First time with this problem....

[RTexasF]

A truck that I will soon be detailing is often parked under a tree. On the sun surfaces are hundreds if not thousands of tiny dark colored dots, I assume from the tree.

I did a trial area trying to remove these using clay, a nylon bug scrubber (with clay lubricant), the PC with scratch remover and the most abrasive pad........I've done everything short of going to a solvent to try and soften these little tenacious buggers. Nothing works!

They are raised on the surface and some can be removed by scratching it off with a thumbnail. The few that can be removed this way come off clean.

The paint is in good shape overall but these little dots of crud seem to have epoxied themselves to the paint.

I'm in over my head on this one and may have to turn down the job. Has anyone come across something like this before? If so, how did you solve it?

Thank you one and all.

 

[jaybs02]

Have you tried a Tarminator or one of the other bug & tar remover's.
Just a thought.

"J"

 

[Thomas Dekany]

you need to heat them up somehow. Hot sun would be an easy way to do it.

 

[Beemerboy]

mineral sprits would be my guess I wouls use this at the wash stage

 

[cwcad]

I had something that i think is similiar when I first arrived home on the 12th of October. I washed clayed and went over the area with AIO by hand. None of these seemed to make much of a difference. I also had terrible water spotting which did not seem to change much after this whole process. I used a 1:1 mixture of distilled vinegar and water spraying the areas involved in 2'x2' sections not much of a difference, if any, could be seen.

After a day of working on this I decided that these spots were caused from dew attracting dust in the morning then the dew drying from the Texas sun. Literally burning the dust into the vehicles paint.

So the next day I decided to use another approach. I started with FPll with a LC white pad. Then I used a yellow pad. No change.

Then I used Poorboy's SSR 2.5 with a white pad then a yellow pad. Small changes but still there.

Finally I used Menzerna IP with Propel's orange pad(I was running out of pads that were clean) This had the desired results. Although not perfect. I took my time and got 90% of the problem areas to look fairly good. I then went FPll and LC yellow pad. Then FTG and LC white pad and topped it off withAdam's Butter Wax by hand.

Am still fighting the water spots to this very day. Went over the entire truck again today but will post that later.

 

[RTexasF]

Have you tried a Tarminator or one of the other bug & tar remover's.
Just a thought.

"J"

No I have not but I'll try that tomorrow. The truck is just down the street. I almost took some paint thinner to it but thought that too drastic.

Thank You.

 

[RTexasF]

you need to heat them up somehow. Hot sun would be an easy way to do it.

Normally the Texas sun would work but it has dropped down to 75 or so during the day......Thank God!

I have a feeling that the sun actually baked it in over the summer.

 

[RTexasF]

mineral sprits would be my guess I wouls use this at the wash stage

Thanks, I may have to go that route.

 

[RTexasF]

Let us know how it comes out.

I had something that i think is similiar when I first arrived home on the 12th of October. I washed clayed and went over the area with AIO by hand. None of these seemed to make much of a difference. I also had terrible water spotting which did not seem to change much after this whole process. I used a 1:1 mixture of distilled vinegar and water spraying the areas involved in 2'x2' sections not much of a difference, if any, could be seen.

After a day of working on this I decided that these spots were caused from dew attracting dust in the morning then the dew drying from the Texas sun. Literally burning the dust into the vehicles paint.

So the next day I decided to use another approach. I started with FPll with a LC white pad. Then I used a yellow pad. No change.

Then I used Poorboy's SSR 2.5 with a white pad then a yellow pad. Small changes but still there.

Finally I used Menzerna IP with Propel's orange pad(I was running out of pads that were clean) This had the desired results. Although not perfect. I took my time and got 90% of the problem areas to look fairly good. I then went FPll and LC yellow pad. Then FTG and LC white pad and topped it off withAdam's Butter Wax by hand.

Am still fighting the water spots to this very day. Went over the entire truck again today but will post that later.

 

[RTexasF]

Is paint thinner too drastic a move? I could do a tiny area to see the results but I am a bit nervous about doing so.

The vehicle is clearcoated, I'd guess 3-5 years old, didn't really ask.

 

[jaybs02]

I believe in the least agressive approach first.
First try the b&t remover & mineral spirits, you can even try PB's Propolish, with a lite cut pad.
I'm not too sure what paint thinner would do, is wet sanding an option?

Good luck
"J"

 

[RTexasF]

I've never gone the route of wet sanding but perhaps it's time for me to learn!

 

[JeffM]

Dilute some A2Z spray and rinse in small sections, maybe?

 

[pogo123]

If it's a type of sap alcohol will do it. Worth a try anyway.

 

[RTexasF]

The mineral spirits did the trick. It softened the "whateveritwas" on the hood enough so a plastic bug sponge could be used without harming the clearcoat. It was still one hell of a lot of work but it DID work! That crud was like two part epoxy on hormones!!!

Thanks Beemerboy and all who took the time to answer. Very much appreciated.

 

[jaybs02]

Glad to hear that you were able to get the offending spots off

"J"

 

[RTexasF]

Me too! Thanks J.

 

[cwcad]

Let us know how it comes out.

Well after going thru a lot of different processes I managed to get the water spots under control.

I went and ordered Poorboy's SSR3. I also used a product from Hawaii that was sent to me by an Autopian. The product is called RX-7. An automobile acid. Using rubber gloves and a MF towel I saturated the whole area with the acid. Then I primed a wool pad on my PC with detail spray. Then a small line of SSR3. I worked the rocker panel area with the PC. Taking about one half hour per panel. I was constanly checking for any damage that I may be causing using such an abrasive swirl remover. Once the SSR3 was worked to the fullest I cleaned the area and applied more product. It took three passes on each panel to get what i consider decent results. I did the same thing to the wheels with even better results.

Hope I never get into that situation again.

 

[tubafeak]

That crud was like two part epoxy on hormones!!!

I know for a fact that 2-part won't go anywhere with anyting I can get my hands on quickly.



Well..... a cutting torch, but that's not too paint friendly.

 

[johnsouthern]

I have come across this problem a few times.
apparently those tree sap or tar marks leave blemishes in the clear coat.

I have rubbed the offending stains out with spirits.
I then applied cutting compound onto a velcro backed yellow foam waffle pad on a machine polisher and cut the panel.

I then applied a 'swirl remover' polishing cream onto a velcro backed black foam finishing waffle pad on a machine polisher and gave the panel a once over.

the result is a crystal clear panel with no swirl marks.