Zaino & Streaks
05-20-2002, 10:57 PM
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Zaino & Streaks
Hi Everybody!
This past weekend I had a chance to Zaino my new black 2002 S2k, which I took delivery of about a week ago. Keep in mind that this was my first experience with Zaino. I tried to follow every single detail about Zaino'ing the car.
Wash w/Dawn
Clay the car (w/proper car wash mixture as lubricant)
Wash w/Mother's car wash liquid (didn't buy the Zaino car wash liquid)
All drying was done with new 100% made in the USA white cotton towels.
Applied Z5 with ZFX using horizontal movements on top panels, and vertical movements on side panels.
After the first Z5 coat hazed (gave it 1 hour to haze, and only used about 1/3rd of an ounce for the entire car) I began to buff out the coat and noticed that faint streaks were left on the car that I couldn't buff out. Hard to describe these streaks, but in certain lights it looked greasy and in other lights it looked like I didn't buff out the haze enough. That wasn't the case, as I did try over and over again to buff out these streaks but to no avail. Also of note was that these streaks were consistent with with the movements I used to apply the polish.
Oh well, I figured I would continue with the Zaino treatment.
The next day I gave the car a once over with the gloss enhancer spray (Z16?)
Then applied Z2 with ZFX.
After the Z2 coat hazed, I buffed out the coat and finished up with the gloss spray again. This seemed to reduce the streaks from the day before, but in certain light you can still definitely see the streaks.
What exactly are these streaks, and what did I do wrong with the application to cause them?
Any help or advice you guys can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
This past weekend I had a chance to Zaino my new black 2002 S2k, which I took delivery of about a week ago. Keep in mind that this was my first experience with Zaino. I tried to follow every single detail about Zaino'ing the car.
Wash w/Dawn
Clay the car (w/proper car wash mixture as lubricant)
Wash w/Mother's car wash liquid (didn't buy the Zaino car wash liquid)
All drying was done with new 100% made in the USA white cotton towels.
Applied Z5 with ZFX using horizontal movements on top panels, and vertical movements on side panels.
After the first Z5 coat hazed (gave it 1 hour to haze, and only used about 1/3rd of an ounce for the entire car) I began to buff out the coat and noticed that faint streaks were left on the car that I couldn't buff out. Hard to describe these streaks, but in certain lights it looked greasy and in other lights it looked like I didn't buff out the haze enough. That wasn't the case, as I did try over and over again to buff out these streaks but to no avail. Also of note was that these streaks were consistent with with the movements I used to apply the polish.
Oh well, I figured I would continue with the Zaino treatment.
The next day I gave the car a once over with the gloss enhancer spray (Z16?)
Then applied Z2 with ZFX.
After the Z2 coat hazed, I buffed out the coat and finished up with the gloss spray again. This seemed to reduce the streaks from the day before, but in certain light you can still definitely see the streaks.
What exactly are these streaks, and what did I do wrong with the application to cause them?
Any help or advice you guys can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
05-21-2002, 04:20 AM
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Albert,
Couple of questions for you. Does the Mother's car wash contain any wax? Make sure you use a wax free car wash, since one of the objectives is to give real clarity to the surface unachievable with wax based products.
How much moisture did you have on the applicator when you applied Zaino? It should only be slightly damp.
Did you go over the car with Z-6 after your initial application? Using Z-6 will remove any residue (visible or not) left by the polish.
How much Z-6 did you use? All of the Zaino products are highly concentrated, so it only takes a little to do the job. If you used 1/2 oz Z-6 on the whole car, that would be plenty!
Hopefully you washed the towels with liquid detergent, no bleach or fabric softener, before you used them.
ZFX is great! One of the objectives is to allow you apply up to 3 coats in a single day, reducing the amount of time required to build gloss and depth. Cure time is very fast. From the Zaino Web site:
"Squirt a dime size dab of polish on your applicator and rub it into your paint using circular hand motions. Then, go over the same area using a straight back and forth motion on top panels and an up and down motion on side panels. Allow the polish to haze over (20 minutes is sufficient)."
Hope this is helpful information for you.
Couple of questions for you. Does the Mother's car wash contain any wax? Make sure you use a wax free car wash, since one of the objectives is to give real clarity to the surface unachievable with wax based products.
How much moisture did you have on the applicator when you applied Zaino? It should only be slightly damp.
Did you go over the car with Z-6 after your initial application? Using Z-6 will remove any residue (visible or not) left by the polish.
How much Z-6 did you use? All of the Zaino products are highly concentrated, so it only takes a little to do the job. If you used 1/2 oz Z-6 on the whole car, that would be plenty!
Hopefully you washed the towels with liquid detergent, no bleach or fabric softener, before you used them.
ZFX is great! One of the objectives is to allow you apply up to 3 coats in a single day, reducing the amount of time required to build gloss and depth. Cure time is very fast. From the Zaino Web site:
"Squirt a dime size dab of polish on your applicator and rub it into your paint using circular hand motions. Then, go over the same area using a straight back and forth motion on top panels and an up and down motion on side panels. Allow the polish to haze over (20 minutes is sufficient)."
Hope this is helpful information for you.
