Help Identifiying problem: Tree sap?

mkuzmukerau

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I went to detail one of our vehicles this weekend, and it is usually the one that sits outside (under some sort of birch tree). We just moved here, so this is the first time I noticed the problem. After washing, I discovered the majority of the car was covered with what is shown in the pics below. At first I thought it was overspray, but it is on the tops of the garbage cans that usually sit in front of the car also, so it must be from the tree. I washed with Duragloss and clayed with a Meguiars claybar/detailer, The clay barely did anything, and a orange pad with Klasse AIO, only did a little better. Basically, after running my PC in one spot for 2-3 mins with AIO, it removed about 75% of what was there, but there is still stuff there. You can see in the one pic the spot where I ran the buffer. What should I do? Is meguiars clay bad stuff?
 
Hum, i dont see a pic. Can you remove the sap with your finger nail? you might have to use some sort of a scraper.
 
No pics showed on my computer. Not even an indication that they were on your post.
 
I think that the pinnacle bug and tar scrub pad and some 303 aero space cleaner or amazing roll off will work great, just let the 303 or roll off sit for a while then try to put more on and gentely scrub.
 
hmmm, not sure why they didnt show up, I had them as attachments... lets try again...
And no, you cant get them off with your fingernail.... rubbing alcohol on an applicator didnt work either..
 
more, showing close up, a window pillar, and the spot I ran the PC with AIO for 3 min
 
shouldnt clay take that right out? Or is this answer to be somehting without having to rewax?
 
No, I'll do anything to get this off! These pics are after a wash with Duragloss/Dawn, and a quick clay job w/Meguiars clay/detailer...

Update: Tried some Turtle Wax Bug/Tar off spray from Walmart ($3), figured it was worth a try... Let it sit on a spot for a few mins, then wiped it off.....no difference...
 
OK, here's the things I tried that were all available locally....
- Rubbing alcohol, lets sit for 10 mins on a soaked towel... - didnt touch it..
- WD40 - didnt touch it
- Stoner's Tarminator - sprayed small area, let sit for 3 mins.... wiped off... no work....

Im starting to wonder if anything is going to work... Is this stuff really tree sap? I cant think of anything else it could be... its on the other car that sat in the driveway for a couple of hours over the weekend, and its on top of the plastic garbage cans that sit in front of the car... so it has to be.... i just dont get it... HELP!!!!
 
Let me ask this..was any one spray painting near by...but still paint should come off with what you used...I never seen sap that stubborn...what trees do you have there....any one else close by have this problem....did they do any ariel spraying for bugs....

Cause what you used will usally take sap off....and looking at the Pics..thats alot of sap....

Al
 
Not sure exactly what type of tree it is, but its huge... I might actually go out there now and take a picture of it I am so frustrated. When you look at the sap on the clear lenses, it apprears somewhat brownish, and also stained the white pad a bit brown as well. Pretty sure its not paint from fact its on both cars now, and the trash cans. Havent seen anyone spraying either.

Add Castrol Super Clean Degreaser/Cleaner to the not work list....

Mike
 
well the only other thing I can think of would be prep sol...or a heavy duty clay(body shop grit)..thats strange....I get sap alot since I live in the woods...and the only hard one is pine and that comes off with prep sol real easy...the others wash off....

Al
 
One of the parking lots that I use has Elms that get some type of bug attacking them (aphid type). You won't see the bugs. The blacktop is wet looking under them. Cars that park under them get thousands of silvery looking spots that look like sap. These silvery spots can only be seen at certain angles. Is it an Elm Tree?
 
Hmmmm... never thought of bug droppings...
Here's what it looks like on the blue Jeep...
And here's a pic of the damn tree... not sure what it is...
 
I know outside here, it live "Adelges laricis" (I don't know what they are called in English) in a spruce tree.. And if you stand under the tree you will feel small drops falling down on you, and if you get this on your paint it will eat CC.. But since your tree is not of the same type I doubt it is the same case...

sorry for my bad english
 
mkuzmukerau said:
Hmmmm... never thought of bug droppings...
Here's what it looks like on the blue Jeep...
And here's a pic of the damn tree... not sure what it is...

go with an agressive clay like AL said, or you can try to polish them off.
 
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