Tar Stains! Suggestions?

Z

zenith931

New member
I got tar ALL OVER my car... So I've claybarred and used many different kinds of solvents/tar removers. The tar comes off just fine off of my metal pieces. The painted plastics like my front bumper, the sideview mirrors and the decklid spoiler have these orange/yellow stains from the tar that WILL NOT come off. I've scrubbed, I've f*cked up my arm trying to get it off and it just doesn't budge. Is it stained?



I tried taking some pictures from my cell phone.



What would you recommend? My insurance will cover any repainting, but I'd really rather not deal with that...



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I know they're hard to see in these pictures. Maybe I'll get some better pictures tomorrow with my actual camera. You can see the colors strikingly. Especially when it's against any metal pieces. Like my door handles look positively yellow against the white of my (now clean) door.



A friend recommended a compound like ScratchX. What do you think?
 
Bumping.



Was waiting on my first post to be approved and I'd really appreciate some opinions!



Help a girl out, please?!
 
Strange that it sticks to some parts and not others, plastic or metal, it's all paint anyway. Try some paint cleaner or even cleaner wax.
 
Mark77 said:
Strange that it sticks to some parts and not others, plastic or metal, it's all paint anyway. Try some paint cleaner or even cleaner wax.
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I've tried that and clay to no avail. :cry:
 
Claying is only effective for contaminants that are on the surface of the paint. That staining appears to be IN the paint. Try a light or mild polish to see if it helps. The paint on the areas effected is different than the paint on the metal panels, and more prone to staining. I am guessing that the staining is permanent.
 
SuperBee364 said:
If you don't want to try polishing them out with a buffer, you might try one of the paint decontamination kits. Try reading here....http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-detailing/105048-clay-fk1-decontamination.html to get started. Honestly, I don't know if a decon kit will get rid of those stains, but it's worth a shot. You might consider finding an Autopian level detailer where you're at to talk about a polishing job with a rotary and an abrasive polish.
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Yeah, I'm looking for one in my local forums.



What do you guys think of using ScratchX to help remove?
 
brwill2005 said:
Claying is only effective for contaminants that are on the surface of the paint. That staining appears to be IN the paint. Try a light or mild polish to see if it helps. The paint on the areas effected is different than the paint on the metal panels, and more prone to staining. I am guessing that the staining is permanent.
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Don't say that!!! UGH!



I'm gonna try ScratchX compound this weekend. Wish me luck. :(
 
Well Scratch X might work also, I have had stains like that and they came off with some Color X without problems.

Good luck :)
 
I did a test with Dupont Prepsol and got the following result if it would help:



Spray

Let dwell for 30 secs

Wipe with an old mf



Before



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During



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After 1st application



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After 2nd application



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I think another wipe would remove the stain altogether.
 
An easy solution that took me the same way to find as you is Goo Gone. You can get it at pretty much any place in the hardware or cleaning section. I have those same things come on my white truck as well as my wife's car every month or so. I tried clay, polish, wax, bug and tar remover, etc you name it. But Goo Gone is safe on car paint - won't hurt it a bit and it contains the same ingredients as bug and tar remover just super concentrated. Apply to a cloth, rub the stain and it's gone.
 
You can pick up a gallon of PrepSol for $35 at a PBE (paint/body supply store), look it up in a phonebook or online.



Try a polish or compound.



Like Superbee mentioned, a Decon system like Valugaurd ABC or FK1 might be worth a shot if all else fails, before you go the paint route.
 
cowboytruckn said:
An easy solution that took me the same way to find as you is Goo Gone. You can get it at pretty much any place in the hardware or cleaning section. I have those same things come on my white truck as well as my wife's car every month or so. I tried clay, polish, wax, bug and tar remover, etc you name it. But Goo Gone is safe on car paint - won't hurt it a bit and it contains the same ingredients as bug and tar remover just super concentrated. Apply to a cloth, rub the stain and it's gone.
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I'll be sure to try some GooGone next. That stuff always works wonders.



I did use ScratchX on one panel and the stains are significantly lightnened after 3 applications. They're not completely gone, but this is a hopeful response. I think I may need to contact a local detailer who has a porter cable, as I think that may be the key. My hand/arm can't do near as much work as the machine can.



The only hard part is telling when the compound turns clear and greasy... the compound is white and I have a white car...:chuckle:
 
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