cQuartz UK and SiC Stopped Beading Water

**BradVol** · 10-25-2023, 05:44 PM

A year ago I started using ceramic coats on my cars and some friends/family. I coated my mom's car last Nov with cQuartz UK 3.0 as the base and cQuartz SiC as the second coat. I did a full paint correction process and was very thorough with prep. Application went great. On other cars this has held up great. On hers the horizontal surfaces have stopped beading water (hood, roof, decklid) and I'm trying to figure out what to do to get them to be hydrophobic again. I don't believe the coating is gone, but I think it's probably clogged.

So far I used 3D Super Pre-Soak, iron remover, and maintenance wash on it but the beading didn't come back. I didn't use any tar remover or degreaser on it.

My dad washes her car every 2 months on average. It's garage kept 90% of the time. But she does park under a crepe myrtle that gets the car looking nasty sometimes. When he washes it he uses Mcguiars, which I know has a gloss additive in it.

What should I do to get the coating performing up to it's best possible level? I definitely expected to get more than 11 months out of the coating, but there's a chance it's just my expectations that were unrealistic.

**Setec Astronomy** · 10-25-2023, 07:29 PM

Have you tried claying a small area? It does sound clogged and the SiC is pretty tough. I'm not sure what you mean by "maintenance wash"; Reset is CarPro's "unclogging" soap.

**BradVol** · 10-25-2023, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Have you tried claying a small area? It does sound clogged and the SiC is pretty tough. I'm not sure what you mean by "maintenance wash"; Reset is CarPro's "unclogging" soap.

No, I haven't tried clay on a test section yet. That's a great idea. I'll see if I can try that.

I used the 3D super Pre-Soak as the decontamination wash. The maintenance wash I referenced is just a regular wash with a pH neutral soap. I think I used Adam's on her car.

No need to use a tar remover or a degreaser on it? I already have 3D Orange Degreaser and 3D bug remover. But I also want to cause the least harm to the coating possible.

Is CarPro Reset that much different or better than other acidic washes for an annual or semi-annual deep cleaning? I thought I was using 3D's version of the same thing. I still have a lot to learn.

**Setec Astronomy** · 10-25-2023, 09:47 PM

I don't know anything about the 3D Super, I was just pointing out Reset since you have a CarPro coating. You could also try IPA. Or your degreaser (diluted).

I'm just throwing out ideas, since no one else is.

**vaced** · 10-25-2023, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

I'm just throwing out ideas, since no one else is.

I'd throw out ideas if I had some, but I might've run out of good ideas long before this thread was started

Good luck with the coating. Hope you get it beading again

**The Guz** · 10-26-2023, 12:43 AM

Look into a variation of the 3 ph wash. Videos are on youtube to help figure out how to do it.

**DFB** · 10-26-2023, 04:42 AM

As mentioned by Guz, an acid/neutral/alkaline decontamination would be a good place to focus on.

1/Apply an iron remover from dry, allow to dwell 5 - 10 min. (pH neutral)
2/Foam an alkaline soap over the top of the iron remover, this increases the working time of the iron remover while targeting oilier contamination. (alkaline)
3/Rinse the car thoroughly.
4/Foam and the wash with an acidic soap, Carpro Descale for example. (acid)
5/Rinse and inspect.

Sandro goes over this in a few videos -

**Optimus Grime** · 10-26-2023, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by DFB

As mentioned by Guz, an acid/neutral/alkaline decontamination would be a good place to focus on.

4/Foam and the wash with an acidic soap, Carpro Descale for example. (acid)

This part right here. For a vehicle in need of serious decontamination I'll foam with 4 ounces of Descale and let it dwell just to start breaking down any minerals that may be clogging the coating and then I'll follow up with putting 4 ounces in my wash bucket and 3 gallons of water and do a very thorough contact wash. After that I'll rinse and hit it with an iron remover and possibly a tar remover on the rocker panels and above the wheel wells.

**SNP209** · 10-26-2023, 12:05 PM

Since you already gave it a high ph wash and iron remover treatment, the next step would be to apply a topper to give the coating a "boost". Something like CarPro's reload or elixir, for example.

**BradVol** · 10-26-2023, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by DFB

As mentioned by Guz, an acid/neutral/alkaline decontamination would be a good place to focus on.

1/Apply an iron remover from dry, allow to dwell 5 - 10 min. (pH neutral)
2/Foam an alkaline soap over the top of the iron remover, this increases the working time of the iron remover while targeting oilier contamination. (alkaline)
3/Rinse the car thoroughly.
4/Foam and the wash with an acidic soap, Carpro Descale for example. (acid)
5/Rinse and inspect.

Thanks for the great info guys. I ordered some new products today and we'll give it a shot.

I watched the videos and I'm still unclear on something. Do you need to wash with a pH neutral wash after the acidic wash? I thought it might help just get any residual acidity off the paint but maybe that's unnecessary?

Other than that I'm going to use the exact process you outlined and Sandro used in the videos.