Sevy RS4 Detail Project Part1

[daytonamc]

Really interesting thread. Well done Steve. It's good because it shows that you don't need a van full of kit to do a top end job. Just an avant boot full LOL!

[steve_70]

Thanks


Doing my own cars this weekend I hope if weather is nice ...Plan to do the B7 on Sat and B5 on Sunday

[daytonamc]

Can't wait for the pics!!

[karl]

Autobrite Magifoam I'm very impressed with. Used it for the first time today and it really does take away all the crud. It makes other snowfoams look inferior so it's well recommended from me. ONR is another great product too, have been using it a while now.

Thanks for the interesting thread.

[steve_70]

Autobrite Magifoam I'm very impressed with. Used it for the first time today and it really does take away all the crud. It makes other snowfoams look inferior so it's well recommended from me. ONR is another great product too, have been using it a while now.

Thanks for the interesting thread.

No problem

...More coming soon

[DuncS3]

Used Megs Hyper Wash with my new foam lance - not impressed but I suspect/hope I measured it wrong - I didn't get a pump with the product container, not sure if I was meant to so just guesstimated the amount of solution to use. Basically got suds, rather than foam

will work out the measurements and give it another go

[steve_70]

Many thanks Si, much appreciated, and it was a pleasure doing it

...We must talk about booking it in for Part Deux

Hi all,

First chance I’ve had today to look at the thread & pics properly – looks good but not as good as it does in the flesh!

Thanks Steve for doing such a fantastic job – I can safely say that the car looks better than the day I bought it…

Admittedly the car was filthy before Steve started (for which I’m quite embarrassed), although in my defence I’d refrained from cleaning it because I’d had Steve provisionally booked in since before Xmas…but the weather kept scuppering our plans. Anyway, ignoring the fact that it was so dirty that just a wash at the local supermarket would have made a difference, the results are fantastic.

Steve’s attention to detail & enthusiasm are impressive to see – especially for someone like me who hasn’t got the inclination, time or patience to do it myself. It’s also clear that he knows what he’s doing & uses quality products. So for anyone thinking about getting some detailing or winter protection done, I’d happily recommend Steve….he could well become the resident RS4 detailer on this forum….

To sum up…the car looks so good now that I keep glancing at it ‘just because’ – like I did when I first bought it. One very happy customer!

Si

[steve_70]

Used Megs Hyper Wash with my new foam lance - not impressed but I suspect/hope I measured it wrong - I didn't get a pump with the product container, not sure if I was meant to so just guesstimated the amount of solution to use. Basically got suds, rather than foam

will work out the measurements and give it another go

Stopped using Hyperwash a little while ago, but always found it really good through my lance and was best for foaming of the Megs Line, I found Shampoo Plus best bucket wash from megs line...I think the formulation of Hyperwash suits lance better and S+ bucket better, S+ seems to have more lube, which suits bucket (maybe that is just my perception/observation though).

As a side note; Shampoo Plus is the trade version of Gold Class Shampoo, Hyperwash is the trade version of Meg's NXT Shampoo I am lead to believe.

In the 1 litre AutoBrite lance foam bottle I used about 2 inches (maybe thats about 300ml?) I think I remember, so try mixing the ratio and also the regulator on the lance, i think I used to have it all the way over...cant remember which way, but try both. I never got a real gillette style foam like I do with other foams, but it was definitely foamy.

Hope that helps

[Phil3103]

Steve, what ratio do you use with Magifoam? I've been using it for a while now (with an AB Lance and Karcher Series 2) but can't get the stuff to hang around for more than 10 mins. I'd love to get the 'real gillette style foan' you speak of.

[DuncS3]

Yes, please enlighten us Steve

I put a lot more hyperwash in and got a much better foam/suds but it is not a Gillette foam at all and I dont think it really took any dirt off - I noticed my PA foam lance only uses about a quarter of the bottle when trying to foam the car - do you run through a whole bottle?

cheers!

[steve_70]

Steve, what ratio do you use with Magifoam? I've been using it for a while now (with an AB Lance and Karcher Series 2) but can't get the stuff to hang around for more than 10 mins. I'd love to get the 'real gillette style foan' you speak of.

