Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

[Wired 24/7]

Hi all -

I regretfully don't have a picture RIGHT NOW but if necessary I can get one later. This is on a 2005 Super black 350z.

I got 3 or 4 nasty oxidation spots on my hood, they were ORANGE/RED... likely from some kind of nasty chemical that dripped on the hood. Note that the hood itself is aluminum, so this is not rust from the hood.

I clayed the spots as much as possible (white meguiars clay). What looked like iron oxide came up on the clay, but after several passes it stopped doing anything.

I used my G110 and #83 with yellow pad, speed setting 4 or 5 (don't remember at the moment). Did over an hour of passes on the spots. Now they are totally swirl free (oh the irony) but the oxidation spots are still complete eye-sores. They look much better than before, but UGH. It's clear that #83 is not doing anything anymore.

Here are what I perceive my options to be. I appreciate any steering in the right direction.

• Switch to M105 using yellow pad, see where that gets me.
• Keep using #83 but use the burgundy pad
• Do 10 million more passes of #83 with yellow pad and hope for the best

My main concern is, what if the oxidation completely penetrated the clear coat... I suppose that means it would be time to re-paint.

I have taken Mike P's detailing class a few years back so I reasonably know the basics of what to do with the G110 but I appreciate the advice.



Notes:

- 350z paint takes #83 like a champ. seems like a very dense/hard clearcoat.
- the spots look a bit like a bird ate some nails then made a rusty poop. if that makes any sense. in any case the spots ate away at the clearcoat pretty good.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

This is where a picture really comes in handy...

Lets diagnos...

The defect is either topical or through all or most of the clear layer. If it's topical than using a more aggressive product might remove it, it depends on how deep the destruction has penetrated.

If the defect is throughout most or all of the clear layer then you won't be able to completely remove it and you'll just have to be very careful as you try to improve it not to remove too much paint.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

Can you bring the car by tomorrow night?

Thursday Night "Open Classes" for 2009
2009 Thursday Night "Open Garage" Schedule

April
April 16th - Thursday Night "Open Class" - Click here to sign-up

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

Be sure to read through this as a refresher course...


How To use: G110 - G220 - G100 - PC/Porter Cable - UDM
If you're moving up to machine polishing, be sure to read the below thread before starting...
Tips & Techniques for using the G110, G100, G220 and the PC Dual Action Polisher
(These are all similar tools)

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

From this thread,

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13988

Was this you?

[Wired 24/7]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

Thanks for the replies Mike!

I will be working a bit late tomorrow night so I won't be able to bring it by. Maybe next time.

I will try to get a picture when I get home today.


Edit: Nope that's not me, but I was there. (that guy's car was in bad shape I remember!!)


Me = farthest right

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

I will be working a bit late tomorrow night so I won't be able to bring it by. Maybe next time.

Thursday Night "Open Classes" for 2009
2009 Thursday Night "Open Garage" Schedule

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

Me = farthest right

Check.

At least I had the right class... it's only been around 3 years...

Time Stamp from thread: Jun 23rd, 2006, 08:38 PM

[Wired 24/7]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

Check.

At least I had the right class... it's only been around 3 years...

Time Stamp from thread: Jun 23rd, 2006, 08:38 PM

Trust me... I was quite amazed that you found that thread






By the way, I have given up most of that zaino nonsense (if you went back and re-read the thread)... just wasn't working for me nearly as well as meguiars' stuff. The only zaino products I still have that I use are the leather cleaner and conditioner.

I'm sure that I've more than made up for my past lunacy by word of mouth advertising for Meguiar's products

[Wired 24/7]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

here are some pics... did the best I could

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

Looks fairly topical from the pictures.

Almost looks like you could chip it off with your fingernail?

Have you tried rubbing it hard with just your finger with a polishing cloth wrapped around it with some kind of liquid, either a paint cleaner like ScratchX or Goo Gone?

Plastic Razor Blade?

If you can't get it off, bring your car to one of our Thursday Night "Open Garage" classes and let us take a stab at it.

[Wired 24/7]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

I am able to chip it a bit with my fingernail, but it is also incredibly stubborn. I think it lies partly above and partly below the clearcoat line.

Maybe scratchX is worth a shot. In any case the damage hasn't gotten visibly worse since it happened.

My real burning question is whether or not I should pick up some M105. All I know is the #83 works really slow on this car's paint and I wouldn't mind something that can take out scratches and swirls a bit faster. But, I don't want to underestimate M105 either.

Also, I have searched the forums for a while now but I haven't conclusively found the answer to this:

I made a mistake earlier in the thread as I don't have the new G110. I have the "old" Meguiar's porter cable orbital buffer, whichever one you would've been selling in 2006. I forgot the model number off hand, but you should know which one.

Will the soft buff 2.0 pads work with the original orbital buffer and original backing plate, or do I need to order a new backing plate?

I cannot tell from the pictures, do the new soft buff 2.0 pads simply attach with velcro just like the old ones? Or is there a new mechanism to attach them to the new backing plate.

[3Fitty]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

What about a more aggressive clay? I'm actually asking Mike this question to see if he thinks it might do what the consumer clay could not?

I'm thinking if it is topical, wouldn't this be the way to attack it?

[Wired 24/7]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

What about a more aggressive clay? I'm actually asking Mike this question to see if he thinks it might do what the consumer clay could not?

I'm thinking if it is topical, wouldn't this be the way to attack it?

I am a bit skeptical about the other clay, as this stuff is really bonded on there. It looks easy to get off in the pic, but believe me these spots are being quite stubborn.

I thought my *safest* bet was to just cut and cut and cut down, eventually it will all be gone and this would not be likely to compromise my clearcoat.


I'd be willing to give the professional clay a try, but I'd rather buy the products that I actually need.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Removing oxidation spots - failed once, now seeking advice

What about a more aggressive clay? I'm actually asking Mike this question to see if he thinks it might do what the consumer clay could not?

I'm thinking if it is topical, wouldn't this be the way to attack it?

Not when we read this,

I am able to chip it a bit with my fingernail, but it is also incredibly stubborn.

I think it lies partly above and partly below the clearcoat line.

There's not a product by any company specifically made for this type of problem, that's where you have to dig into your ingenuity and find a custom way to deal with the problem.

Chipping it off with a fingernail or plastic razor blade and then removing any scratches you put into the paint in the process is one way.

Sanding may be necessary also.

Maybe letting something like Goo Gone dwell on it for a few minutes might help. Hard to say without working on it in person.

Maybe scratchX is worth a shot. In any case the damage hasn't gotten visibly worse since it happened.

My real burning question is whether or not I should pick up some M105. All I know is the #83 works really slow on this car's paint and I wouldn't mind something that can take out scratches and swirls a bit faster. But, I don't want to underestimate M105 either.

Also, I have searched the forums for a while now but I haven't conclusively found the answer to this:

I made a mistake earlier in the thread as I don't have the new G110. I have the "old" Meguiar's porter cable orbital buffer, whichever one you would've been selling in 2006. I forgot the model number off hand, but you should know which one.

Will the soft buff 2.0 pads work with the original orbital buffer and original backing plate, or do I need to order a new backing plate?

I cannot tell from the pictures, do the new soft buff 2.0 pads simply attach with velcro just like the old ones? Or is there a new mechanism to attach them to the new backing plate.

None of that is going to work. If you have to chip of flakes of this substance with your fingernail then that's a sign you have a problem that rubbing a compound or paint cleaner over by hand or with a foam pad isn't going to remove it.
'
The bond is to strong and the material is rigid.

There is no easy way to get this off until you start experimenting with things outside the scope of removing regular swirls and scratches.