Eggshell embedded in paint

[convert]

Hi all! First post here. I saw the Junkman's vids on youtube and they've done a lot to give me the confidence to try this detailing stuff myself. Thanks Junkman and Adam's!

 

My first project is my wife's 2002 Yukon. It has never been clayed, waxed or polished, and hasn't been garaged regularly until the last 6 months. It'll be my warm-up for my new Camaro .

 

No pictures yet, but I'm hoping to get some time to work on it this weekend, and if so I'll snap some pics. Hopefully the Adam's orange pad will be off backorder and delivered by then:xfingers:!

 

Here are the trouble-spots I'm worried about on the Yukon:

1) Eggshell embedded in the paint. We got egged a while back. After I ran the little twerps off and dumped the big ol' case of eggs they left behind, I washed it off immediately (yes, in the middle of the night). But the next morning I could see the true damage -- concentric rings of eggshell were embedded in the paint and washing didn't do anything to remove them. Any tips on how to tackle this?

Edit: meant to mention I saw this thread but I'm looking for a little more detail on the "how" aspects.

2) Deep scratches in the back. They were there when we bought it new. The dealership took it into their shop while we finished up paperwork, and when it came out the scratches were invisible. I always figured they used some kind of paint pen (if such a thing exists). They showed up a few years later, though. Anything I can do to make these disappear for a while again without taking it in to get painted?

3) Bugs. I've done some searching here and I'll go look for some bug remover enzyme. If you have any favorites please feel free to mention them.

4) Jambs. Is it important to clean the door jambs, under the hood, etc. to keep from accidentally picking up bits of dirt during detailing? If so, how do you clean those things without making a mess out of the inside of your car?!?! I mean, how do you keep from getting soap on the interior, and from soaking it while rinsing?

Edit: found this thread that discusses cleaning jambs.

5) What should I avoid touching with the PC? There are side molding, mirrors with a mix of painted and ABS plastic surfaces, chrome, matte black plastic, lights, etc. I saw some pictures on here where a guy had blue tape on his car -- looked like he was either sectioning it off to work on little by little or was trying to keep his PC from touching stuff he didn't want to.

Edit: here's the thread I was referring to.

 

Finally, you should know what I've got for materials. I've got the PC 7424XP, the Adam's backing plate, orange, white and gray pads, and some APC (the orange pad is backordered and hasn't arrived yet, though). I had already started buying some products from that "Z" company before I discovered Adam's, and so I've got their ZPC that I intend to use in place of SHR and FMP.

 

Sorry for the long post -- I just don't want to mess up!

[3BVert]

We're in the same boat! From Junkman leading us here, right down to waiting on the backordered orange pad! I'm starting on our '07 Tahoe before I move on to our '10 Camaro. With the knowledge I gain from those two I hope to correct the years of damage I've inflicted on our black '02 Corvette (see below).

 

Maybe we should have a Yukon v. Tahoe detailing competition between us newbies! Then when we've got some experience under our belts we can have a battle of the Camaros! It may not be fair though because I'll have Adam's products on my side. I've spent a small fortune on products including the Junkman kit (that new kit better not make me jealous!).

[Chewy]

Uhm... I'd like to see before pics!

[convert]

Well, I washed, clay barred and washed again Saturday morning, then garaged the Yukon and let it dry while we were out and about. Came back that night and stayed up ALL NIGHT, just me and my PC7424!

 

The orange pad stayed pretty clean after doing the hood and two front fenders, but once it touched some of the black rubber seals at the tops of the doors and other places it started to turn black. By the end of it that orange pad was toast. It had a couple of chunks missing, and it looked totally black/dark gray. I probably used too much product, too, so that didn't help.

 

The results were good, and I'm proud that I did the whole thing instead of just going OCD on one section (which I am totally capable of!). I've got some good before pics, but no after pics. I finished up just in time to head out, and by the end of the day we had driven over 100 miles, most of it in a downpour. So it's dirty again already, but it was awesome to see the water beading off the paint like it's supposed to!

 

I'll try to wash it soon and then post up both the before and after pics.

 

I definitely needed more cutting power. The orange pad and ZPC just weren't enough. I probably needed the yellow pad and/or SHR, which I'll pick up soon to have on hand for the next time I get a chance to go crazy on it.

 

The eggshell marks definitely seem to be cracked clearcoat so there's not much I can do about it. The other scratches aren't deep enough for me to get a fingernail in so I should be able to clean them up with the right stuff.

 

I can't believe the amount of chips on the backs of the mirrors! I thought they were just covered with baked on bug guts, but they are chipped big time! A couple of decent chips on the hood, too.

 

The most important thing I learned was to let up on the pressure with the PC. I was pushing too hard and the pad wasn't turning (just oscillating, I guess). And it was like that scene in Star Wars where Luke heard the voice of Obi Wan, only for me it was the voice of the Junkman: "Jason, ease up, remember, let the PC do the work!" Well, it was 3 AM, so what do you expect!!!!!

