Automotive

Adam's Graphene Ceramic Coating Update & Adam's Ceramic Boost

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I recently made a 3-month update video on the Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating that’s applied to my Supra. If you haven’t, I would suggest that you watch that video to fully understand its current status. But in short, it’s apparent that the coating has diminished a bit. Well when I purchased the coating, I purchased it in a kit that came with a bottle of Adam’s Ceramic Boost.

This product is a sio2 silica-infused sealant. Ceramic Boost can be used as a stand-alone paint protection coating or used as a topper or a maintenance product for another coating. In my particular situation, I will be using it as a topper in hopes of bringing some life back into my Graphene Ceramic Coating.

To get started, I’m going to wash the car. This is an obvious step as we do not want to apply any coating on top of a dirty car as this will just hinder the coating’’s ability to properly adhere to the surface.

As far as prep work, this is all that I will personally be doing. If you are using Ceramic Boost as a stand-alone coating and want maximum performance, I’d advised that you at least decontaminate the surface prior to application and do paint correction if necessary. I’m skipping these steps because I already have a previously applied coating. Decontaminating and paint correction will only further reduce the performance of my base coating. The added performance of the topper is not worth a reduction in the base coating that I want to last for as long as possible. The topper will have to be reapplied again in a few months anyway, so there’s no point in going all out on prep work. This is just how I personally view it, you can do whatever you’d like with your car.

Once everything is clean and dry, we can move on to the application process, which is pretty straight forward. The directions essentially say to spray Ceramic Boost on then buff it off. I personally sprayed it on, wiped it into the surface, then went back and buffed off the excess.

Now, this is where things are a bit muddy. The directions say to spray a generous amount of product onto the surfaces. I felt that this is what I did. However, when it came time to buff the product off, I found that it was very streaky. This typically happens when too much product is used. So from experience, I would say to not use too much product, but who knows if that will negatively affect performance since the directions say to do the opposite.

What’s interesting is that this is Ceramic Boost 2.0, the latest formulation of Ceramic Boost. Many people complained that the original formula was too streaky so Adam’s introduced Ceramic Boost 2.0 to fix that issue. However, if you go to the official Adam’s website and read the reviews for this product, you’ll see that many people still complain about the streaking issue. I, of course, can attest to this so it’s something to be aware of. Don’t get me wrong, you can remove the streaks. It may just take multiple attempts and multiple passes.

The directions don’t say anything about a cure time but I’m going to played it safe let the coating sit for 48 hours prior to any hydrophobic testing.

During application, I was personally able to tell that the Ceramic Boost coated surfaces were slicker. My hand glided over it and it for sure was slicker than just having the Graphene Ceramic Coating on there. After seeing how water reacts to the coating, I was able to confirm the added slickness as water moved off the surfaces a lot faster than before. But, that doesn’t really matter to me. What matters is being able to blow the remaining water off of the car so I can reduce the chance of getting water spots. So, I brought out my BigBoi BlowR Pro car dryer to see how the sitting water drops react to the dryer.

From my test, I can personally tell that Ceramic Boost did help with the slickness of the surface. Water blew off the surface easier after applying Ceramic Boost. That being said, I personally don’t think that it did much. There’s still plenty of drag that caused the larger water droplets to break up into a bunch of tiny droplets. Before Ceramic Boost, these remaining tiny droplets would have so much drag that they would barely move. After Ceramic Boost, although the smaller droplets are still present, I am able to blow them off the panels if I get the nozzle right on top of them. So, that is no doubt a positive but I personally would not want to try and blow off all of these tiny droplets. It would just waste too much time. Because of this, I personally feel that although Ceramic Boost helped to make the current state of my Graphene Ceramic Coating better, it is not something that I’m impressed with. It definitely didn’t make the Graphene Ceramic Coating look like new, nowhere near it. Knowing this, I personally will not be buying any more Ceramic Boost to top my Graphene Ceramic Coating. I may not even bother using the remainder that I have from the kit that I originally bought. I think for the amount of work required to remove all the streaks, the performance is just not worth it.

And that’s going to be it. This will actually be my last update for Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating. At this point, I absolutely know that Graphene Ceramic Coating has diminished. A true test of durability would’ve been to let it sit and continue to test it as is. But now that I applied Ceramic Boost, I essentially applied another coating on top of Graphene Ceramic Coating. There will be no way for me to test Graphene Ceramic Coating’s performance now that there is a layer of Ceramic Boost protecting it. So, rather than making further updates that will likely provide misleading information, I’m just going to call it here for Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating.

I personally feel that it provides some amazing hydrophobic properties, but unfortunately, that will only last a few months on something like a daily driver. This is a coating that you will have to maintain and top off on the regular. Perhaps even monthly. If you are ok with that, then I can give Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating a recommendation.

