DACP and Swirls

[BlueRanger]

So i detailied my ranger yesterday, pictures to follow when i get back to my comp at college, i used DACP via a yellow pad, really worked it in, and wiped it off and the feeling is best described as "squeeky" clean. Then i did AIO with a white pad, and SG by hand. I will be adding another coat of SG and topping with S100. Heres the problem: First of all, i destroyed a yellow pad, it was very dirty by the time i was done with the truck, and BOTH white pads were practically black after the AIO. Is this normal? Also, the swirls are still there, i was in my garage at night, so i coulnt tell, this morning in the sun, thehy are still there. What gives? Should i have followed up with some SMR or did i not work in the DACP enough? Im diong a red M3 and black CLK430 this week with bad swirls, i want them gone. Any input would be GREATLY APPRECIATED. Thanks a lot guys.



BTW, truck never looked and felt so good, minus the swirls. Maybe since its 6 years old and never taken care of till now?

ALSO: Used bill norths method of SG, wipe on, wipe off, i would actually do a couple of panels if i got momentum going, ANYWAYS. no streaking, and the paint looks amazing, (minus the swirls)

[imported_Greg]

It`s really hard to say. How did you destroy the pad? My guess is that your car must not be clearcoated. This would be the only logical explanation assuming you washed the car before you starting polishing. Did you actually chew up the pad or is it just stained? That happens, just wash with some warm water and some Dawn and then I use a fingernail brush to scrub the pad. If the DACP didn`t remove the swirls on what sounds like a non clearcoated car, then I would bet you didn`t work it long enough. Perhaps they are deeper scratches that something more aggressive will clear up. Perhaps they are deep enough that the only way to remove them is with a rotary. The PC just can`t correct all paint defects. I`ve never had a problem going right from DACP to AIO because I feel that it acts as a good intermediate polish to restores gloss especially with a white pad. Perhaps post some pics of the swirls and tell us if the truck is clearcoated or not. It appears that the truck is blue, were the pads blue or black when you were done? If they were black, I would venture to guess that you were polishing dirt into the car, thus creating swirls.

[BlueRanger]

yes, the pads were black, and my truck is CC, dang man, washed the truck twice, i dont see how there could be any dirt. Im definitly stumped. What is the right ammount of DACP to put on a pad per panel?

[imported_Dave Holmes]

If the pads turned black, and you washed twice, I`d bet it needed clayed. There may have been contaminants on the paint the washing didn`t remove, and the DACP did what it was designed to do and removed them. That happened to me with my white paint. It looked clean (just washed) and felt smooth. But the pads came up "dirty" (not black, but definitely dark). I clayed the other side before using DACP on it, and the pad came up much cleaner.

Don`t worry about staining the pad. As long as you wash them, they`ll be fine. Even if they are still discolored. Did you actually shred one on emblems or something? If so, I`d delegate it to things like rocker panels and other grunge work. You could use it for windows, too.

DACP is an amazing product, but sometimes you may have to make multiple passes. I work it until dry and powdery. That way the diminishing abrasives can do their thing. If the swirls are still there, you probably either didn`t work it well enough, or it needs a second pass.

You can also vary the speed of the PC and the amount of pressure you apply. This really works for stubborn swirls. I start at 4 to spread the product, then work my way up depending on how it is working (even to 6). I also use moderate pressure when removing swirls.

You could use an SMR after DACP if there is any hazing. But I`ve noticed if I work the DACP well enough, I don`t get any hazing. Your results may vary based on paint and color.



Dave

[LOTA OT]

Are the pads the same BLACK as your car, or just dirty? If it`s the same black as your car, then are you sure you`ve got a clear coat? Especially if you continue to get black using AIO after DACP. The first application of DACP would have removed most if not all surface dirt.



The right ammount of DACP? I use 4 nickle sized dabs per 3x3 area.



Michael

[Andre']

Did you clay the finish before you polished? The pad could just be full of dirt from the finish.

[BlueRanger]

I didnt clay, i think that was my problem, i did a black CLK430 yesderday, looked awesome when i was done, DACP definitly helped with the swirls, but they werent gone, i think i worked it in well but more time and another pass? Topped it with the klasse twins, looks amazing, pics to follow, just need to work the DACP more?