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CQuart Finest Update and Engine Detail March 2014

Started by BiGMaC, March 17, 2014, 11:56:15 PM

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BiGMaC

First, Many Thanks to Wills and Dana Amstutz of Windows and Wheels. They do stellar work!

After I got my hotpipes installed I realized that the engine compartment was getting a bit dirtier than I'd like.  :-  So I made an appointment with my detail guy, Wills Amstutz of Windows and Wheels, for an engine detail.  I also wanted a professional exterior detail and a couple of scratches removed, likely from purses or people rubbing against the side of my SHO.  It gave me an opportunity to see how the CQuart Finest coating I had him put on the car after doing a paint correction was performing. I learned a few tricks too, which are worth passing on.

There are a number of products and techniques to make a car finish a next level thing... this is the route I started 4 months ago. I hope this posting will entertain and provide a little info to everyone no matter how they maintain the paint on their ride.

All the pics can be enlarged by left clicking on them. The info about any given pic is above it.

To let you do your own comparison of the exterior then vs now, the pics original images were posted in a start to finish story of the work Wills and Dana did in mid November 2013, which was only six weeks after I took delivery, to correct the dealer's faulty car finish care.
They had the paint finish looking like new autoglass with absolutely no scratches or "spiders".   These pics can be seen here (some of you guys have seen them):
http://www.autopia.org/forum/topic/132346-phoenix-detail-2013-sho-taurus-partial-repaint-water-spots-cquartz-finest/

As I have posted elsewhere, I truly do not touch the car when I wash it, but it has been a daily driver on my unpaved road and in the 20 miles of road construction I drive through every day going to work. Keep in mind that this car is not waxed in any of the pics.

But first, a few pics on the engine detail...
I had blown it off with my compressor... but we started with this:




So Wills started in... He does the engine bay first always for obvious reasons
He used this fantastic AR Blue industrial pressure washer throughout... 2' x 1' x 1' including the hose reel you see at the top of the pic, 2.1 gpm flow, and adjustable from 800psi to 2100psi.  Oh well, it's on my Christmas list, LOL.  He also uses deionized (spot-free rinse type) water throughout.... BTW I have one of these deionizers on order as cars dry fast in AZ summers at 10% humidity and I hate to rush to prevent mineral deposits on a black car.


He rinsed the engine with the PW, then soaped it all up and used microfiber mops (like you can buy for wheels) and an assortment of paint brushes to clean things and reach into the recesses.  No scrubbing with rags, stiff brushes, or use of pressure done throughout.  :nono:  Microfiber towels are used in the finishing work to remove XS protectant. A few example pics follow... just to see the care he takes. He's the man!




Of course he did the entire area covered by the hood and the underside of the hood not covered by the heat blanket.  He used the PW to rinse and reapply soap at intervals to prevent drying.... the the final rinse, including each time the surrounding exterior panels.


Next he used a Metrovac MasterBlaster to dry the engine compartment. (adjustable 4-8HP and about the size of three 3lb coffee cans... I do have one of these as I mentioned elsewhere and wouldn't trade it!

Looking better already!


Next the spray on water based protectant was applied from a spray bottle (so that it gets in all the recesses like the one pictured below) and allowed to bond and soak in for about 10 minutes  Then all the extra was gently wiped away using MF towels and no pressure... and a lot of attention to every area and piece.


When he was done under the hood we had this... And my face cracked with the smile I had!  ;D every bolt thread was spotless!  Sorry about the glare... phone pics on a bright day ya' know.




Then Wills began the exterior detail... ...which began of course with a copious PW rinsing of the whole car . 
Next he did the wheels with CarPro Iron-X (applied with the PW), followed by a PW rinse an then a PW soap wash of the tires... he does of course, use a soft brush on the rubber only... and another PW rinse

Then it was on to the general exterior detail... getting closer to what I wanted to see...  Before we started I had elected to have CarPro Reload applied after it was clean.  :ok: Reload is the same silica glass type of product as CQuart finest... It lasts for 2-3 months as a sealant (not a coating)... but with the CQuart Finest on the car already (2 year warranty) it actually polymerizes to the CQuart glass coating filling the small defects that I'll explain in a minute.  Reload costs about $2.20/use at retail price and only adds about 30 minutes to the job...... If you haven't noticed, like most of us I LOVE taking pics of my car, especially when it's clean and looking good!

So here we go!

