TheDingo

I have a couple of places on my car that have dime sized dark spots in the paint. I feel that this is from tree sap. I was told from a guy who does paint that a paint thinner can be used (sparingly) to remove these spots. Is this true? Not trying to f*** up my paint or clear coat. Thanks for any information.

Hi speed

iTrader: (3)

I would try to clay bar the areas first before going to paint thinner.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^

try the clay bar....it usually pick up all the tree sap....if it is tree sap also try "Stoners Bug and Tar Remover"

PS: dont spray that on CLEAR PLASTIC (like headlight lens) it will white em out LOL....

I remember a shop had given me some kind of "home" paint thinner and it worked great to clean some spots up on my girls car (from paint transfer)....

TheDingo

Yea I'm not 100% sure that it's tree sap. It's from the previous owner and the painter said he had seen this type of spot before. It's flush with the paint surface so it's been there a while. However, he said it is still over the clear coat and could be taken off this way. Just a bit unsure.

You guys think clay bar would get it off, even if it is flush w/ the surface?

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^ trying clay bar before the paint thinner would be my

Jesstzn

In some cases sap, if left too long, will actually discolor the clear . If there is no feel to it , in other words flush with the paint surface clay isn't going to remove the stain. Sap itself can be safely removed with Rubbing Alcohol or terpentine.

If it has discolored the clear then sometimes a polishing can cut it down far enough to remove it. Just remember clear coat is porus and stains can go into it.

Before you use the suggested paint thinner .. see if it has Xylene in it .. a lot of thinners and reducers are made to be used as a prep for painting .. not as a clean up and some may lead to clear failure down the road.

TheDingo

Well i tried the turpentine and while it was wet the spot disappeared. However when it dried the spot was still there. I'm afraid it's going to need paint work. I hate neglectful owners.

Jesstzn

You might want to try a mild polish next ... if you don't have anything then see if one of your buddies does , drop into a local "good" detailer ... he might give you just a little or pick up some Meguiars Ultimate Compound at WallyWorld.

TheDingo

Thanks man. I'm gonna look in to it.

jimsmith41

If I could ask the same question with a different twist. What would be the best way to remove paint transfer from my '06 TL? I have read clay bar, WD40 and polish. Suggestions?

TheDingo

I bought some rubbing compound tonight and I tried it on a couple of small spots. I was using a flashlight so I'm not sure how it's going to look during the day but it seems like the the spots are pretty much gone. There is a small haze from the rubbing compound, but that's something that some scratch x and polish will definitely remove.

I will update more tomorrow after I screw with it a little more.

A.Liang1992

Solvent or gun wash. Don't know where to get it from but most detail shops have it. It works really well

Jesstzn

Polish ... clay and WD40 won't do it .

TheDingo

It was definitely tree sap. After the spots had come up, you can see if you look very closely (at a certain angle in the right light etc) that the sap actually went in to the clear coat just a bit. Bummer, but now the spots are gone. With a good polish on top of it, you can't even tell they were there.

I used the Meguiars (sp?) ultimate compound on the tree sap spots until they were gone and then buff it out. This took two or three layers on some spots. After you get the spot out, just go over it with some polish and buff it out for a nice clean shine.

So happy I got this done, finally. It makes the car look so much better to me. Hope this helps someone in the future.

Project_CLean

iTrader: (2)

rubbing alcohol;sparingly. I do a small amount of rubbing compound;followed by a polish ( liquid glass is pretty good)

TheDingo

After a quick wash today.. spots are gone!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

wow shes beautiful!

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^ great outcome...post some close up's of the "gone" spots....

I hate you justn....i really do LOL....

TheDingo

swoosh, i really tried and it's so hard to tell in pictures (i need a better camera) where the spots were. The only thing that's left to tell that they were there are outlines in the clear coat. It's all body color so you have to be up close and in the right light to just see the outline.

on an off topic note, my a spec kit will be here tomorrow so this will likely be the last "before" picture

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^ that is gonna make ur car look bad ass....

Also...great job on removing that spot....if it cant be seen, it really wasnt there