Water Damage from Car Cover

P

prowlinpassion

New member
Hi,

I have a 99 Purple Prowler which is left outsde with an Evolution 4 car cover and with a tarp over the cover. I took both off only to discover a large stain, milky-colored (about the 15" diameter)on the hood. I brought to a detailer who attempted to buff it out, without luck. I then brought it to a body shop, who has rarely seen this, but talked about the stain baking through and possibly attacking the clear coat, and would need to refinish the hood. Any ideas on commercially available cleaners I can try before going through this hassle and expense? Any suggestions are welcome! Here is the url for the pictures:



http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k237/prowlinpassion/IMG_1221.jpg



http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k237/prowlinpassion/IMG_1220.jpg



http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k237/prowlinpassion/IMG_1219.jpg

Thanks,

Ron
 
It would really help if you had some pictures. Can you feel the stain? Is is raised, lowered, rougher than the un-stained area? Also, the Evolution covers are breathable, if the tarp you had on top was not, that is probably not the best practice. Some members here use combinations of two car covers, with both I believe being breathable, perhaps they will chime in (Bill D, where are you?).
 
Hi Mike,

Thanks for the reply. My pics are to 'large' to attach. If I can send them to via e-mail I would be happy to. Please send me your e-mail. Appreciate your help.

Best,

Ron
 
I've seen this exact condition previously. It appears the moisture has somehow permanently damaged the paint. I thought it would go away but I saw the car several months later (he ceased using the car cover) but the white "cloud" was still there, pretty much unchanged.



(This is one of the reasons I'd NEVER use a car cover on a car kept outside.)
 
The reason this happened is becuase you put a tarp over the car cover. The car cover needs to breath and by putting the tarp over it it could not breath. Its not the car covers fault, its the tarps fault.
 
Prowlin, there are many photo tools which would allow you to resize those photos so they are small enough to post, then everyone can see them.
 
Many times placing the car out in the sun will evaporate the moisture. Clear coats will absorb a rather large amount of water and also release it BUT as noted because air was not allowed to circulate because of the tarp it may be beyond coventional repair.



Rubbing alcohol can aide in evaporation but let it sit in the sun for a day and see what happens. Re-paint might be the only solution if not.



Anthony
 
Permanent damage. Just like what people get under their vinyl bras when they leave them on for months on end in areas that see rain.



It will improve some baked out in the sun for a few weeks. But the only real fix is a repaint.
 
prowlinpassion said:
Hi,

I have a 99 Purple Prowler which is left outsde with an Evolution 4 car cover and with a tarp over the cover. I took both off only to discover a large stain, milky-colored (about the 15" diameter)on the hood. I brought to a detailer who attempted to buff it out, without luck. I then brought it to a body shop, who has rarely seen this, but talked about the stain baking through and possibly attacking the clear coat, and would need to refinish the hood. Any ideas on commercially available cleaners I can try before going through this hassle and expense? Any suggestions are welcome! Here is the url for the pictures:



http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k237/prowlinpassion/IMG_1221.jpg



http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k237/prowlinpassion/IMG_1220.jpg



http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k237/prowlinpassion/IMG_1219.jpg

Thanks,

Ron
Click to expand...



I had the same thing happen a number of years ago but not the same circumstances that you encountered. I tried a number of steps to get the moisture out ofthe clear to no avail. The clear coat will absorb moisture and the only cure is to repaint.
 
my car covers did the same thing to my car. I did not know back then that these could actually do damage to my car's paint.
 
I'm not up on the latest in the technology of car cover fabrics but at the time when I got mine, I was parking outside fairly often and so I opted for *two* custom covers--a Weathershield on top of a Noah--overkill yes, but water never got through, let alone residual marks on the paint. I still have them, but I'm betting there's one type of fabric now that completely blocks out the elements while still breathable and doesn't allow residue on the paint.
 
I would blame this on the tarp. If your car cover is made to breath, the tarp it would allow that to happen. The tarp kept the moistre in cuasing the damage. Looks like your going to need a repaint.
 
Ok, I am late getting here.

Listen to Anthony,but one or two little differences.

Over the years of the use of transit wrap by vehicle manufacturers, there have been thousands of hoods, tops, fenders repainted due to moisture entrapment showing after the removal of the plastic transit wrap.

In most, and I mean "MOST" cases, the repainting was not necessary.

But the sub contractors at the ports sure liked the additional income.

Here is what they now do when this concern is observed.

1. Wipe affected area with rubbing alcohol (70, 90% what ever) and make sure the area is "wet" with the alcohol.

2. Alcohol (IPA only in this case) is a "drying agent" which is why it is used.

3. While wet, using a heat gun or even a hair dryer,start evenly heating the affected area, but do not allow the skin temperature of the painted surface to exceed 175 F.

4. Move the heat and air source, evenly over the affected area, starting at one edge, working your way across the area.

5. Observe if the "cloud" is going away.

6. A second application and heating may be required.



If this does not remove the entrapped moisture from the clear, and you should wait a couple of hot sunny days to make sure, then refinishing is the only option.



This process has been done on thousands of new vehicles at ports across the world, as a less expensive method to relieve entrapped moisture, so it's nothing new.



Grumpy
 
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