If you're considering buying any of the products mentioned, please support my work by using the links below.

Adam's Graphene Ceramic Coating https://amzn.to/32wHzux

Adam's Ceramic Boost https://amzn.to/38PAc36

All the Auto Detailing Equipment I Use: https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AF43XRPGVOUH2E5CJXQY4FIOGVAQ/3AI3XVAQEMORX?type=explore&ref=idea_cp_vl_ov_d

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P&S Brake Buster

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In this post, we are taking a look at P&S Brake Buster. This is an extremely popular all in one wheel and tire cleaner that is not only suppose to safely remove accumulated brake dust and other contaminants, but this product also contains corrosion inhibitors which will leave a layer of coating behind, protecting the wheels from future corrosion. Brake Buster is non-acidic and should be safe on most wheel finishes but remember to always test new products out on an inconspicuous location before going all out.

For my initial testing, I cleaned the wheels and tires of my Supra. For this, I diluted Brake Buster at 5 parts water to one part product and use the solution in an IK Foam Pro 2. From my research, this seems to be the go-to combination for many people but Brake Buster can very well be used at full strength or even further diluted. You’ll just have to experiment with the product to see what works for you.

For my personal use, I spray Brake Buster onto the tires and wheels and let it sit for a moment. This will allow the product to loosen and break down some of the contaminants. Because Brake Buster is nonacidic, it will only be able to remove so much by itself. For the most part, we will need to go in and do a contact wash. I personally like to have a bucket with some car shampoo in it to help with lubricity but I know a lot of people who only use Brake Buster for the entire cleaning process. If you want to do this, just make sure to spray some more Brake Buster to get added lubrication if you’ve let it sit for a while and most of it has slid off.

For the most part, Brake Buster did a great good at cleaning these wheels. Aside from the places that I missed and the water spots that were already there, the wheels were clean.

Next, I moved on to the wheel of a Corrolla that’s a daily driver and I can’t even remember the last time it was cleaned. For this, I used Brake Buster at full strength in a spray bottle. Because this wheel is pretty dirty and I’m not diluting, the chemical reacted immediately with the wheel and tire upon contact. Brake Buster did its thing and removed some of the grime without any contact. This was evident by a brown runoff. But, again, unless you only have a light layer of dust buildup, a contact wash is still needed. Again, Brake Buster did a great job at cleaning the wheel.

After trying Brake Buster for myself, I can see why it’s pretty hyped. At around $20-$25 a gallon, Brake Buster offers a versatile product that adequately cleans anything in the wheel wells. The ability to heavily dilute this product down to 10:1 and even beyond depending on your needs further adds to the value of this product. Then on top of this, Brake Buster also leaves behind a layer of corrosion inhibitors, something that very few other wheel cleaners do. So for me, Brake Buster gets a recommendation because it does what it’s supposed to at a great price.

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P&S Brake Buster https://amzn.to/37oK2cJ

IK Foam Pro 2 https://amzn.to/3d6gAeH

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Bigboi BlowR PRO Car Dryer

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After trying a few different more budget-friendly car dryers, I’ve decided to see what a top tier dryer could do. For this, I picked up the BigBoi BlowR Pro.

From my experience with a few different dryers, the thing that seems to be a big determiner in price is the amount of power that a dryer can output. Here with the BlowR PRO, we have dual 1600 watt motors totaling 8 HP that can output up to 179 MPH of warm, filtered air. From my research, this is essentially the most that we can get from a car dryer and really only one other dryer even compares.

With the BlowR PRO, we have the ability to individually control the two motors. Each motor can be used at half speed or full speed, which in combination gives us a total 4 power modes. This allows for the scaling of power based on the surface that you’re working on. Say you’re trying to just blow water off of a large panel, then you can turn the power all the way up. Then when you’re working with something more delicate then you can turn the power down. But remember, this unit also blows warm air, so really no matter the setting, you are getting additional drying power from the warmth.

I should also mention that on the side of either power switch is a green cap. At first, I thought that this was some sort of button but it is actually a light to indicated that the individual motors are on. The weird thing is, the cap is not really translucent and looks to be painted over plastic so it can really only be seen in dimly lit conditions. I confirmed this by reaching out to BigBoi so from my understanding unless you are drying a car in the dark, this feature is pretty useless.

Instead of having these light-up power indicators, I would’ve much more appreciate a master power switch. Most of the time when I use this blower, I will use it at full power. This means that I have to flip both switches on and when I’m done, I have to flip both switches off. Having a master power switch would allow users to have the power setting preselected and just flip one switch to turn everything on and off. This would be a time saver and something that I think the manufacturer overlooked.

