cloudy carbon fiber hood fix
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 340
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From: Pax River MD
cloudy carbon fiber hood fix
For as long as I've had my hood, at least that I can remember, its looked like crap, cloudy and and covered in waterspots. Waxing never helped, quick detail would make it look ok for about 30 seconds, and if it was dry (even clean) it usually had the texture of sandpaper. Even claying didn't help. Everybody who's seen it has told me to take it to a bodyshop and have it recleared. Haven't done it for 2 reasons: I don't want to spend the money, and the one shop I went to had no clue if they could even reclear it.
Anyway, skip to the present... at last weeks MidA Wash'n'Wax meet, AnimeS2K asked if he could try messing w/ my hood a bit. He had a theory that the clear on CF is different than regular clearcoat, that it's gel, and that if you put a coat of regular clear on it would just peel off. A PC and a few minutes later, he had one corner looking pretty nice. I was impressed, and determined to finish the job.
Thus, I began a search for some new supplies, since obviously the stuff i've been using wasn't gonna cut it. In the process of looking around the Autogeek site, a statement caught my eye. In a nutshell, it said that the gelcoat used on boats is different that a car clearcoat, that its very porous, and prone to oxidation, waterspots, and stuff growing in the pores. Normal car stuff couldn't work, and there was boat specific stuff that would. And of course, Meguires makes marine stuff too. Contemplated ordering some stuff, when i was reminded I live in a heavy boating area, so I went and hit one of the big boating stores. Bingo! Picked up some #45 Marine Polish and #49 Oxidation Remover and Cleaner. Started hitting it last night, forgot to get a good before pic, but got some half ways that make the situation clear.
In the end, I ended up applying the 49, then the 45, topping it off with a layer of Klasse AIO, then two coats of Natty's Blue Paste Wax. All by hand. My arm hurts
(and yes, I want a PC, but the extention cord I'd need to use it would cost me about half a PC)
The #49 is some pretty gritty stuff (almost like Lava soap) but it breaks down fairly quick. I think I needed it, but they do make some less harsh products. They list some waterspot remover and some color restorer that looks a little weaker for less demanding jobs.
The #45 polish was alot smoother, but I had some pretty splotchy/uneven looking results until I figured out I needed to work it in more so it would actually remove right.
In hindsight, i probably should have claybar'd before the polish, but I didn't feel like taking the extra time that would entail yet.
Before I continued this morning. Still have the driver side to do. Only #49 so far.
Close up of some of the nastiness. top portion of pic. bottom is complete I think.
another pic of the bad area
hood corner, real bad spot. another pic later for comparison.
half'n'half, bottom good, top bad
farther along, unfinished part circled (though its pretty obvious)
finished. Shiniest its ever been i think.
Proof of what I used
Hope you guys like what I did, and that it'll maybe help somebody else in a similar situation.
-John
Anyway, skip to the present... at last weeks MidA Wash'n'Wax meet, AnimeS2K asked if he could try messing w/ my hood a bit. He had a theory that the clear on CF is different than regular clearcoat, that it's gel, and that if you put a coat of regular clear on it would just peel off. A PC and a few minutes later, he had one corner looking pretty nice. I was impressed, and determined to finish the job.
Thus, I began a search for some new supplies, since obviously the stuff i've been using wasn't gonna cut it. In the process of looking around the Autogeek site, a statement caught my eye. In a nutshell, it said that the gelcoat used on boats is different that a car clearcoat, that its very porous, and prone to oxidation, waterspots, and stuff growing in the pores. Normal car stuff couldn't work, and there was boat specific stuff that would. And of course, Meguires makes marine stuff too. Contemplated ordering some stuff, when i was reminded I live in a heavy boating area, so I went and hit one of the big boating stores. Bingo! Picked up some #45 Marine Polish and #49 Oxidation Remover and Cleaner. Started hitting it last night, forgot to get a good before pic, but got some half ways that make the situation clear.
In the end, I ended up applying the 49, then the 45, topping it off with a layer of Klasse AIO, then two coats of Natty's Blue Paste Wax. All by hand. My arm hurts
(and yes, I want a PC, but the extention cord I'd need to use it would cost me about half a PC)The #49 is some pretty gritty stuff (almost like Lava soap) but it breaks down fairly quick. I think I needed it, but they do make some less harsh products. They list some waterspot remover and some color restorer that looks a little weaker for less demanding jobs.
The #45 polish was alot smoother, but I had some pretty splotchy/uneven looking results until I figured out I needed to work it in more so it would actually remove right.
In hindsight, i probably should have claybar'd before the polish, but I didn't feel like taking the extra time that would entail yet.
Before I continued this morning. Still have the driver side to do. Only #49 so far.
Close up of some of the nastiness. top portion of pic. bottom is complete I think.
another pic of the bad area
hood corner, real bad spot. another pic later for comparison.
half'n'half, bottom good, top bad
farther along, unfinished part circled (though its pretty obvious)
finished. Shiniest its ever been i think.
Proof of what I used
Hope you guys like what I did, and that it'll maybe help somebody else in a similar situation.
-John
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,113
Likes: 4
From: manhattan beach, calif
good post!
polish is usually the solution for dull paint...
dont worry about the claying- in the old days, we didnt have clay and polish was the solution... it still is fine without clay.
you can always clay next time you detail the car if the surface is rough.
polish is usually the solution for dull paint...
dont worry about the claying- in the old days, we didnt have clay and polish was the solution... it still is fine without clay.
you can always clay next time you detail the car if the surface is rough.
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,460
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From: NorCAL
Nice. I also tried to do this but i used different products that guys at Honda-tech recommended but i had no success. I ended up paiting my hood not because of oxidation really but because it turned yellow and green...
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 340
Likes: 1
From: Pax River MD
Thanks It seems to be holding up so far. Noticed what looked like a spot forming right above the engine after a 2+ hr drive, but it went away when I hit it w/ quick detailer and hasn't come back, so it may have been dirt or condensation. If it keeps doing it, I'm planning to slap some heatshield on the underside of the hood.
It seems to be holding up so far. Noticed what looked like a spot forming right above the engine after a 2+ hr drive, but it went away when I hit it w/ quick detailer and hasn't come back, so it may have been dirt or condensation. If it keeps doing it, I'm planning to slap some heatshield on the underside of the hood.
