questions about PC and abrasives

[wizardofahs]

I have a black 2000 Civic SI with some bad swirls... i was going to attack it with SMR and FI-II and my PC once the weather heats up. On the side of the Civic SI's there is a sticker that says "DOHC VTEC"... not this is just a regular clear sticker... it stays on there well.. but will the FI-II and the PC damage it? If it is an abrasive it would seem that it could scratch the surface.... would it be better just to work around it? I usually wax over it and i don't think that's a problem. Also i know when removing swirls you start with the least abrasive and work up... (in my case SMR, SMR with yellow pad, FI-II) once you get to the step that removes the swirls do you go back down? like after the FI-II am i safe to use my pinacle paint cleanser... or should i use the SMR again? Thanks as always for the help... this board is great!

 

[imported_doug]

Dr. Jones - good questions.



1) yeah, avoid the sticker. If you bump up against it once or twice it won't be a problem, but repeated rubbing over it could significantly dull the sticker or even remove its color. (If this happens, use a heat gun to remove the sticker and order new ones. )



2) You're right - start gentle, move up as needed. On a black car, you may find you'll need SMR after FI-II - however the more you work FI-II the more its abrasives break down and the more gloss will come back. If you don't work it a lot, it will leave a hazy look on your paint (I had to learn this the hard way!) However after SMR there is no need to the PPCL - you can go straight to your wax.



3) The technique you learn with the FI-II is the same technique you should then use with the SMR - you'll be really pleased with the results. Assuming you're using a porter-cable, don't be afraid to run it all the way up to 6 for the FI-II and SMR, and begin each section with plenty of pressure. As it stgarts to dry/haze, reduce pressure gradually and keep workin' it.