Included with the BlowR PRO is a self-expanding and retracting hose. The one that comes in the box stretches out to about 5 meters or 16 ft but an optional long hose that stretches up to about 9 meters or 30 feet can be purchased separately. Something to note about this self-expanding design is that the expansion is based on the power setting of the blower. You only get the full expanded length when you are using the blower at max power. Anywhere in between and the hose will be shorter. This is a bit annoying but I’m willing to deal with it because this design allows the hose to retract when not in use and saves a lot more space than just having a singular sized hose.

For use with the hose are two nozzles. One round tip nozzle that concentrates airflow into a smaller outlet which equates to more power and a flat nozzle that allows for a larger air spray pattern. Something that I really like about these nozzles is the inclusion of a rubber tip. I’ve had other nozzles that have something similar but this is definitely the softest rubber tips that I’ve experienced. I’m usually really careful with any hard substances around a car but this is something that’s nice to have just in case. Both the nozzle and hose are held in place by a locking cutout design. Just insert and twist.

I do want to note a few things that I’ve noticed. With some older reviews and unboxing of this product, the BlowR Pro seems to come with 3 hose nozzle tips and lack the interlocking hose and nozzle design. I purchased this unit in December of 2020 and my unit, again, comes with 2 hose nozzle tips and the hose and nozzles do lock into place and are not just simply held on by friction.

Finally, the BigBoi BlowR Pro also comes with a set of extra air filters and a replacement o-ring for the hose.

When it comes to power, the BlowR Pro is easily the most powerful dryer that I’ve tried. The combined 8 HP easily blasts water off the surfaces of my car but something that I can’t stress enough is that you still need to have a nice slick paint protection coating present. You can’t expect a dryer to adequately blow water off a car that has minimal to no protection present.

For example, with my hood, I have a coating in place but it’s diminished and is not as slick as it used to be. A full power, the BlowR Pro is able to blow most of the water off of the surface but because there’s some drag, Microbeads break off from the larger beads as the water is moving across the surface. Even a dryer as powerful as this one will not be able to get rid of all the microbeads. But if a surface has an adequate layer of protection, water will fly off.

Overall, this is a really nice dryer. There’s plenty of power to dry a car, motorcycle, boat, or whatever else you want to blow with air. At an MSRP of $349.95, the price is a bit steep but relatively speaking you’re getting a lot for the price. This is the cheapest 8 HP car dryer that I could find and it arguably comes with some better features than the competition. If you’re looking for a professional-grade car dryer and you can spend $350, then the BigBoi BlowR PRO is the way to go.

If you're considering buying any of the products mentioned, please support my work by using the links below.

BigBoi BlowR Pro https://amzn.to/3rM0GdB

Other BigBoi Blowers https://amzn.to/3b1A8OD

Cheaper Alternatives:

Adam's Air Cannon https://amzn.to/3jd8Yqx

Adam's Air Cannon Jr. https://amzn.to/2QqNY3e

Homend Pet Dryer https://amzn.to/32tTyt7

SHELANDY Professional 4.2HP Dryer (same thing different name) https://amzn.to/30ZTnVn

SHELANDY Motorcycle & Car Dryer (smaller version) https://amzn.to/2PTau4w

Other Car Dryers https://amzn.to/2DXPabz

Other Pet Dryers https://amzn.to/32DQoTL

All the Auto Detailing Equipment I Use: https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AF43XRPGVOUH2E5CJXQY4FIOGVAQ/3AI3XVAQEMORX?type=explore&ref=idea_cp_vl_ov_d

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Adam's Graphene Ceramic Coating After 3 Months

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It’s been three months since I applied Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating to my Supra and in this post, I want to briefly go over how the coating is holding up. This post is really a supplement to the video above and I would highly advise you to watch that as it contains examples of the statements that I make here.

Before we get started, I want to give you some background information. Since application, this car has been parked outside, facing all the elements. I applied the coating at the beginning of September so it experienced some decent end of summer heat for that month, 70-80 degree Fahrenheit easily. Then getting further into fall, we’ve had a particularly wet season so the car has just been getting beat with rain for multiple hours a day for days on end. Now into winter, we’ve been getting below freezing temps every night. Sometimes it would rain during the day and the rain would freeze at night leaving chunks of ice on the finish. During this time, the car also experienced hail 3 or 4 times. Not sure if that has a major effect on the coating, but it’s something to note.

When examining a coating, I largely just look at two things, the coating’s self-cleaning capabilities and it’s hydrophobic capabilities.

