black spots that appear to be under red paint - how to remove

**MitzMN** · 08-03-2011, 10:48 AM

First off, I`m a newbie and merely a car owner, not a professional detailer.

Anyway, I backed my red car out of the garage today to finally clean it up and discovered black spots that will not come off. They appear to be stains, almost, if that makes any sense. They are not on top of the surface but like under the clearcoat.

I believe they came from my having parked under a tree last week and failing to wash my car for about a week. I thought the wax would protect it. I was wrong.

How do I get rid of these spots? I tried detailing spray. Nada. I tried wax. It appeared to diminish them but only

slightly.

It`s a 2009 Nissan 370Z with only 8,200 miles on it, so while it is a two year old car -- nearly three now, I guess -- it`s stored winters and always garaged and until this looked showroom new. HELP!!!

**David Fermani** · 08-03-2011, 11:06 AM

Welcome to Autopia! Pics will help tremendously. I would try stepping it up to a cleaner type wax/polish (not a compound) and see if that removes it. Or, maybe even a clay bay? I usually don`t see black staining from trees; usually sap? Has the vehicle had any paint work? Can you feel the spots?

**Ron Ketcham** · 08-03-2011, 11:16 AM

Was the vehicle parked for a while by some mulch around a tree or shurb?

If so, this time of year, could be artillary spores from the mulch and that stuff can not always be removed.

Try the ABC, allowing correct dwell times.

It may be necessary to repeat the entire process if you observe some removal on the first application but not all comes out of the paint.

Gina is the expert on this concern, but don`t see her posting here.

Grumpy

**togwt** · 08-03-2011, 11:58 AM

Artillery Fungus

Small black specks (artillery fungus); these resemble asphalt (tar) spots but could be the spore of artillery fungus (Sphaerobolus) they look very much like tar spots and are usually about 1/10th-inch in diameter.

The term artillery refers to the fact that the fungus actively uses energy to shoot its spore masses, sort of like cannon (an artillery piece). It is a fungus that lives in wood-based mulch, the spores are usually shot only a short distance (several feet) but the wind can carry them for longer distances.

They can be removed by using a chemical paint cleaner (Z-PC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner, ValuGard Neutralization System or Klasse All-In-One) or plastic razor blade to scrape and remove the spot. If the affected paintwork is not neutralized any remaining acid residue will be reactivated each time it comes into contact with water.

**David Fermani** · 08-03-2011, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Ron Ketcham

Gina is the expert on this concern, but don`t see her posting here.

Well, what`s stopping her from doing so?? More the marrier.

**Ron Ketcham** · 08-03-2011, 12:28 PM

That`s the little buggers!

Grumpy

**Ron Ketcham** · 08-03-2011, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by David Fermani

Well, what`s stopping her from doing so?? More the marrier.

Don`t know, guess she got burned out on trying to make sense to some who ask but don`t really want correct answers.

Grumpy

**togwt** · 08-03-2011, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Ron Ketcham

Don`t know, guess she got burned out on trying to make sense to some who ask but don`t really want correct answers.

Grumpy

Sounds familiar; prevalent on many other detailing forums

**MitzMN** · 08-03-2011, 01:18 PM

The vehicle has not had any paint work and I cannot feel the spots. It`s like it`s between the paint and the clear coat.

It could be tar -- it is road construction in MN and I`ve been through a fair amount of roads being patched (including the day of the tree incident, now that I`m thinking about it, on the way home) -- but I`ve assumed it was the tree because they appear to only be on the hood of the car and that`s where the tree "droppings," whatever the heck they were, were located. I`d not seen them before this washing (and I would not have missed them because they`re plentiful and not small).

I`ll take some picture and upload them.

Thanks for your suggestions and advice.

**MitzMN** · 08-03-2011, 01:21 PM

Thanks for the suggestion. I was dinkin` around here and saw the acronym sticky and will look up the ABC thing.

I don`t think it was near mulch, although I have a lot of mulch in my yard.

**MitzMN** · 08-03-2011, 01:22 PM

I don`t think they are the artillery fungus if they`re 1/10th-inch in diameter. These are much larger than that. But thanks for the suggestion.

**Ron Ketcham** · 08-03-2011, 01:23 PM

Here is an in xpensive test for you if it is a version of tree sap.

Straight, undiluted IPA, wet a towel, lay it over some of the spots.

Let it set/dwell on the area for 3 to 5 minutes, rewet with the iPA and wipe off.

That may, notice I said "MAY" be all it takes.

Grumpy

**MitzMN** · 08-03-2011, 01:45 PM

Well, a photographer I ain`t. I tried in the garage and it`s too dark and they`re too hard to see. I tried outside and it`s so bright, I couldn`t get a picture of them. I moved the car into the shade and it was still too bright. Moved back into the garage and turned on the lights, and all you can see is the reflection of the rafters on the hood of the car.

It doesn`t help that I have absolutely no photography skills at all.

They look like tar, actually, now that I look at them, but why would they only be on the hood of my car? Unless I`m not looking carefully enough on the rest of the car. And wouldn`t I feel them on the surface of the paint?

I`ll try later when the sun isn`t so overhead. Thanks, guys.

**MitzMN** · 08-03-2011, 01:52 PM

I assume isopropyl alcohol is different from isopropyl rubbing alcohol since they have two different acronyms on the list. All I have is the rubbing variety. Will that work as well as the IPA?

Hey, neighbor! Just noticed you`re from Iowa.