educated when I picked it up and this product sounded awesome, so I told them to put it on being in my new car "awe" and not thinking straight. About a month later I stumbled upon Adam's polishes and found out about these dealership scams. I've regretted that purchase ever since, and could have bought a pretty good pile of Adam's stuff for what I paid for that "miracle" coating.

 

Anyways, the only reason I was contemplating the car cover was because I have roomates and it seems that fingerprints on the windows and little streaks on the panels where somebody has run their finger over the dust seem to appear magically...

 

I did the IPA widedown today and everything looks good. The clear is in pretty good condition as you can see in the pic below. There are a few swirls you can tell around the flash, but one pass with fmp should get most of those out. Helps I've only drove the car about 6,000 miles, most of that in sunny or clear weather.

 

Thanks for the help everybody!

[07RS4]

You can check if you need claying by doing the baggie test. If you have clayed the finish, and have not been driving the car, it should be fine, but you can always check the clean and dry finish with a sandwich baggie.

 

^^^That's what I said Doug^^^ haha.

[Doug123]

You can check if you need claying by doing the baggie test. If you have clayed the finish, and have not been driving the car, it should be fine, but you can always check the clean and dry finish with a sandwich baggie.

[07RS4]

Thanks for all the help guys. Now if I do an IPA wipedown, do I need to clay after that again, or just do the IPA wipedown and should be ready for polishing?

 

What mark said.

 

You've already clayed. It should only be done MAYBE twice a year, and that's if it's a DD that you intend to polish. Other than that, if it's a garage kept vehicle that you don't drive everyday, use the baggy test. Don't go off a time frame.

[Guest Gone & Forgotten]

Did you order this as an option when you bought the car? Just a little research on their pdf's they put on the link you provided shows me they offer some 'questionable' advice as far as proper car for your car's paint.

 

quote :

 

HAND WASHING

Materials needed to hand wash your vehicle are available at any auto parts store, and most stores like

Walmart, or Target. We recommend using a micro-fiber wash mitt, a tire/wheel brush for washing, and a

"California Blade" (squeegee) or a micro-fiber shammy towel for drying. You might also consider

purchasing an inexpensive bug sponge to help remove dried bug residue, bird droppings or tree sap.

While cilajet protects your paint from damage due to these environmental conditions, you should wash

these contaminants off as soon as possible.

 

end quote.

 

Using a 'California water blade' is never a recommended step in any proper hand-washing regiment.

 

That right there tells me the people who invented the stuff have no clue and would make me skip this option at the dealer.

[Golf for Life]

Just do the IPA wipe down and you should be ready for polishing and sealing/waxing.

[baup5f]

Thanks for all the help guys. Now if I do an IPA wipedown, do I need to clay after that again, or just do the IPA wipedown and should be ready for polishing?

[07RS4]

Ok, another question for all you detailers. This is my good weather car only and never sees rain, snow, ice, salt, etc. I won't have time to polish every single panel today, so is there any harm in leaving the paint unprotected and working on the car throughout this winter as time permits?

 

I would do a strip wash and clay today of the entire car today, then maybe polish the hood and use the new spray sealant on an applicator so there won't be any overspray. Then put a car cover over the car in my garage. Then next weekend uncover it, do a quick wipedown of DS on the panel I want to work on, then do the same process. Continue this process until the car is done.

 

Or just do a strip wash and clay today, and spray the whole car with sealant and wait until a nice spring day when I can polish the whole car?

 

Sounds like you are well on your way, as others have given you the advice and tools to do the job.

 

The only thing I would caution against, especially since you are keeping it in your garage and driving it, is putting on and taking a car cover off between panels. As long as you do a proper WW or even DS wipe down of the panel you are going to correct, you'll be fine. IMO, you will do more damage than good with fine scratches in your paint. Yes, I've seen the proper way to put on and take off a car cover video. But it's not like this car is in deep storage for the winter.

 

So lets got through the scenario. You correct a panel to perfection, then rub a cover over it, and then take it off. Then the next week you have two perfectly good panels, and then put a cover on it and take it off. Get my point?

 

Just wipedown the panels you are going to work. If you have perfectly corrected panels, just leave them alone until you do a final DS or WW wipedown and apply your preffered LSP.

 

My .02 if you care to listen.

[Doug123]

Looks like the strip wash did the stuff. I agree, do an IPA solution wipedown on any still beading area, and then have at it! Bare paint corrects better, in my experience.

[Vincenzo]

 

Notice in the corner its not beading but in the middle of the hood it's not. Any thoughts?

I think that they probably applied it unevenly.

[baup5f]

Alright, did a little work today.

 

At the start of the day:

 

After a quick rinse:

 

After a strip wash using APC and shampoo:

 

After claying:

 

Notice in the corner its not beading but in the middle of the hood it is. Any thoughts?

[Golf for Life]

Looks like you have a good plan Brett. I'd do a strip wash and see if the paint still beads. If not your miracle product from the stealer is gone. Do a clay job to the entire car and another wash and you should be good to go. With your application of your Adams products.

 

When I bought my car this past summer the salesman offered something like this and also interior protection, seemed that the car would withstand anything short of a nuke attack..

Enjoy your detailing session and post up some photos when you can.

[DaveVY]

Doing it panel by panel the way you outlined is a technique that I use and have read that others here use also.

 

[baup5f]

Ok, another question for all you detailers. This is my good weather car only and never sees rain, snow, ice, salt, etc. I won't have time to polish every single panel today, so is there any harm in leaving the paint unprotected and working on the car throughout this winter as time permits?

 

I would do a strip wash and clay today of the entire car today, then maybe polish the hood and use the new spray sealant on an applicator so there won't be any overspray. Then put a car cover over the car in my garage. Then next weekend uncover it, do a quick wipedown of DS on the panel I want to work on, then do the same process. Continue this process until the car is done.

 

Or just do a strip wash and clay today, and spray the whole car with sealant and wait until a nice spring day when I can polish the whole car?

[baup5f]

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I'm just going to hit it with a strip wash of APC and shampoo tomorrow then hit it with clay and see what happens.

[Z71_Denali]

thats just another one of those dealer gimmicks they try to sell you. its no different than Adam's MSS, meaning it is just a synthetic sealant. strip wash followed by claying the entire car will get rid of it!

[DaveVY]

Just did a little google research... from what I read and from what they say in videos it is a polymer. So I assume that Dylan's direction of a strip wash and claying would remove it.

 

[Doug123]

maybe you can find out what kind of solvent they use to clean up after applying it.

[baup5f]

I could really care less about the warranty, I would rather have my car be swirl free. I've e-mailed and called the company directly with no response, and my dealership (the ones who installed it) couldn't provide any assistance either. Just we'll put another coat on for you.

[Doug123]

Looks like they claim that it is an epoxy type product that is bonded to the paint, and that petroleum distillates may damage the product, the kind of distallets that are in liquid waxes or some of the other miracle shine stuff. The definition of what an epoxy is may be quite broad, so who knows what may take it off.

 

If you want to remove it, call the manufacturer and ask them how to get it off. Asking them this will probably void any kind of warranty.

 

Maybe you can ask them how to get the swirls out of this stuff, and let them lead you from there, might be a less obtrusive way to indicate what you want to do.

[Team Adam's]

I've not had to deal with this one specifically yet, but if its like all the other dealer applied sealants a strip wash and claying should remove it easily.