[Junkman2008]

... The most important thing I learned was to let up on the pressure with the PC. I was pushing too hard and the pad wasn't turning (just oscillating, I guess). And it was like that scene in Star Wars where Luke heard the voice of Obi Wan, only for me it was the voice of the Junkman: "Jason, ease up, remember, let the PC do the work!" Well, it was 3 AM, so what do you expect!!!!!

 

Actually, that was me sitting in the corner of your garage downing a Dagwood pizza. You kept ignoring me at first but then you started listening.

 

So you really couldn't see me?

[Chewy]

Also remember to let the foam do the work as well... 3-4 pea sized drops of product will go a LONG way when you re-prime with some DS.

 

You can spend a month doing correction. I know!

 

Chris

[Junkman2008]

 

I love it when guys look at their paint this way. They are embracing the reality of their paint damage. That's OCD baby, Junkman style!!

[convert]

Wow -- I'm speachless!

 

@Dylan -- thanks for all the tips! And thanks for letting the warehouse know about my plans to do my project this weekend -- the orange pad arrived via FedEx yesterday! You guys are awesome and have earned a customer with your amazing service. I'll give the ZPC a go this weekend since it's what I've got, but I was already worrying that it might not be as effective as the SHR/FMP 1-2 punch.

 

@Superduty -- thanks for your incredibly generous offer. It's good to know there's somebody in the area as generous as you. You must really enjoy detailing. I'm hoping I do too!

 

@3BVert -- no fair! Yours is 5 years newer!!! Nice color choice on the Camaro -- I went with the same . But, mine's "just" a 2LTRS -- not the SS beast like you've got. Very nice!

 

@all -- thanks for the encouragement. I'm beginning to see that a more realistic goal is to get a start on this project. I'm probably starting on my next obsession!!

[Superdutytd]

It becomes addicting...really fast.

[whiterp199]

It becomes addicting...really fast.

[3BVert]

Wow -- I'm speachless!

 

@Dylan -- thanks for all the tips! And thanks for letting the warehouse know about my plans to do my project this weekend -- the orange pad arrived via FedEx yesterday! You guys are awesome and have earned a customer with your amazing service. I'll give the ZPC a go this weekend since it's what I've got, but I was already worrying that it might not be as effective as the SHR/FMP 1-2 punch.

 

Hey! No fair! I wanted to get started this weekend too! Now you're gonna have a head start.

 

 

@3BVert -- no fair! Yours is 5 years newer!!! Nice color choice on the Camaro -- I went with the same . But, mine's "just" a 2LTRS -- not the SS beast like you've got. Very nice!

 

Based on some of the scratches I found yesterday, that 5 years may not be that big of a deal. And... There's no such thing as "just" a Camaro. They all ROCK! We seem to be leading some kind of parallel life. Only in yours, the orange pad showed up!

[Team Adam's]

Welcome to the forum Jason... let me see if I can shed some light on things for you. My responses are in red below:

 

 

Here are the trouble-spots I'm worried about on the Yukon:

1) Eggshell embedded in the paint. We got egged a while back. After I ran the little twerps off and dumped the big ol' case of eggs they left behind, I washed it off immediately (yes, in the middle of the night). But the next morning I could see the true damage -- concentric rings of eggshell were embedded in the paint and washing didn't do anything to remove them. Any tips on how to tackle this?

Edit: meant to mention I saw this thread but I'm looking for a little more detail on the "how" aspects.

Thats crappy. So hard to have nice things now a days b/c those without will destroy them. Egg impact damage isn't so much about scratches as it is about actual cracks in the paint. Start mild with the PC and see where that gets you. I've seen some egging marks that polish out with the PC, others have been so severe they'd require wetsanding to remove, or worse!! Honestly you won't know till you try.

 

2) Deep scratches in the back. They were there when we bought it new. The dealership took it into their shop while we finished up paperwork, and when it came out the scratches were invisible. I always figured they used some kind of paint pen (if such a thing exists). They showed up a few years later, though. Anything I can do to make these disappear for a while again without taking it in to get painted?

 

Can you catch your nail on these scratches if you run your nail across them? If you can then you might be looking at wet sanding, if not either the PC or the spot pads on a drill might be enough to get the job done.

 

3) Bugs. I've done some searching here and I'll go look for some bug remover enzyme. If you have any favorites please feel free to mention them.

 

Personally I saturate bugs with our APC, allow it to dwell for a moment, blast with a hose and for the mostpart they're loose enough to gently wipe away with a wash mit or microfiber towel. Just depends on the bugs, how many, and how long they've been on the front end.

 

4) Jambs. Is it important to clean the door jambs, under the hood, etc. to keep from accidentally picking up bits of dirt during detailing? If so, how do you clean those things without making a mess out of the inside of your car?!?! I mean, how do you keep from getting soap on the interior, and from soaking it while rinsing?

