tar-o-rama on a porsche

I

imported_paradigm

New member
so i finally got to start working on the 03 boxster s ...ended up spending well over an hour just on the rims. i wasn't expecting that...especially since they are nice and open except directly behind the brake calipers. sigh.



anyway, the problem is HUGE chunks of tar. at first i didn't know what it was...then i found after hitting it with wheel cleaner and letting it soak, i could break some of them free my fingernail...but there are too many and my fingernails will die a quick painful death.



i sprayed some bug and tar remover and it will dissolve...but only if the majority of the chunks are picked off first. letting the tar remover sit on it doesn't help that much since the tar is literally chunky...some 1/8" or more sticking off the rim. :(



is that normal????
 
Sorry to hear about the big extraveganza but what i can think of is keep soaking them and if you have a plastic razor blade give that a shot. It might just be the ticket!



Greg
 
I have this issue on my own car. For some reason the inside of the rear wheels seem to collect road tar. I've never had this problem on previous cars I've owned and it doesn't happen to the front wheels.



Personally, I just spray down the tar with Meguiar's Body Solvent, let it sit a minute or two, then scrub the inside of the wheel with a brush, and then rinse thoroughly. This seems to remove all the tar. Maybe the B&T remover you're using isn't strong enough?
 
I just had the same problem. My GF accidently drove through a tar 'puddle' and sprayed the whole side of the car and covered the wheels.

It was so bad the car dripped on the driveway and it looked like someone had spilled a bucket of tar.

Anyways I clayed the car for about 4 hours, then used Klasse AIO on the wheels.

Worked like a charm!
 
yeah...after the hour or so i just had to say "good enough". i have the car for a few more days...so after i finish the rest of the work i will give the tires another try w/ a different tar removal product. i think i'll pick up some Tarminator and see how that does.



thanks!
 
you need a very potent wheel cleaner since you don't want to mess up the wheel finish.

You basically have the equivalent of dried up cement on your car so you need soak past the bonding and then using pressure break it off gingerly.

I've used some over the counter wheel cleaners with citrus and worn away the clear coat only to spot oxidationa a few days later. grr...

Try Meguiar's professional detail line they have a wheel cleaner called Wheel Brightener and let it soak in that stuff overnight. Then spray some more and get out the clay bar for the tine bits of tar and spoke brush for bigger units.



P21s Gel cleaner or Poorboys Wheel cleaner also have lots of bite.
 
racingbeat said:
Try Meguiar's professional detail line they have a wheel cleaner called Wheel Brightener and let it soak in that stuff overnight.
Click to expand...



Let the wheel brightener sit overnight?!? Are you nuts that stuff is crazy strong...Do not listen to the above post unless you want to ruin your wheels!! Giving out false information like that is just not right...



I second the suggestion to use plastic razor blades, a good bug and tar remover, and patience. I've had good luck with removing tar on paint with WD-40, never used it on wheels before so Im not going to advocate it as Im not sure of what it would do, I would imagine it wouldnt harm anything with all the uses of WD-40 with metals, just be sure to rinse it off really good.
 
obviously you should follow the instructions and dilute it accordingly. I've soaked my wheels in strong wheel cleaners over night like P21s get (diluted) with no ruining of my wheels. After rinising off wheels were CLEAN and shiny in the morning. Porsche factory wheels btw.
 
I would personally try some 3m adheasive remover, thats what i use for removing tar, works great. I would agree with the statement above dont let megs wheel brightner sit overnight as it is some strong stuff.
 
Im sorry but P21s is one of the safest and most reccomended wheel cleaning products on this board for the very reason it is 100% acid free ...way different than Wheel Brightener which is basically an acid.



I have no problem admitting Im wrong...but soak your wheel tonight in Wheel Brightener and report back before telling other people to do it.
 
i have som P21s wheel cleaner (not the gel) that i can try as well. i'm going to pick up the following:



Eagle One All Wheel Tire Cleaner

Tarminator



I'll try an old credit card or something for larger chunks (i don't have time to order a plastic razor blade)



since it's not my car i need to use caution rather than the most aggressive approaches (soaking overnight, etc)...but appreciate all of the comments and advice. i'd rather leave a few bits of it on there vs. cause damage.



thanks!
 
Joshua312 said:
Let the wheel brightener sit overnight?!? Are you nuts that stuff is crazy strong...Do not listen to the above post unless you want to ruin your wheels!! Giving out false information like that is just not right...



I second the suggestion to use plastic razor blades, a good bug and tar remover, and patience. I've had good luck with removing tar on paint with WD-40, never used it on wheels before so Im not going to advocate it as Im not sure of what it would do, I would imagine it wouldnt harm anything with all the uses of WD-40 with metals, just be sure to rinse it off really good.
Click to expand...



I couldn't agree more. DO NOT let Wheel Brightener sit on your wheels overnight. In fact, don't even let it sit on your wheels for more than a minute. The active ingredient in WB is a strong acid which will damage your wheels if left on long enough.



Besides, I have WB and I can tell you it does almost nothing to road tar. It eats break dust for breakfast, but road tar laughs at it. A good brush or plastic razor blades, a powerful b&t remover, and patience are your best friends for this project.
 
Why not just go your local hardware store and buy a bottle/can of mineral spirits. M.S. is the active ingredient in a bug and tar remover. Just pour a little on a rag, wipe the area, let it sit for 30 seconds, and wipe again. From chemistry class, like dissolves like. Tar is a petroleum based product, and mineral spirits is an organic petroluem distillate. Therefore, most acid based wheel cleaners will not touch the tar.
 
The rims should be clear coated from the factory and mineral spirits has such a high evaporation rate I don't think so. When you use bug-n-tar remover you are rubbing M.S. on the finish, just in a diluted form. I think you are safe. I have had to use it in the past on rocker panels in concentrated form with no affects to the finish, just needed to rewax afterwards.
 
yep spoke to Meguiars Wheel Brightener is wipe on wipe off. Didn't realize P21s is 100% acid free unlike virtually every wheel cleaner I've used. And of course if someone else says they've tried it on tar and its useless its moot.
 
racingbeat said:
Wheel Brightener and let it soak in that stuff overnight. Then spray some more and get out the clay bar for the tine bits of tar and spoke brush for bigger units.
Click to expand...



Even though you know now, one last reason not to leave the WB overnight is WB evaporates rapidly and is too 'watery' and will drip all the dirt down and collect on the lowest part of the wheels where the acid will etch and dissapear.
 
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