Strange OptiCoat happening

[swanicyouth]

In March of 2012 I polished out my vehicle finishing with Wolfgang Finishing Glaze. After I wiped it down with 20% IPA and Opticoated it. At the time I didn't realize how significant the "glaze" is in Wolfgang Finishing Glaze. Since, I've realized it does leave a significant glaze behind.

Since then, I've applied different spray waxes to it after washing. I wash it weekly, and it always beads well. About a week ago I applied PB White Diamond and Nattys to exactly one half the good to see if there was any durability. Before applying that, I cleaned the hood with IPA and Sonus APC to kill any of the spray wax.

Yesterday I washed the vehicle and the waxed half didn't bead at all. So I figured the Nattys was gone. So, I decided to clean the hood only with the Sonus APC 30:1 to remove any residue to re apply the spray wax. Sonus says this product is OK to use on paint an it removes wax
Nicely.

However, after cleaning the whole hood after washing, I noticed it appeared the OptiCoat was gone! I thought maybe this was a remnant of the Sonus cleaner, so I cleaned it again with Griots Paint Prep. Gone! The water just sat on the hood with no sheeting or beading whatsoever.

Thing back, ever since I coated this vehicle it always beaded well. When I first washed it after coating it I recall it beading well. Since then, it's beaded we'll and evenly while washing, and whenever it rains. However, I always apply
A spray wax after washing to slicken the surface and boost gloss.

After I noticed the hood wasn't beading, I wiped half the front fender with APC. It still beaded well. Looking back, I should have wiped down the whole vehicle while it was clean and I had a hose out to see of this problem was isolated to the hood.

For some reason, it seems the OC is gone from at least the hood of my vehicle. I wondering if has has to do with my initial polishing with the Wolfgang Finishing Glaze? Maybe it wasn't all wiped off, even though I did extensively wipe it down with IPA.
But why only the hood??? I'll have to strip all the spray wax off the vehicle and rinse it again to be sure it's isolated to the hood only.

Anyway, last night I ordered another syringe of OC and a liter of eraser. I plan on polishing (hopefully only the hood) with Optimum Finish Polish, cleaning with Eraser and re coating. I'm hoping it's only the hood.

A few questions:

1. Has experience shown Erasor is able to kill any left over wax or polish?

2. Anyone have any idea what happened here or a similar experience ?

Thanks

[Rsurfer]

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[Chris@Optimum]

Opti coat is very resistent to chemicals after only a week into the curing process. CEE DOG documented this a thread and that is consisten with my use. I have been able to kill the beading with Power Clean only to have it restored after a couple of washes, so I wouldn't do anything just yet. Wash it a couple of times and maybe a pass with mild clay and see where you are. I've only had one other customer mention something like this and after we spoke, we discovered that the panel that wasn't beading was polished with M205 and the rest of the car was polished with Optimum Polish II. He repolished with Polish II on that panel and recoated. That's by no means a slam to M205...but it is harder to remove what's left from it than OPII apparently.

[swanicyouth]

The funny thing is, I have to high spots on the roof I wasn't worried about(it's an SUV) because you can't see them. They look like typical OC high spots, rainbow like. So, I'm hoping it's just my hood.

[loudog2]

I used it on 3 cars last year. All three had areas that OC seemed to be gone. 2 were DD's and one a garage queen. The DD's had more areas than the garaged one.

[swanicyouth]

Originally Posted by loudog2

I used it on 3 cars last year. All three had areas that OC seemed to be gone. 2 were DD's and one a garage queen. The DD's had more areas than the garaged one.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue. Only thing I can think of is maybe we are applying it TOO thin. I'm trying it once more. This time I will only wipe it with ONR after washing to remove any water spots, no spray waxes. If it doesn't last this time, I'm going back to a sealant topped with a wax. Sixty bucks for 20cc plus shipping is too much for a single application to be having these issues.

[embolism]

Originally Posted by swanicyouth

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue. Only thing I can think of is maybe we are applying it TOO thin. I'm trying it once more. This time I will only wipe it with ONR after washing to remove any water spots, no spray waxes. If it doesn't last this time, I'm going back to a sealant topped with a wax. Sixty bucks for 20cc plus shipping is too much for a single application to be having these issues.

Are you using 20cc per application? That's way too much. I get about 2.5-3 cars per syringe depending on how much extra I coat other than paint (glass, wheels, trim)

[swanicyouth]

Originally Posted by Chris@Optimum

I have been able to kill the beading with Power Clean only to have it restored after a couple of washes, so I wouldn't do anything just yet. Wash it a couple of times and maybe a pass with mild clay and see where you are. I've only had one other customer mention something like this and after we spoke, we discovered that the panel that wasn't beading was polished with M205 and the rest of the car was polished with Optimum Polish II. He repolished with Polish II on that panel and recoated. That's by no means a slam to M205...but it is harder to remove what's left from it than OPII apparently.

Well, I think a lot of us are relying on 20% IPA and I don't think that it is doing enough with modern polishes and LSPs.

Frankly, after I was done with this vehicle, I polished some light marring out of another vehicle with the same polish (Wolfgang Finishing Glaze). Knowing its a finishing polish AND a glaze I worked diligently with IPA to check that the defects were gone. They were, or so I thought. Next day I drove the car in a rain storm, and the defects returned. I wouldnt believe it unless I saw it.

Maybe that is what is going on here. Maybe it wasn't all off.

[Chris@Optimum]

I have some Wolfgang Finishing Glaze that I used recently on a Black G Wagon before I Opti Guarded it. I used Polish II on it first and it wasn't doing what I wanted it to...anyway, the WFG worked great on that vehicle, I wiped it down with mineral spirits and then coated it. I have washed it about 5 times since and all is well.

I don't like IPA because I'm afraid is doesn't have enough lubrication. I also think it flashes too fast and you are likely to just have the stuff you're trying to remove just deposit right back on the surface unless you change your towel after every panel...but that's just my opinion.

I prefer mineral spirits because they have always worked fast and I can tell by the "feel" when I am finished (hard to explain). I have heard many others comment that Eraser works well...but, it has a very high alcohol content so I haven't tried it. I requested that Dr. G make a paint prep product and he has sent me a few samples to date. They work very well and will be dilutable to suit your task. I'm not sure when we'll release it...but know we are working on something that will meet the pre coating prep specifically.

[swanicyouth]

Are mineral spirits safe on paint undulated? Can i use them to strip spray wax off Opticoat to see if the OC is on fact still on the surface. What I mean is, if I wipe an Opticoated panel down with mineral spirits, if the panel is indeed coated, will it still bead?