First after the rinse to begin, mildly diluted CarPro Iron-X Snow Soap was applied with a foam cannon ad allowed to sit for 5-10 minutes... trick is not to let it dry even if you do sections. This is a decontamination step... Quicker than clay and a lot less work for what is advertised as the same results.  However, for a car without a coating I have to recommend contacting the manufacturer before you try this step.  It did get a little purple as it worked demonstrating the iron and contaminants in the coating from driving being dissolved and removed .  Why this is important can be seen in this explanation on the CarPro website at: http://www.cquartz.info/108-iron-x  It shows how imbedded contaminants destroy your finish by creating pits which decrease reflectivity and, eventually undermining the finish.

You'll note that the Iron-X doesn't yield that thick layer of foam that your soap will..


Then it was a copious rinse... the actual Foam Cannon no touch wash.. and copious PW rinse again.

Start by letting the coating, or a good coat of wax or sealant you've maintained, use the sheeting action of water from a hose without pressure get most of the water off the car as seen in this 30 second video (which I also posted elsewhere... because it blows my mind every time I see it... you don't have to look at it)
http://youtu.be/DPijJ3FM35Y


Then use a blower to get the rest of the water off and out of all the little places that it catches in... until you drive it off....
start with the nooks and crannies, then go top down... at least that how Wills does it.



You guys know how to wash a car... and the Reload is a simple spray on (again, it is not a quick detail product) and no pressure super-plush MF towel wipe... Literally about 2-3 ounces will cover the entire SHO at a cost of <$3/car.  So let's just move on to some finish pics... These are the ones to compare to the original job.

Here's the hood seen looking down from the front of the car.  The Reload is only on the right side of the hood (left side of the pic) and the line where it's not smoothed out yet is visible and marked by the tip of the reflection of the wiper. 
I couldn't tell the difference in reflectivity or shine... but for the money I'm putting it in my "every 60 day" regimen for the money. As wills says, "this is only a 4 month old coating and the wear and tear is microscopic...  when the contaminants are dissolved by the Iron-X it leaves little pits. The reload will fix it by filling the microscopic pits, bonding to the CQuart, and help prevent future damage"


The finished finish!   :clap:

Here's the hood (and reflection!) under the cover from about 3-4 feet.... I was jumping for Joy!  :banana:
To orient you, the upper left corner of the pic shows the right front edge of the car just above the headlight.


Here's the top... paint looks like the glass still... and the decontamination really woke up the metal-flake in the tux black


The hood with sun on it... note the powerlines


...And one more pic... for you guys wondering what this old man looks like...  :wheelchair: LOL
Here's the rear of the car.


Please notice the absence of "spiders" in the low angle sunlight pics. there are no signs of finish abrasion visible.

I was so blown away by Wills' work that I didn't get a pic of the whole car... my phone was dying anyway.  Next report which will also be shorter.

But for now I must conclude the CQuart Finest Silica Coating still looks as good as ever after 4 months (and that was in my care... LOL)... just remember, you can't touch a car's paint without scratching it... just not possible.

For you guys who got this far... Thanks! and if I can answer any questions just post 'em.  I'm far from an expert, but I'm trying to learn a new way and give folks the information they need to let them decide what they want to do as well as advise others.

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

DJE624

Simply stunning!  And,  thanks for the lesson.  There used to be a debate on whether to leave the engine running when washing.  I always used to leave mine on (but cooled down) when I cleaned it at the spray wash joint.  I assume he did yours with it off.

BiGMaC

#2
Quote from: DJE624 on March 18, 2014, 01:10:28 AM
Simply stunning!  And,  thanks for the lesson.  There used to be a debate on whether to leave the engine running when washing.  I always used to leave mine on (but cooled down) when I cleaned it at the spray wash joint.  I assume he did yours with it off.

Thanks Dave!  Hardly a lesson for you I think, but yes Wills did it with the engine off and warm (not hot).  I'll admit I worried about chasing water to get it to start, but it fired right up! ....Of course remember: He did it first... About 60-90 min before we tried to start it, used the blow dryer, and we're in phoenix with low humidity.  I'll text and ask him about that point.

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

SHOdded

#3
Has it been 4 months already???  The CQF is holding up well.  The engine compartment is SO CLEAN!  Great reflection shots :thumb:  On the Gen I/II SHOs, getting water into the spark plug wells was a big concern when cleaning around there.  Wouldn't do any permanent damage, but shortcircuit the ignition path and cause a no-start condition.

BTW, if you have ever seen shots of results from CP Reflect polishing, you'd swear CQF was on there already.  It is THAT good ...
2007 Ford Edge SEL, Powerstop F/R Brake Kit, TXT LED 6000K Lo & Hi Beams, W16W LED Reverse Bulbs, 3BSpec 2.5w Map Lights, 5W Cree rear dome lights, 5W Cree cargo light, DTBL LED Taillights

If tuned:  Take note of the strategy code as you return to stock (including 3 bar MAP to 2 bar MAP) -> take car in & get it serviced -> check strategy code when you get car back -> have tuner update your tune if the strategy code has changed -> reload tune -> ENJOY!

