Safe to polish under hood?

[512detail]

Any risks to polishing with my nano and the yellow rupes pad on the black paint under my hood?



My exact plans are

Spray and wipe-done

Essence via nano and 30mm yellow pad

pbl v1 (still got like 1/4 ounce left, should be enough)

I`m only concerned that since it does not appear to be clear coated that black paint might come up on the polishing pad and ruin it. Since I have no idea how much these pads are going to cost, or when I can even order more...I don`t know if I should do this or not.

Need advice please

Backup plan is hand pad and essence + reload (lol)

Thanks

Brandt K.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[Accumulator]

512detail- I do it all the time, every vehicle. Gotta be careful about it though as *many* vehicles aren`t clearcoated there and some have only a *very* light fogging of basecoat over top the primer. Sounds like yours might be in that category.

I`ve cut through with just one pass using extremely mild Finishing Polish/Finishing Pad combos. So I encourage you to do it, just be aware of the potential issues and be careful.

I never worry much about pigment from basecoat/single stage staining my pads. While it might look awful, IME it never has any functional downside. But I wouldn`t get a pad badly stained with Red/Black paint and then use it on White either

[RaysWay]

Yep just be careful. Paint is usually thinner under the hood. I let my PE8 sit on an edge for a second too long and burned it. But the results were great. I loved popping my hood and seeing peoples reactions to a spotless and shiny engine bay.

[mnewxcv]

that a fusion?

[Accumulator]

And besides it looking nice, smoothing the paint and then LSPing it makes it a *LOT* less prone to retaining dirt/moisture. Very easy to *keep* clean too.

Vega- The cut-throughs can happen *fast* in areas like that, huh?!?

You have that looking great, now go back and tidy up that secondary hood release (Heh heh, couldn`t resist as in the pic it doesn`t look like something I`d want to touch..might just be the pic.)

While we`re discussing underhood polishing, there *is* the related topic of those Black Bits, which can deteriorate rapidly if not maintained from new, and also the zinc/cad/etc.-plated stuff, which will oxidize when neglected. Nasty, surface-rusted surfaces like this can often clean up a lot better than one might expect.

[512detail]

Thanks guys.

Maybe i will hold off until i get a softer pad for the nano.

I don`t want to mess anything up.


Im thinking maybe i should black hole then exp twice.

Then fk1000p on top for the extra protection

Or black label coating booster and call it a day perhaps?
Spend extra time on applying another coat of Sonus Motor Kote to the plastics(last one worked very well for 6 months)


Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[Accumulator]

512detail- Glad to hear you`re gonna take it easy with a nice, gentle approach. No point in letting your Inner Autopia talk you into overdoing it and then having regrets.

FWIW, the last time I did this sort of thing (`93 Audi) I used 1Z WaxPolishSoft (a very, *VERY* mild polish that`s basically an old-school AIO that does a little filling), not aggressive enough to do any real correction but a bit more oomph than AIO. Topped with FK1000P which bonded fine to the 1Z WPS, which still surprises me a little.

How are your black and plated bits under there? Got any special plans for those?

Oh, and thinking of that other thread, I hope you get your tire damage sorted out. That happened to the Tahoe and I *just* got it back up the street and into the garage before it went flat (a Michelin that had to be replaced, but at least they could still get it; shame they [messed] up the barrel of that wheel ).

[cardaddy]

I agree... paint under there can be super thin.

Although..... as we`ve all heard (from the stone ages I reckon) that one can take PTG measurements under the hood, in the jambs, etc. to see how thick the paint is there, to get some sort of idea how save it`d be to buff elsewhere. As in where it`s either not been buffed, or supposedly has clear, more clear, etc.

On CarMomma`s Denali, the inside of the doors will be 55~59 mils, and outside will be 155~160 mils. So the jamb thing didn`t help there. Other than saying that it is THIN in the jambs.

I also recently checked all the jambs on my Infiniti and they are every bit as thin as the rest of the darned thing. I`ve NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE (of any type) with paint this darned thin! This friggin` thing is lucky to have SEVENTY MILS anywhere you look! I know it`s always been stupidly easy to chip, and scratches just as easily it seems. So much for ceramic clear huh?

The only thing that I`ve found on all my vehicles, (which are all BC/CC) is the jambs, under the hood, trunk, etc. are ALL thinner than the exterior portion. Now were it old school single stage... ok.... perhaps that`ll have more paint in those areas. Back then the manufacturers were not looking to save 21.2¢ in paint per vehicle by skimping on the jambs versus the rest of the car. These days.... with BC/CC, and even blended base/clear, not to mention waterborne paint systems, they all seem to be putting on the extreme bare minimum to cover the primer.


With exception I reckon to the new Camaro`s in black metallic. Where they are not even COVERING quite a few of them! (Can you say dealer buy back?) I can`t imagine why they`d build a $50,000+ car and the paint be so thin you can SEE THROUGH IT!!!! Not just in the jambs, but even on exterior panels as well!

[512detail]

How are your black and plated bits under there? Got any special plans for those?

No im not into those types of things.
I`ll keep it stock looking.

I`d stroke the engine (392 crank) and keep everything else stock.(long term goal)

Visually...id like to get a black radiator resovoir, and black wiper fluid housing but other than that I`d rather put all that nickel and diming 200+ at a time into a fund for a SRT max cam (inertia motorsports happens to be 20 mins from me)

I have Ron style boxes of suspension parts in my spare bedroom. I`m collecting to do a full redo, bushings and all.
Im gonna steam everything too.




Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[512detail]

Steam the liner...then prolly optimum carpet/fabric cleaner/protectant
Or 303 if it steams up well enough

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[ViperGuy21]

Oooooh, I honestly hadn`t thought to polish up the paint under the hood. I`ll probably do the same I did to my door jambs(Sonax Profiline EX 04 06 and a poly foam applicator and a spray wax). Not looking for show car perfection there, just some more shine and less scratches

[512detail]

Oooooh, I honestly hadn`t thought to polish up the paint under the hood. I`ll probably do the same I did to my door jambs(Sonax Profiline EX 04 06 and a poly foam applicator and a spray wax). Not looking for show car perfection there, just some more shine and less scratches

I just want to show the `show` crowd (in our car club) I can do under hood better than them as well

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[Accumulator]

No im not into those types of things.
I`ll keep it stock looking...

Sorry, I was unclear (and I too generally like things to stay stock-looking even when modded)...I meant the *factory black-finished stuff*. Brackets, hood release and latch, that sort of thing.

[Accumulator]

I just want to show the `show` crowd (in our car club) I can do under hood better than them as well

I get a sorta perverse kick out of keeping the engine compartments/suspensions of my beaters nicer than my pals` Concours cars. Eh, I lost interest in the JCNA Concours scene when I found out they don`t even *look* at the undercarriages and that the hoods stay shut in the "Driven Class".

[512detail]

Sorry, I was unclear (and I too generally like things to stay stock-looking even when modded)...I meant the *factory black-finished stuff*. Brackets, hood release and latch, that sort of thing.

What should I do them? I ended up working on my neighbors Harley more so I didn`t get to finishing my hood area.