&$%@# Pine sap!

[Scottwax]

I had a Yukon XL to detail this afternoon (thanks to whoever at Detail City who passed my name along!) and the top of it was covered pine sap. Apparently, they spend a lot of time at the lake.



Anyway, even with using clay, Stoner`s Tar and Sap Remover, DACP & #80 with a cutting pad, and even my fingernail, I only got about 90% of the sap off. It is like little hard amber spots. Usually the sap around here (mostly live oak and maple) washes right off but not this stuff. From an angle, you can`t see any of the spots, but looking down at the hood, you can still see a few.



They want their Grand Prix detailed in the coming weeks and I am looking for something else to try on the sap when I go back, especially since they want to start maintaining their vehicles. I am going to snag some of the Clay Magic Red (or the Meguairs version) and maybe some plastic razor blades. Any other ideas? I haven`t run across sap this tough to remove before. :(

[NavindraLR]

maybe wetsanding? im not too familiar with it, but from the pictures, and what i have heard, seems to be a last resort, which is what you are looking for... :rolleyes:

[Sveta]

I had a Silly String nightmare that nothing worked on but hours of elbow grease...



Bill D suggested a product...PPG`s GX440. None in this town so I can`t say if it would have worked or not. Not much help, I know, but maybe it`s something you could try.



EDIT: I see GX440 is a wax/grease remover. Maybe that isn`t a good solution. WD-40 removed the silly string from plastic and rubber, but it didn`t "gum" the old residue off the paint. It might be worth a try.:nixweiss

[imported_pugoman]

1Z do a product called `Tree Resin Remover`. Never tried it personally but may be worth a try?

[togwt]

This has worked for me, but the sap had not had time to harden..carefully scrape the top of the spot off with a plastic razor blade to expose the softer sap inside; soak a towel with Isopropyl Alcohol, place it over the sap and let soak for 10+minutes, repeat in order for the solvents to break down



~Hope this helps~

[Don]

I keep hearing people mention 3M Adhesive Remover is good for really tough sap

[debric]

Keep the suggestions coming, for I suffer from the same problem. I cannot get the few spots out!:angry

[Joe K -- 01 Green]

I just went thru an episode where our street was recently "oiled" with sand. My wife must have been following the truck down the street with the Explorer--nothing would work until I hit the nastry hydrocarbons--turpentine got it off. SO you may want to spot with mineral spirits, etc. in those families of chemicals--dilute, minimize surface time and hope for the best. You certainly can`t spend the day going spot by spot

[Eliot Ness]

While searching for info on another product I found this thread that may be useful:



http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42150&highlight=colorx

[BA_Titan]

Scott, I`ve had success removing Pine Sap on my son`s truck with Mineral Spirits or Lacquer Thinner. Nothing else seemed to touch it.

[togwt]

Scottwax I found this post on a lexus forum-



Q: After two week`s vacation in Northern Michigan, I now have several "globs" of tree sap on my RX300. I tried a commercial bug & tar remover, but that did no good!



A: There is a product called "Goof Off" available at Hone Depot, Lowes, etc. that will take it off for sure. However, it will also take off the wax, so you will need t rewax that spot. I have also used fingernail polish remover with great results...but again, you will have rewax the spot.



Thanks for the suggestions, but I had to resort to lacquer thinner. I think the sap was from pine or cedar trees, and not water-soluble. Lacquer thinner did the job and did not affect the finish. I did wax the entire car with Meguair`s NXT and found it fast & easy!



~Hope this helps~

[Bill D]

Originally posted by MartyGrant

I had a Silly String nightmare that nothing worked on but hours of elbow grease...



Bill D suggested a product...PPG`s GX440. None in this town so I can`t say if it would have worked or not. Not much help, I know, but maybe it`s something you could try.



EDIT: I see GX440 is a wax/grease remover. Maybe that isn`t a good solution. WD-40 removed the silly string from plastic and rubber, but it didn`t "gum" the old residue off the paint. It might be worth a try.:nixweiss



Rod Kraft of Meguiars used it to remove road paint, not sure what it would do to hardened sap though

[jfelbab]

I use alcohol, mineral spirits or Dupont Prepsol. If the sap has been on the surface for a long time it gets very hard. In these cases I go over the car with DACP which takes the hard surface off of the sap then the solvents work better on removing the remaining sap.

[imported_rachelanne16]

... nothing would work until I hit the nastry hydrocarbons - turpentine got it off.



Isn`t turpentine actually made from Pine? If you have to use a harsh solvent, that might be the one to try first (on the theory that it can dissolve its unrefined self?).



But Goo Gone (http://www.magicamerican.com/googone.shtml) might be sufficient. I park outside under Pine trees and have gotten good results with it (but I`ve never had to remove hardened sap).

[DaGonz]

Scott..



Dupont`s PrepSol or other mineral spirits based automotive solvent will remove pine sap.



I use a "bug sponge", soapy water and a spray bottle . I wash the area, spray the solvent onto the bug sponge and rub gently, then rinse and repeat until the pine sap is gone. For really hard concmtrations, spray the sovent directly on the glob of sap and cover with an old piece of toweling to retard evaporation for a while.



This method also works for removing road tar!