After three months, I would say that Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating is doing great with the self-cleaning capabilities. My car usually doesn’t get too dirty as I clean it pretty regularly but with all the rain, there is often dirt and debris that collect. With a coating, I really expect it to not allow the contaminants to attach to the surface and be able to take it off with just a spray of water. Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating does just that and its self-cleaning capabilities are still good after three months.

In terms of it’s hydrophobic capabilities, there seems to be a bit of a slow down. The coating is still able to produce a lot of water beads but its water sheeting capabilities have really diminished. After the coating had a chance to cure for one week, water just ran off the surface. It was possibly the slickest coating I’ve ever seen. However, after three months, I couldn’t shake the feeling that water was moving a lot slower off the surface.

I was able to verify this with a little test. At the one week update, I showed how a cheap underpowered leaf blower was able to blow water from one side of the hood to the other, without me having to move around the hood too much. At three months, I used my Adam’s Air Cannon dryer, which is much more effective at blowing water off of a car and I was not able to clear water off the hood by just standing in one place. Even with a more powerful car dryer, I could only get the water to move so far. A lot of the water actually broke up into smaller droplets. This happens because there’s drag to the surface. As the water is being blown away, small portions of it is catching on the surface and break off, leaving the smaller beads. In some places, there’s so much drag that the water really only moves a few inches and continually gets broken up.

For me, this was very disappointing and no doubt shows that the coating has diminished. Is the coating still there? Absolutely. It’s still able to bead and sheet water very well, but the evident decrease in slickness is somewhat alarming. With any other coating, I probably wouldn’t think this, but with a coating that’s advertised to last seven years and has diminished this much in only three months, the advertised durability is looking like a far reach.

If you're considering buying any of the products mentioned, please support my work by using the links below.

Adam's Graphene Ceramic Coating https://amzn.to/32wHzux

Adam's Air Cannon https://amzn.to/3jd8Yqx

All the Auto Detailing Equipment I Use: https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AF43XRPGVOUH2E5CJXQY4FIOGVAQ/3AI3XVAQEMORX?type=explore&ref=idea_cp_vl_ov_d

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Golden Wrench Supply Blackline Performance Oil, Coolant and Gas Caps

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As you can see, my Supra’s engine bay has a bit of a red theme going on. The car came from the factory with a black and red engine cover. I added the Injen Evolution 2300 Intake and the Blitz Front Strut Tower Bar. Things are looking pretty good but there are a few more touches that I can add like these Golden Wrench Supply caps.

We have the coolant cap, heat exchanger cap, and engine oil cap. All three are CNC milled from T6 Aluminum and anodized to get the red color. It should be noted that these Golden Wrench Supply caps are covers and are not replacements. This means that we affix them on top of the OEM caps. All three caps come with precut double-sided 3M VHB tape.

Installation is pretty straightforward as you’re just taping the parts on and there isn’t too much to the process. But after doing this for myself, there are some things that I want to point out that may make the process a bit easier for you.

First, make sure that you are installing on a clean surface. I’m using Chemical Guys Wipe Out which is an isopropyl alcohol mixture. A product like this will strip the surface of waxes and oil. This will make the surface bare and will allow for the best adhesion with the tape.

The next thing to think about is temperature. I installed these caps during winter and it’s pretty chilly outside. This just means that the tape is not going to stick as well as if it were installed during a warmer time of year. To combat the climate, I used a heat gun to warm up the various surfaces prior to applying the tape. This in turn will warm the tape up and make it tackier.

Once the surfaces are cleaned and warm, it’s just a matter of sticking the parts into place.

I personally installed the two coolant caps without removing anything but you can take the stock caps off and install the new ones off the car if that’s easier for you.

Installation of the engine cap is going to be the exact same. Clean the cap, warm it up, apply the tape, and install. With the engine cap, I find that removing it from the engine does make things a bit easier.

And there we go. A few minutes of really easy, straightforward work and we have an engine that has a little less visible plastic and a bit more character.

Now, along with the engine bay caps, I did also pick up the gas cap cover from Golden Wrench Supply. This part is also a cover and is also held in place with 3M tape so installation is going to roughly be the same.

And that’s going to be it. If you’re looking for some extra color for your Supra, definitely check out the offerings from Golden Wrench Supply. You can also use the code HT10 for 10% off of everything from the official Golden Wrench Supply Website.

If you're considering buying any of the products mentioned, please support my work by using the links below.

Use code HT10 for 10% off your order at https://goldenwrenchsupply.com

GWS Supra store https://goldenwrenchsupply.com/collections/a90-supra-collection

Chemical Guys Wipe Out https://amzn.to/3ltdhz3

All the Auto Detailing Equipment I Use: https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AF43XRPGVOUH2E5CJXQY4FIOGVAQ/3AI3XVAQEMORX?type=explore&ref=idea_cp_vl_ov_d

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