Help on how to remove this from paint

psnt1ol

psnt1ol

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Greetings, my fellow AGO members.

I need help in removing these splatters from a vehicle. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Background

The owner of this vehicle drove under an overpass that was under construction (repair work). Something dripped on his hood. This clear substance went from the hood to the roof of the car. He turned on his wipers and it smeared everywhere. He then went to a gas station and manage to wash off the substance from the wind shield with a little water and paper towel. Since the substance came off the window, he proceeded no further. He thought he could clean it off the hood and roof when he gets home. It wasn't until the next day that he tried to remove the substance.

The substance has turn rock hard overnight and he couldn't remove it. Fast forward 5 days.... I looked at it this morning and this stuff got me stumped. I tried TarX- nothing. White Vinegar - nothing. Mineral spirit, IPA, and WD40 - nothing. I tried claying it and scraping it with a plastic razor - nothing. I tried heating it then scraped - nothing. Freezing it then scraped- nothing.

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Anyone has any ideas on what this is and how to remove it.
 
I tried to wet sand it with a 3000 grit paper and it still wouldn't budge. I didn't want to go any further with the wet sanding since it is OEM paint.

I remember seeing a post a while back on Epoxy road splatter. I wonder if this could be it.
 
What you may have to do is go back to the heating method again and see if you can get it to sticky gel like substance then try with a razor or your finger nail to try and lift it another method would be to let alcohol sit on the effected area and see if loosen it up also look into epoxy removers at your local hardware store if everything else fails or have that area repainted
 
I have given up for the day. I tried just about everything short of taking a straight blade to it (Jeff Snuggs). If this is epoxy then the chemical that would dissolve it would also hurt the paint. I am at a lost at this point.

I told the owner that he should file a claim with his insurance in the event of the worst case scenario....repaint. I also told him to file a claim with the city to see if they would compensate him for the damage. A long shot but what does he have to loose.
 
Sounds good and good tips you gave the customer from my findings it is most likely epoxy because once hardened its a paint to get off resulting in repainting
 
Found that stuff on the mud flaps on one side of my wife's Pathfinder. Standard tar removers haven't touched it. It doesn't look black, it looks clear.

At least now I know what it is.

Probably easier to get it off a mud flap than paint, but I'll also be interested if anyone has found a way to dissolve it.

Jim
 
I have to admit I'm more interested in what kind of clear epoxy they would be using in a bridge repair than in the part about getting it off the paint--LOL.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I have to admit I'm more interested in what kind of clear epoxy they would be using in a bridge repair than in the part about getting it off the paint--LOL.
Click to expand...

Maybe it is from the same people who brought us the Obama "Shovel Ready" jobs......

I apologize for the commentary. I just couldn't help myself.;)
 
psnt1ol said:
Maybe it is from the same people who brought us the Obama "Shovel Ready" jobs......
Click to expand...

It just seems like a weird material to be using on a bridge repair, but I guess road/bridge materials are getting higher-tech all the time.
 
I found more information regarding the use of Epoxy on road work.

Epoxy Asphalt for orthotropic steel bridge decks

It is Epoxy Ashalt Polymer Concrete.

"Epoxy Asphalt Concrete is a polymer concrete that is composed of a slow curing, Epoxy Asphalt binder mixed together with standard asphalt concrete aggregates in the pug mill of an asphalt plant. The Epoxy Asphalt binder is a two-phase chemical system in which the continuous phase is a thermoset epoxy and the discontinuous phase is a mixture of specialized asphalts. A hot spray application of an Epoxy Asphalt bond (tack) coat precedes the laying of the Epoxy Asphalt Concrete. Epoxy Asphalt concrete is applied and compacted with conventional asphalt concrete paving equipment. The pavement is quickly ready for traffic in its partially cured state once it has cooled to ambient temperature."

I think it was this "A hot spray application of an Epoxy Asphalt bond (tack) coat precedes the laying of the Epoxy Asphalt Concrete" that dripped on his car when he went under the overpass.
 
Sheesh! That stuff is NASTY and now you've got me concened since I drive an open top vehicle. I'll look overhead closely when passing beneath overpasses ;)
 
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