Sap removal

[Nelson]

I just washed my Sprite and found some sticky blobs on the paint that appear to be sap. What is a safe way to remove that stuff without messing up my paint?

 

[Gerard]

I think your best bet is Tar and Bug Remover. There is an industrial version you can get if you have an automotive paint supplier in your area. EPA regulations (at least in California) have made that product the degreaser used for paint prep. The brand I have is PCL.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

WD-40.

No, really - works great!

 

[BlueMax]

In the mountains of North Carolina you will find the finest Fraser fur Christmas tree farms. My wife and I used to drive up their every December to have a fresh tree cut. They had these amazing machines that you shoved the tree in and it would pop out all nicely bundled on the other side ready to transport. Over by the machine they had gallons of isopropyl alcohol I ask what it was used for. They said Fraser fur produce a lot of sap which would gum up the machine; the fellow that was operating the machine said isopropyl alcohol was the best to keep it clean. Plain old rubbing alcohol will dissolved all of your sap and leave no residue and will not harm your paint. Just saturate a clean soft towel and lay it on the sap spot for a few minuets and gently wipe it off.

 

[JPSmit]

Swmbo just tells me to leave.

 

[Guest]

I heard lighter fluid and no, don't light it.

 

[DrEntropy]

Mineral spirits. Same as the alcohol for tar and bug removal.

 

[jsfbond]

I sell related products for a living....the best, safest method is an ice cube and your (clean) fingernail.

 

[elrey]

Howzabout ice cubes AND alcohol!

 

[tfrisoni]

Howzabout ice cubes AND alcohol!

+1

In all seriousness, you guys amaze me. 5 options in a few hours. That's impressive.

 

[dklawson]

+1 for Mineral Spirits. It's what I use and one of our cars is always under a pine tree.

If you go for alcohol instead, read the rubbing alcohol label first. Make sure what you buy is isopropyl and water, not ethyl and water.

A non-solvent approach (depending on the size of the drops) is to use detail clay.

 

[Nelson]

I tried the mineral spirits today and the sap is now gone. Thanks guys.

 

[Sarastro]

Howzabout ice cubes AND alcohol!

Even if it doesn't work, you won't care.

 

[Jer]

Nelson - did you get your gas line issue fixed ? I remember that was causing you grief at Elkhart...

 

[Nelson]

I thought I had but yesterday I found that both carbs are leaking where the fuel bowl attaches to the body of the carb. The day before yesterday I drove about ten miles and went through about a quarter of a tank. I tried Bill M's trick of using an extra washer to squeeze the bowl grommet a little tighter but the leak is now worse. I've made a couple of grommets out of neoprene that I'll try today as an emergency measure but I'm going to order two sets of new ones. My fuel bowl risers that I machined took care of my fuel level problems so at least there is some improvement. I'm disappointed that the parts that Joe Curto installed leaked in such a short time.

 

[jlaird]

Might be the corn oil in the gas?

 

[Nelson]

Joe is sending me a new set so I'll just have to try again. For the moment I have made a couple of washers out of neoprene and they are not leaking yet.

 

[DrEntropy]

Schmear some Hylomar on th' neoprene gaskets?

....just a thought...

 

[Nelson]

Bill M. has already suggested that so it will be done.