Parts washer Solvent used as degreaser on wheel wells ?

[Wtbs2k]

Hey Guys,



I have a 87 Carrera with wheel wells and undercarriage that have never been cleaned in 25 years. I tried some off the shelf degreaser (simple green) and pressure wash and brush, it didn`t work very well. All the wheel well areas are painted from the factory , they also sprayed lots of black gunk (cosmoline?) for protection while shipped on the boat.



I am working on the suspension right now and purchased a parts washer and some solvent from a auto shop. The solvent cleans the parts pretty well and all the sticky stuff come off easily with some brushing. and my painted struts still have paint on them after I put them in the part washer for a day. I started to think if I should clean my wheel well with the solvent and a brush, so I tried driver side wheel wells and it actually worked very well. I then started reading on solvent and it got me worried that I may have done some damage to the paint. The paint in the wheel well looks good after clean with solvent, no discolour and no missing paint.



I am wondering if you guys have used the same stuff on painted surfaces before? Should I carry on and clean up the passenger side or should I look for something that is not so harsh?



Thanks and much appreciated!



This is the solvent that I used.

Products | Solvent | Anti-freeze, windshield wash, solvents, Global supplier of automotive liquids & household chemicals - Recochem Inc. (http://www.recochem.com/en/products/solvents/paint_thinner/item/recordsol_solvent/)

[clnfrk]

Hey Guys,



I have a 87 Carrera with wheel wells and undercarriage that have never been cleaned in 25 years. I tried some off the shelf degreaser (simple green) and pressure wash and brush, it didn`t work very well. All the wheel well areas are painted from the factory , they also sprayed lots of black gunk (cosmoline?) for protection while shipped on the boat.



I am working on the suspension right now and purchased a parts washer and some solvent from a auto shop. The solvent cleans the parts pretty well and all the sticky stuff come off easily with some brushing. and my painted struts still have paint on them after I put them in the part washer for a day. I started to think if I should clean my wheel well with the solvent and a brush, so I tried driver side wheel wells and it actually worked very well. I then started reading on solvent and it got me worried that I may have done some damage to the paint. The paint in the wheel well looks good after clean with solvent, no discolour and no missing paint.



I am wondering if you guys have used the same stuff on painted surfaces before? Should I carry on and clean up the passenger side or should I look for something that is not so harsh?



Thanks and much appreciated!



This is the solvent that I used.

Products | Solvent | Anti-freeze, windshield wash, solvents, Global supplier of automotive liquids & household chemicals - Recochem Inc. (http://www.recochem.com/en/products/solvents/paint_thinner/item/recordsol_solvent/)



Meg`s Wheel Brightener diluted 4:1 works great on really dirty parts in my experience. I like to use that on wheelwells and the undercarriage.

[Ron Ketcham]

I have looked for the MSDS on the product, but didn`t spend too much time, and could not find it.

That "paint" coating used on the well wheel area is not the same chemistry as what is on the "body" of the vehicle, so care must be excercised when allowing any solvent to come in contact with the vehicle`s outer body paint film.

That said, until one has a look at the MSDS, would not use it on the vehicle`s paint surface.

For which you are attempting to do, under the body,wheel wells, and since you "do" plan on replacing the anti-corrosive coatings you are going to remove, it may work, however--

In order for it to do the job, you will require patience, and "scratch the outer surface" of the "black undercoating and the anti-corrosive waxes that Porsche applied. (the reason the anti-corrosive wax coatings appear black is due to the collection of dust/dirt into the one time, soft nature of the original coatings applied at the factory)

Early Porsche`s were "rust buckets", but in the late 70`s, they learned to use anti-corrosive, wax based coatings, and they are `IMPORTANT" to have on the under body and in each and every cavatity of the vehicle`s body or pentration rust will start and ruin the body panels and seams.

"Scratching" or such of the hardened surface will allow the solvents to penetrate the coatings, other wise it will just lay on top of the hardened surfaces and require a lot more product to start to break them down.

These "issues" were one of my speciality`s before I retired from providing anti-corrosive and such products to most (9) of the world`s vehicle manufacturers.

Grumpy

[IHA Mark]

Don`t know about the solvent, but maybe you should try a more aggressive concentrate of degreaser, or maybe even use some adhesive remover to cut through the tougher stuff.