Edit: found this thread that discusses cleaning jambs.

 

Use waterless wash or detail spray with a clean towel and just wipe them clean. No sense in introducing water in places it doesn't belong. If they're really nasty just saturate with LOTS of waterless wash. Once you have them clean just wipe them down after every wash to keep them from getting nasty again.

 

As for the engine bay, check out the instructional video about cleaning the engine. Its not as scary as many people think. http://www.adamspolishes.com/t-Videos_DVD5_3.aspx

 

5) What should I avoid touching with the PC? There are side molding, mirrors with a mix of painted and ABS plastic surfaces, chrome, matte black plastic, lights, etc. I saw some pictures on here where a guy had blue tape on his car -- looked like he was either sectioning it off to work on little by little or was trying to keep his PC from touching stuff he didn't want to.

Edit: here's the thread I was referring to.

 

Avoid buffing over emblems, sharp edges, or textured plastics. Taping off door jambs headlights and other areas is generally a preventative measure to either protect the pads from being snagged/damaged by a sharp edge or getting polish into cracks and crevices where it would be a pain to get out.

 

Finally, you should know what I've got for materials. I've got the PC 7424XP, the Adam's backing plate, orange, white and gray pads, and some APC (the orange pad is backordered and hasn't arrived yet, though). I had already started buying some products from that "Z" company before I discovered Adam's, and so I've got their ZPC that I intend to use in place of SHR and FMP.

 

You really need 2 stages of polish unless your paint is in relatively good shape, which it sounds like it might not be. The SHR orange pad combo is designed to take out the nasty stuff, while the white pad FMP combo is designed to restore gloss and remove the minor defects left behind by the first step. Not saying using ZPC won't work somewhat, but don't expect stellar results from a single product. A good detail involves a corrective step and a finishing step and those steps involve varying degrees/types of polish to make it work.

 

Sorry for the long post -- I just don't want to mess up!

[Sooners]

Nice response Dylan!

[Chris@Adams]

With Dylan! Post up pics when done!!

[XQIZT]

yea...what dylan said!

[whiterp199]

With Dylan! Post up pics when done!!

[Superdutytd]

Well, I washed, clay barred and washed again Saturday morning, then garaged the Yukon and let it dry while we were out and about. Came back that night and stayed up ALL NIGHT, just me and my PC7424!

 

The orange pad stayed pretty clean after doing the hood and two front fenders, but once it touched some of the black rubber seals at the tops of the doors and other places it started to turn black. By the end of it that orange pad was toast. It had a couple of chunks missing, and it looked totally black/dark gray. I probably used too much product, too, so that didn't help.

 

The results were good, and I'm proud that I did the whole thing instead of just going OCD on one section (which I am totally capable of!). I've got some good before pics, but no after pics. I finished up just in time to head out, and by the end of the day we had driven over 100 miles, most of it in a downpour. So it's dirty again already, but it was awesome to see the water beading off the paint like it's supposed to!

 

I'll try to wash it soon and then post up both the before and after pics.

 

I definitely needed more cutting power. The orange pad and ZPC just weren't enough. I probably needed the yellow pad and/or SHR, which I'll pick up soon to have on hand for the next time I get a chance to go crazy on it.

 

The eggshell marks definitely seem to be cracked clearcoat so there's not much I can do about it. The other scratches aren't deep enough for me to get a fingernail in so I should be able to clean them up with the right stuff.

 

I can't believe the amount of chips on the backs of the mirrors! I thought they were just covered with baked on bug guts, but they are chipped big time! A couple of decent chips on the hood, too.

 

The most important thing I learned was to let up on the pressure with the PC. I was pushing too hard and the pad wasn't turning (just oscillating, I guess). And it was like that scene in Star Wars where Luke heard the voice of Obi Wan, only for me it was the voice of the Junkman: "Jason, ease up, remember, let the PC do the work!" Well, it was 3 AM, so what do you expect!!!!!

 

You can also clean your pads on the fly. Take a terry cloth towel and while holding the towel run your pad against it, it will remove a lot of the old polish. You can also clean them with water and then run the buffer for a second to throw the water out. I have a pad washer coming, which will be really nice.

[Superdutytd]

If you need any orange pads I've got a bunch and I would gladly let you borrow a couple, I'm out of town for another 12 days but after that I'll be around. If you need any tips/help I'm a pretty decent polisher, I've also got pretty much the entire Adam's line-up if you want to try anything out. Or if you want to have a good base to start with I can do that too for you

[ALF01]

If you need any orange pads I've got a bunch and I would gladly let you borrow a couple, I'm out of town for another 12 days but after that I'll be around. If you need any tips/help I'm a pretty decent polisher, I've also got pretty much the entire Adam's line-up if you want to try anything out. Or if you want to have a good base to start with I can do that too for you

 

Another great example of why this is such an incredible place!!