Hey I thought I would add in here a little ditty I figured out the other day. Well in my case (and maybe in your cases also), my sunroof had this....foggy almost like lyme stain all over it. It wasn't the slightest bit clear and looked severely ugly. Finally one day I got fed up with it. And I'll tell you all, there is no Windex that can cure what is on it. Its a constant buildup of crap in the water, air, sun burning, etc. So here's what you do:

NOTE: If you haven't taken off your hinges and other such parts, you will most likely have cracked/worn rubber fillings and whatnot. Either find substitutes or replacements BEFORE you do this so you don't scratch your glass. This can also work for your door windows if they also have the same foggish effect on them (from the dewstrips or whatever)

I got the sunroof and I took off the hinges and the back latch and just had my sunroof on the counter at my house. Then I got 409 and sprayed it on and wiped it just to get the light gunk off of it.

Here's the key part. You get steel wool (I had SOS Lemon I think) and get it moist and squeeze out some of the water so its not dripping all over the place. Then you spray 409 (or whatever window cleaning stuff you have) on the window again. I tried it with and without the 409, and the 409 made a HUGE difference. Then you get the steel wool and you work the 409 into the glass and you have to use plenty of elbow grease. It takes some pressure and a lot of circular motions all over the place. Every once in a while (even with all the soap bubbles still on) spray more 409 (or equivilent) onto the glass. Make sure you get the edges too. Make sure you get it all real good and if you have to, get the steel wool wet again. Then wipe off the glass and you should see some pretty fantastic results. On my car it was as simple as night and day. Back to the mirror shine that it once was. Keep doing this until you get it as clear as day.

Another little tip is for those of you that have problems with your sunroof whistling when you go down the freeway, or it makes a windy noise. Take the hinges that you took off earlier, and put them in a vise. Then get a hammer and bend them back into a more straight line rather than curved up. This puts more pressure up on the front of the glass and hopefully can stop some of your wind noises and water leaks.

Just thought I'd try to give back to the Fiero Community

Austin

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Practice makes perfect, but since nobody's perfect, why practice?
If life gives you lemons, take them and throw them at people you hate.

Thanks dude, my sunroof sounds like a wind tunnel. This REALLY worked!!!

Yes i am that stoked, thanks man you made my day!!

I used a product called goof-off on the underside of my t-top glass. Nothing else would touch it. Just whipe it on and whipe it off.

i'd bee reluctant to use steel wool on glass. i used a scotchbrite scouring pad and dawn. and a little elbow grease.

quote Originally posted by lurker: and a little elbow grease.

where do you find this... Autozone..?? j/k

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New Name.... New Attitude....
AKA. "SmoothGT"....
Custom Built SHAVED~WIDEBODY~GT!!

My problem is not the tops but the windshield... Last time I had my car detailed, it rained later on that same day and when I turned the wipers on the windshield just sorta fogged up everywhere the wipers touched. I've tried everything to clear it up and nothing works! I don't know if this is caused by some kind of wax that they put on the windshield or if my windshield is actually scratched now... I think I would be afraid to use steel wool on it though... I'm assuming that a windshield is different than a sunroof. Aren't windshields covered in plastic?

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Fiero-Performance.com - New mods for your Fiero from Fiero Performance Bayern in Germany

quote Originally posted by Songman: Aren't windshields covered in plastic?

Nope, the plastic is sandwiched between two layers of glass. The whole laminate looks like one solid piece of glass. This is intended to keep the glass shards from flying at you in an accident.

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Ahhhhhh! I knew there was plastic involved somewhere...

Also keep in mind...aren't there different grades of steel wool? You'd want something pretty fine for glass work I'd think.

Steel wool is commonly used on glass. Use #000 and keep it wet. There are detailing books available that go into all the details of detailing. I have one, "Automotive Detailing" by Don Taylor, put out by HP Books that's pretty good. They don't mention using steel wool, however. I did hear about steel wool from a professional detaler, however.

Songman, In you case I would fist try the goof-off. It will remove any wax build up. Just don't get it on plastic or vinyl!! You can buy it at paint stores of homedepot. You could also try the glass polish/cleaner from zaino www.zainobros.com . This stuff actually has a very very mild grit to it and it will polish out any kind of environmental fall out on you glass. I have a bottle hear and could send you a small amount if you want to try it..

I use steelwool all the time to clean windows on mine and customer cars, also on any chrome trim. I advise against any cleaning with scotchbrite pads. There for sanding the car. They will scratch the glass up so bad it has to be replaced. A friend used a scotchbrite and soapy water to clean the nose and wings on his airplane. Cost him $4,000 to have it repaired. (but it did take off all the dried bugs ...)

Thanks Ross! I just ordered some of the stuff from Zaino Bros. I'll let you know how it works for me...

I avoid telling people to use steel wool for cleaning glass for the fear that they will get some coarse stuff and do a bunch of damage.

If you want to be safe brass wool is the way to go. Brass is much softer and would be really hard to do any damage with it. Unfortunately it costs a little bit more.

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Another tip,, for foggy plastics,, (taillights, instrument cluster, etc ) rub throughly with liquid Brasso,, let haze,,polish,, works great and removes light scratches.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: I use steelwool all the time to clean windows on mine and customer cars, also on any chrome trim. I advise against any cleaning with scotchbrite pads. There for sanding the car. They will scratch the glass up so bad it has to be replaced. A friend used a scotchbrite and soapy water to clean the nose and wings on his airplane. Cost him $4,000 to have it repaired. (but it did take off all the dried bugs ...)

I don't know about steel wool, but scotchbrite will definately scratch. I tried to polish a scratch out of a windshield with it... Only managed to dull the area around the scratch.

GL

Anybody ever try Bar Keeper's Friend Cleanser? It might work also.

Hmm that's weird. I just used SOS steel wool pads on my sunroof.....I looked over the glass and it was in a very shiny condition and the only scratched were the ones previous done to it. Oh well, listen to other people, not an immature newbie like myself hehe

Austin

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Practice makes perfect, but since nobody's perfect, why practice?
If life gives you lemons, take them and throw them at people you hate.

Here is my sunroof tip:
If when you take the sunroof off and put it back on sometimes the hinges bind up. Just use some plain old auto wax(I used a paste)and wax them and where they fit in....no more binding.
I hope this helps someone.

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'84 Fiero Sport Quad 4 coming soon
'87 Blue GT
http://www.lasvegasfieroclub.com/

I run a body shop and light oaint overspray get on the glass sometimes
Steel wool is definatley the best way to take it off
Just be sure you use 00 grade it will mot scratch glass works good on chrome too