05-21-2002, 09:03 AM
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Streece, thanks for your prompt reply. Lemme see if I can answer all of your questions.
I don't think that the Mother's car wash liquid had any wax in it. Just their basic car wash solution, but I'll double check it when I get home.
I used a light misting of Z6 on a small fresh cotton towel. Maybe two sprays for each dry part of the towel I used.
I used Z6 after the initial application. After the first application I buffed out the haze, and then returned to the car the next day for the Z6 once-over.
I tried to use Z6 sparingly per the instructions on the bottle.
The towels... were not washed beforehand. They were brand new from the store. I knew I should've washed the towels beforehand (primarily to reduce lint) but I guess I was too excited to get started!
One thing I didn't follow on the directions however, is the use of circular motions when applying the polish at first... and then going to back and forth motions. I just did the back and forth motions and skipped the circular motions. Is this a no-no?
I don't think that the Mother's car wash liquid had any wax in it. Just their basic car wash solution, but I'll double check it when I get home.
I used a light misting of Z6 on a small fresh cotton towel. Maybe two sprays for each dry part of the towel I used.
I used Z6 after the initial application. After the first application I buffed out the haze, and then returned to the car the next day for the Z6 once-over.
I tried to use Z6 sparingly per the instructions on the bottle.
The towels... were not washed beforehand. They were brand new from the store. I knew I should've washed the towels beforehand (primarily to reduce lint) but I guess I was too excited to get started!
One thing I didn't follow on the directions however, is the use of circular motions when applying the polish at first... and then going to back and forth motions. I just did the back and forth motions and skipped the circular motions. Is this a no-no?
05-21-2002, 10:43 AM
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OK - so - the streaks were not whitish - but looked smeary (is that a word?).
Im fairly sure - although not positive that the average Mothers car wash says cleans and shines - leads me to think there is wax in it.
if whitish, i would go with too much z5 and not dried enough.
I dont want to insult you - or your ability to measure - but i have to assume you used the small mixing bottle for your z5/zfx mixture - and you are aware those bottles are 2 ounces - not 1. ?
again, i dont want to sound insulting, but i have had customers forget they were two ounces.
Im fairly sure - although not positive that the average Mothers car wash says cleans and shines - leads me to think there is wax in it.
if whitish, i would go with too much z5 and not dried enough.
I dont want to insult you - or your ability to measure - but i have to assume you used the small mixing bottle for your z5/zfx mixture - and you are aware those bottles are 2 ounces - not 1. ?
again, i dont want to sound insulting, but i have had customers forget they were two ounces.
05-21-2002, 10:55 AM
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Hey Homer2, no insult taken
To answer your question, yes I was aware that those were 2 ounce bottles. I was hyper aware of not using too much of that stuff. So much so, that at the end of the first application I thought I didn't put on enough, but was disciplined enough to let it go and not try to add more.
Smeary is a good adjective for these streaks, although if you look at it at just the right angle it also appears somewhat whitish as well.
Should I expect these streaks to go away after I wash and apply another coat this weekend?
To answer your question, yes I was aware that those were 2 ounce bottles. I was hyper aware of not using too much of that stuff. So much so, that at the end of the first application I thought I didn't put on enough, but was disciplined enough to let it go and not try to add more.
Smeary is a good adjective for these streaks, although if you look at it at just the right angle it also appears somewhat whitish as well.
Should I expect these streaks to go away after I wash and apply another coat this weekend?
05-21-2002, 11:07 AM
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Phew ! You never know how someone is going to take something you typed, since it lacks so much of that inter-personal stuff we can use to "not offend".
In a word - yes. I have found that using Z5 as the polish (and leaving the Z2 alone 'till Im happy) works well.
In a word - yes. I have found that using Z5 as the polish (and leaving the Z2 alone 'till Im happy) works well.
05-21-2002, 11:13 AM
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Albert,
Probably not the cause, but I would have washed the towels first. New towels often have a kind of slick feel to them, as if there is some residue left on them from the manufacturing process.
I believe Zaino's reason for using circular, then straight line motions is to insure that the surface is covered completely. It isn't a no-no to use straight line from the beginning, just make sure you overlap the strokes to assure coverage.
Probably not the cause, but I would have washed the towels first. New towels often have a kind of slick feel to them, as if there is some residue left on them from the manufacturing process.
I believe Zaino's reason for using circular, then straight line motions is to insure that the surface is covered completely. It isn't a no-no to use straight line from the beginning, just make sure you overlap the strokes to assure coverage.
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05-21-2002, 05:13 PM
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i believe what those streak marks are the undried zaino. if you dont let the zaino completely dry you will have streaks or smudges all over your car. best thing i recommend doing is after you zaino let your car cure overnight and then remove the zaino. this guarantees all the zaino has cured. or try using zfx.
chris
chris
05-22-2002, 08:36 AM
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Don't know if this is correct or not but I was told never to use circular motion because that created swirl marks in a circular direction rather than up and down or side to side. Swirl marks are inevitable but less noticable if you do not use a circular motion.
I have never had a streaking problem so I can't say anything about that. I do however use the Zaino car wash and a good cotton towl.
I have never had a streaking problem so I can't say anything about that. I do however use the Zaino car wash and a good cotton towl.