So I got a new touchless - How do I make it clean

[nevetsjr]

My company just purchased and installed a D&S Quicksilver automatic wash. It does a terrific job on our vehicles except for road grime on the top portion of the vehicles. Even though the car looks spotless and you can't notice it on most vehicles if you run your hand over the hood and roof you can feel a layer of fine dirt, but there is no grime on the sides of the vehicle . Is this to be expected or what? Any suggestions would be of a great help.

Also if anyone knows of a good write up on writing recipies for the quicksilver it would be great. Thanks not only for your answers but for all the wonderful information found on this forum, wish i had found it sooner.

 

[MEP001]

It's the norm for touchless. The general rule is to make it look clean, not to get it absolutely clean.

 

[mac]

It's all about chemistry. All of the touchless automatics apply soap and high pressure water, and then rinse with RO. Make sure your water softener and RO are set correctly and experiement with different soaps. There are times when nothing will get some cars clean. Let 500 miles of bugs and road grime bake in the sun for a month and you'll have one nasty car.

 

[Waxman]

A month??? Some of my customers wait a year or 3.

 

[rph9168]

True that some vehicles will never be cleaned in a touch free wash but with the right chemistry you should be able to clean the vast majority of them. I once heard a successful car wash chemist say that road film was what was left after a touch free wash.

Are you using a low/high or high/high pH two step presoak system? How much dwell time in between passes? Hot water? How much high pressure?

 

[Waxman]

True that some vehicles will never be cleaned in a touch free wash but with the right chemistry you should be able to clean the vast majority of them. I once heard a successful car wash chemist say that road film was what was left after a touch free wash.

Are you using a low/high or high/high pH two step presoak system? How much dwell time in between passes? Hot water? How much high pressure?

I'm hi ph. 10 sec dwell.. hi ph 2nd pass another 10 sec. dwell. 1050 psi hp, foam polish, another 1050 psi pass, med pressure wax pass and spot free.

does a good job. using kleenrite's in-bay presoak.

 

[rph9168]

Waxman, I believe you have a Superior machine. Set up could be a lot different on a D & S at another area of the country.

 

[Reds]

I have different brand equipment, but I do 2 passes of hi ph, with 30 second dwell after each pass. going to 30 seconds helped, but there are still a few cars that I can't get clean. make sure that you are applying an adequate amount of presoak.

 

[Jeff_L]

I've found that your presoaks help with the road grime. I set myself up for high ph, low ph, then the rest of the wash functions. Seems to reduce/eliminate the road grime and eyebrows.

 

[Waxman]

Waxman, I believe you have a Superior machine. Set up could be a lot different on a D & S at another area of the country.

Yeah, I know it is different but I thought input about chems psi and dwell times would be relevant anyway, if only somewhat.

A friend of mine w/a D+S close by me uses Warsaw chems, which worked poorly for me.

 

[rph9168]

Most decent chemical lines will work but some cost more than others to get good results depending on the amount you have to use.

 

[Ceverett]

Too bad I dont live in Vegas anymore......With the kind of road dirt you get in vegas i'd recomend going with a hi/lo ph. Kleen Rite is you're best friend since you live near the warehouse and can sample a large array of chemicals. I've had really good success with simoniz 1a and 1b, but it is very hard on chemical injection systems. And make sure your water softner WORKS the city water throughout vegas is around 18-22 Grains and will reak havok on your cleaning abilities.

 

[shat70]

what is RO mac lol