Weird and major problem with CF Hood!!! Anyone?

[nrengle]

Ok I was working on my friends Carbon Fiber hood on his Prelude. He's already decided to get a new one, but we had to try to save it first before his wife would get off him about ordering a new one.

The problem is, it's got a white hazed/oxidized look to it. He's washed, clayed and used a cleaner wax on it. Figure it's time to get a little more aggressive with it. Did a ONR wash, then a IPA wipe down. So broke out the rotary, orange pad, and Wolfgang TSR 3.0. Nothing, upon inspection it still looked hazed, and white. So went to the yellow pad with TSR (strongest stuff I had at the time). It leveled the clear slightly, but it still looks oxidized and hazed. And after doing a IPA wipedown on the hood in the test area it started to get weirder. I wiped the hood down, then it looked like it hazed, ran my finger across it, and it felt oily. So hit it with IPA again, same thing. Hit with 50/50 IPA, still oily. Went to pure IPA, still oily. Is it possible the gel coat is failing from the inside out? Whenever I'd run a finger or a cloth across the hood it'd leave a streak even with no pressure, and then my finger or cloth would feel oily. I'm at a loss as to whats up.

The main thing about this hood is it feels thin for carbon fiber, and when it's cool in the morning you can see the support structure frame in the dew outline.


I'll post pictures later when I find the dang'd cable for my camera.

I really want to try and save this hood even though he just ordered the new one online. I'd like to do this for practice and since it's a odd problem have a solution for the future if I would run into it again.

[killrwheels@autogeek]

I believe this was the same problem the engineers found when designing the new ZR1 for Chevy. The carbon fiber exposed to sunlight will oxidize and fade even with normal clearcoat. I know that offer they had to purchase some 60k per gallon resin coating. Sounds like it might be inherint. Consider contacting the manufacturer of the hood ??

[nrengle]

He's not been able to get a hold of them. To me the hood feels really thin. It was flexing just under the weight of the rotary when I was spreading the polish.

[scottgt]

there is sooooo much upkeep on cf ...you have to put a good coat of wax on it every week...make sure when he gets his new hood he does this..

[nrengle]

Here's the pics....

Before polishing (ONR and IPA wipe down)

With Flash:



Without flash









Afters (LC Yellow pad, Wolfgang TSR / IPA Wipe down):
Without flash:







With Flash:







The flash takes away the oxidation/hazing where it hits, but it also shows the underlying problems on the sides of the flash.

All those streaks were after a IPA wipe down. They weren't there till I did the wipe down, afterwards they came through, and were oily.

[nrengle]

Anyone? I got some info from Auto... something or other... But wanted to pick the brains of the people here that aren't on that site.

It's looking like it's coming down to crap poor prep and protection. Couple of people have said it's because CF needs to be cleared quite a bit after the factory, cause they usually do a bad job of it.

[Wendell Jarvis]

Scott's comment was correct, when he gets the new hood, it will need to be polished and sealed with a good coat of wax for protection........scrap the old hood! We all live and learn...........

[Eurocougar]

Has the hood been to a body shop for clear coating? Most CF hoods are not clear coated and just have a UV coating to protect from sun.

I'd recommend taking it to a body shop and having them correct and clear coat it. That's what I had to do with mine. That should fix the issue. Otherwise you'll find yourself polishing and buffing often.