Yes, please enlighten us Steve

I put a lot more hyperwash in and got a much better foam/suds but it is not a Gillette foam at all and I dont think it really took any dirt off - I noticed my PA foam lance only uses about a quarter of the bottle when trying to foam the car - do you run through a whole bottle?

cheers!

I see there are three main elements here; the ratio of foam/water, the foam adapter and the pressure of water (the pressure washer). Any of these 3 elements has an impact on the foam effect.

Everybodys mileage will vary, but heres what works for me, and supporting pics below.

* For Magifoam the instructions say 100:1, I use about 2" in the bottom of 1L lance bottle.

* For Pressure Washer I use is a Nilfisk C110

* For foam adapter I use an AutoBrite Foam Lance.

Now with the above I get superb Gillete style foam as below, but I have to adjust the water/product flow rate on the lance itself, by twisting it till there is less water and therefore more foam. I use maybe half a bottle on the whole car, then put a lid on it and use it for the next detail. Depending onn the lance adapter and the setting you chose on it, you may use more or less.


Thick Gillete Foam








Using just a weaker dilution ratio but still the AB Foam Lance gave this...




dash more product in the bottle and shake, and it gets a bit better....



You will see that foam adapter or pressure washer was not the factor here, but the solution ratio.


Using the Std Nilfisk Detergent/ Foam Bottle that comes with the power wash and my regular mix of 2" Magifoam gave this...





You will see that the mixture or pressure washer was not the factor here, but the choice of foam adaptor. This was very poor and no matter what you use in this bottle you just wouldnt see any results, given you had used Hyperwash etc I doubt you would have even got this.

Conclusion....

That whilst the product used and the ratio you use (add more product/ less water) does effect the foaming consistency, the single biggest difference seen was with using a dedicated foam lance and not the cheap thing they give you free with washers. Next thing we did was change the ratio for more product less water.


I did not have a chance to try lower pressure systems and those sprayers such as 'Gilmours' etc that attachj to regular garden hoses, but I imagine that whilst product ratio and foam adapter choice is important, the limiting factor here will be lack of water pressure. The single biggest difference you would see here would be by using a high pressure washer.

So my route would be....

Hose ->Gilmour foam adapter -> then uggrade to Pressure washer -> then invest in Foam Lance. The start of the jourmey (Gilmour) will see the least foam and the end of the journey (foam lance) will see gillette foam


So hope all that helps and would be interested in other peoples finding

[steve_70]

Bit more info...

Used Megs Hyper Wash with my new foam lance - not impressed but I suspect/hope I measured it wrong - I didn't get a pump with the product container, not sure if I was meant to so just guesstimated the amount of solution to use. Basically got suds, rather than foam will work out the measurements and give it another go

Yes, I suspect this to be product ratio, see my pics above, where in one set I just changed the ratio and less product gave less foam, down to just suds.

Yes, please enlighten us Steve

I put a lot more hyperwash in and got a much better foam/suds but it is not a Gillette foam at all and I dont think it really took any dirt off - I noticed my PA foam lance only uses about a quarter of the bottle when trying to foam the car - do you run through a whole bottle?

cheers!

Yep, I think you have reached the limits witth HW, you may not get any better results with it. I would switch to a dedicated foam, such as magifoam. A newone I will be trying is Espuma Activo, allegedy it is equally good and a 1/3 of the price... i will see and report back.

There is a twist knob on the top of the AB lance that controls the amount, so i run through about 1/2 bottle.

[DuncS3]

Mine looks more like that last A4 photo, maybe a tad thicker - I had just bought the proper PA foam lance from polishedbliss (looks just like yours) - I use a karcher pw.

play some more, then depending, try magifoam...

cheers

[steve_70]

Mine looks more like that last A4 photo, maybe a tad thicker - I had just bought the proper PA foam lance from polishedbliss (looks just like yours) - I use a karcher pw.

play some more, then depending, try magifoam...

cheers

I think a lot of it then has to do with the foam product choice (and dilution ratio) if you have addressed the other points. Valet pro Orange Pre-Wash is another good foamer apparently, but have never tried it myself, probably MFs closest rival maybe.

Magifoam is a bit different from the normal TFR/ pre wash foams, and is not like others... almost placed differently.

[PJC]

Another interesting post.