BiGMaC

#4
Thanks Manu!

I have checked-out a number of other products/methods reflectivity and water sheeting, including CP Reflect during my research as I needed a paint correction initially.  It is awesome for sure.  :coolgleam:  The result should be as good with any well maintained quality FS product.  I believe that vigilant maintenance , regardless of method, is the key. The Iron-X decontamination of the paint was new to me, and I hope proves to be a plus... I learn a lot watching and talking to Wills.

Great info about the Gen1 & 2 SHOs ignition  :thumb:  ... hopefully it will prevent others from having a problem.   Also it's a point for using a good blower to dry the engine as well as planning the time.

Again, thanks for looking... next report probably at a year.  This was a bit of an experiment for me as far as the CQF.

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

mval

tom:
looks great tom. by the way whose that old bald guy taking the pic of your car. god whoever he is, him & i got to quit going to same barber!!!!!!!
mikev
'10 lme 4+93, 160t, 3 bar, w/cust headrest & evo gauge pod,md design cai, ppe dpes, borla cback , vertini 20" cust wheels w/conti dws, ebc slotted rotors w/red pads & mgp caliper covers, viper remote start, cust dipped eng cover,fascia, cai & lids,decals, custom bra, black wrapped spoiler
2017 chally scat pack shaker yellow jacket dd, so sho can be a show queen

SwampRat

Quote from: mval on March 18, 2014, 12:29:40 PM
tom:
looks great tom. by the way whose that old bald guy taking the pic of your car. god whoever he is, him & i got to quit going to same barber!!!!!!!
mikev

hhhmmm ..... attention to detail .

Old bald guy with glasses and white goatee and stash ..

Keep her shiny BigMac .... I'm going the other way ! !
2013 SHO  ....  not mine anymore

2021 Edge ST

BiGMaC

Quote from: mval on March 18, 2014, 12:29:40 PM
tom:
looks great tom. by the way whose that old bald guy taking the pic of your car. god whoever he is, him & i got to quit going to same barber!!!!!!!
mikev
Thanks Mike.... I think,  :P  LOL.  I tell my family this, "I used to have hair..... now I have fun!"   
Maybe I'l put CQF on my head to keep it shiny too!

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

SwampRat

Quote from: BiGMaC on March 18, 2014, 12:49:22 PM

Thanks Mike.... I think,  :P  LOL.  I tell my family this, "I used to have hair..... now I have fun!"   
Maybe I'l put CQF on my head to keep it shiny too!

My mom got a plaque made years ago for my dad that's in the kitchen , he's 86 .
It says , God only made a few perfect heads , on the rest he put hair !
2013 SHO  ....  not mine anymore

2021 Edge ST

mjhpadi

I'm having a bit of trouble understanding exactly what the Iron-X is supposed to do...I understand it reacts with chemicals and changes color but after you rinse it off, the instructions say, to clay bar the car...if you still have to clay bar, I am not sure what the advantage using Iron-X gives you.  Is it supposed to remove something not removed by clay bar use?
2010 Candy Red SHO, Livernois Stage 4 Tune, Airaid CAI, Tinted Headlamps & Tails, LED Interior Lighting, LED Running Lights, LED Puddle and License Plate Lamps, LED DRL's, Window Tint, Rear Window Spoiler, V3 Triton Switchback Running Lights, Colgan Bra, Ford Racing Gauges (oil pressure, oil temperature, boost/vacuum)
Replaced by 2020 Hertiage Edition GT-350

BiGMaC

Quote from: mjhpadi on March 18, 2014, 04:48:20 PM
I'm having a bit of trouble understanding exactly what the Iron-X is supposed to do...I understand it reacts with chemicals and changes color but after you rinse it off, the instructions say, to clay bar the car...if you still have to clay bar, I am not sure what the advantage using Iron-X gives you.  Is it supposed to remove something not removed by clay bar use?

Yea Mark, I know, and good point.

I did ask Wills and CarPro exactly that.... I was told that the Iron-X dissolves and removes the contaminants from the little cavities they (the contaminants) create  (check the link to the pics on the CarPro site in the post). I also learned that CarPro advises (it's factory trained appliers) that it's not optimal to clay the CQF, but rather to fill/seal the micropores left from the Iron-X decontamination with Reload. I was intrigued because I'm lazy I guess....

Truly, as I pointed out... I know some contaminants came off and that some was iron (purple), but just like the one pic I posted, at 4 months in I really couldn't tell the difference in the final finish with or without Reload.... Maybe it's a preventative measure.... and maybe I was taken for a ride, but it was a cheap one (<$3 material), it didn't appear to hurt, and it's a quick thing I can do easily at home every 2-3 months.  Time will tell if all this works as I hope.
 
I must say, in contrast to the Reload, that I could see a difference after the Iron-X wash.  The paint looked noticeably deeper and the metal flake popped more, but look the same as the last pics.

Did I answer your question?   Given your knowledge of finish care I'd really be interested in your thoughts.  :beer2:

I'm not an expert and I never did this to a car before... So it's all kind of a slow motion experiment/trial of the product for me.

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

mjhpadi

Hmm, that does help explain what is happening and makes sense.  Did you happen to touch (rub) the car after the Iron-X? I am wondering if the finish felt smooth like after using a clay bar?  I am intrigued by this product line and would like to try it, but I am still not clear why the company would say the car is really for clay bar after Iron-X is they really recommend the Reload and not clay bar...I would think they would want the customer to get the best possible results with their products.  Also, was the CQuartz Finest applied by hand or did your detailer use a machine at any point to apply/level/polish?  I am really considering trying these products, but I don't want to make a mistake...I'm beginning to think that these products require a trained detailer for application (which I view as a downside)...that's another reason I really like Adam's, they work great and don't require any special training to get great results, and a normal guy can't "hurt" his finish because Adam's products are gentle on the vehicle.  Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed with how great your car looks, and if most people can get that result, I'm really leaning towards giving these a shot. I'm going to do more research and I do really value your thoughts it really helps me in my decision.
2010 Candy Red SHO, Livernois Stage 4 Tune, Airaid CAI, Tinted Headlamps & Tails, LED Interior Lighting, LED Running Lights, LED Puddle and License Plate Lamps, LED DRL's, Window Tint, Rear Window Spoiler, V3 Triton Switchback Running Lights, Colgan Bra, Ford Racing Gauges (oil pressure, oil temperature, boost/vacuum)
Replaced by 2020 Hertiage Edition GT-350

Lanson

Looks killer.

I noticed these product combinations accentuate the gloss but they tone down the metal flake a bit.

It is so fascinating to me to see how different products create different looks.  I have my own favorite combo system at the minute, but I love fooling around with different products to see what I can create. 

Love the attention to detail to the engine bay, I'm not really a bay-cleaner but I might start after a thread like this.
I don't have an EB but I am an avid modder and happy to help the community and learn/grow.  Pretty good with audio and wheels, my build and discussion threads are here in the forum.  2013 Flex AWD N/A

Audio:  Dayton Reference home speakers in front stage, incl. 2-way passive custom pillars 2.5" mid, 3/4" tweet, 2-way passive custom center channel 5" mid, 3/4" tweet, 8" midbass in doors, Vibe UK amps, JBL MS8 processor, Optima Yellow-top custom-wired, Exile subs in spare tire well

Mods: H&R, K&N, 22x9 & 22x10 3 piece forged wheels 265/35-22 Toyos, SCTX4 w/ 91 oct. Torrie tune

BiGMaC

Quote from: mjhpadi on March 18, 2014, 05:44:46 PM
Hmm, that does help explain what is happening and makes sense.  Did you happen to touch (rub) the car after the Iron-X? I am wondering if the finish felt smooth like after using a clay bar?  I am intrigued by this product line and would like to try it, but I am still not clear why the company would say the car is really for clay bar after Iron-X is they really recommend the Reload and not clay bar...I would think they would want the customer to get the best possible results with their products.  Also, was the CQuartz Finest applied by hand or did your detailer use a machine at any point to apply/level/polish?  I am really considering trying these products, but I don't want to make a mistake...I'm beginning to think that these products require a trained detailer for application (which I view as a downside)...that's another reason I really like Adam's, they work great and don't require any special training to get great results, and a normal guy can't "hurt" his finish because Adam's products are gentle on the vehicle.  Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed with how great your car looks, and if most people can get that result, I'm really leaning towards giving these a shot. I'm going to do more research and I do really value your thoughts it really helps me in my decision.

Mark...  The finish is incredibly smooth, but unlike clay it looks and feels as if it's wet (and did a week before this wash)... I'll admit I only check an inconspicuous place after any wash, including this one, to avoid rubbing

The CQF last November was applied with a DA, the reload was diluted (only use a couple of ounces), sprayed on the finish and wiped out with a plush MF and no force.

CQuart Finest is only available to factory trained appliers.... BUT I believe that regular CQuart is available to the public and really only varies in the allowed (longer) working and curing time.

PM sent...

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

BiGMaC

Mark.... When Wills gets you the info in answer to your questions please post.  I'll be interested in your questions and his answers.  :popcorn: TIA

I'm slowly learning from you guys in the know.   :bow:

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock