Does your car weep?
#51
#52
The wheel arch is basically ruined by the splooge and you have to either convince your dealer to get you a new one or try the various products that bring it back to life.
Black Wow, & Forever Black do the best jobs. Back to Black is cheaper but you'll have to put it on often.
#53
Try Protect-All by Champions Choice. You can usually find it in RV/Boat centers or Walmart by the RV stuff.
It's got a mild solvent that was initially designed to get black marks off fiberglass. It's great for paint; I've been using it on my cars and motorcycles for years. It's all you really need actually.
http://www.protectall.com/
It's got a mild solvent that was initially designed to get black marks off fiberglass. It's great for paint; I've been using it on my cars and motorcycles for years. It's all you really need actually.
http://www.protectall.com/
#55
No; this splooge comes from a weep-hole on the underside of the bonnet. Pop the bonnet and lift it up all the way. Look toward the back at the edge and you'll see the weephole. Get a q-tip and some denatured alcohol and dig the earwax crap out of there.
The wheel arch is basically ruined by the splooge and you have to either convince your dealer to get you a new one or try the various products that bring it back to life.
Black Wow, & Forever Black do the best jobs. Back to Black is cheaper but you'll have to put it on often.
The wheel arch is basically ruined by the splooge and you have to either convince your dealer to get you a new one or try the various products that bring it back to life.
Black Wow, & Forever Black do the best jobs. Back to Black is cheaper but you'll have to put it on often.
My brother said make the dealer replace the trim. Too much hassle at the time.
#56
I have to go by the dealer later again...
Last edited by Arnbut; 08-13-2007 at 02:17 AM.
#59
#60
Maybe there is something to the cosmoline argument.
As I posted, I have never actually seen my washer jet leak. I just come back and find the dried trail. And the way it looks, I suppose it COULD be seeping out the space between the washer jet and the hood instead of coming out the nozzles.
Yesterday I drove through an absolute deluge for 20 minutes. The hardest rain I have ever driven through, especially for that long.
I washed it before work today and then parked it in the sun all day. 97 degrees.
When I went out after work, no trail. I drove it home and parked it in the garage and came back a few hours later and still no trail!
Maybe that wicked rainstorm washed away the last of the cosmoline? I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
As I posted, I have never actually seen my washer jet leak. I just come back and find the dried trail. And the way it looks, I suppose it COULD be seeping out the space between the washer jet and the hood instead of coming out the nozzles.
Yesterday I drove through an absolute deluge for 20 minutes. The hardest rain I have ever driven through, especially for that long.
I washed it before work today and then parked it in the sun all day. 97 degrees.
When I went out after work, no trail. I drove it home and parked it in the garage and came back a few hours later and still no trail!
Maybe that wicked rainstorm washed away the last of the cosmoline? I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
#62
It power washes right off for me. I have a couple coats of Turtle Wax Ice on it, maybe that helps.
Sometimes there is a little trace of a trail left and a spray detailer takes care of it.
I don't have bonnet stripes, people here have been saying it is very hard to remove from the stripes.
Sometimes there is a little trace of a trail left and a spray detailer takes care of it.
I don't have bonnet stripes, people here have been saying it is very hard to remove from the stripes.
#64
#65
I looked up cosmoline on wikipedia today and I see it has a melting point of 113-125 F.
According to the research with the infrared thermometer elsewhere in this thread, the hood is easily that hot, but might not be if the car is moving and the fan is running.
I'm liking this theory better all the time.
I think if I get another trail, I will investigate it more carefully and see if it is greasy like petroleum jelly.
I also found a pdf on removing cosmoline from firearms. It suggests very hot (actually boiling) water as the best method and recommends boiling small parts.
It also suggests a steam cleaner.
But this quote on getting cosmoline out of the wood stock is what really caught my eye. It sounds EXACTLY like what happens around the washer jets.
"On the wood there will most likely still be excess oil inside of the wood of the stock. If you place the stock in the sun over a period of a couple sunny days while wiping off the seeping oil every 15 to 30 minutes you should be just fine."
According to the research with the infrared thermometer elsewhere in this thread, the hood is easily that hot, but might not be if the car is moving and the fan is running.
I'm liking this theory better all the time.
I think if I get another trail, I will investigate it more carefully and see if it is greasy like petroleum jelly.
I also found a pdf on removing cosmoline from firearms. It suggests very hot (actually boiling) water as the best method and recommends boiling small parts.
It also suggests a steam cleaner.
But this quote on getting cosmoline out of the wood stock is what really caught my eye. It sounds EXACTLY like what happens around the washer jets.
"On the wood there will most likely still be excess oil inside of the wood of the stock. If you place the stock in the sun over a period of a couple sunny days while wiping off the seeping oil every 15 to 30 minutes you should be just fine."
#66
I looked up cosmoline on wikipedia today and I see it has a melting point of 113-125 F.
According to the research with the infrared thermometer elsewhere in this thread, the hood is easily that hot, but might not be if the car is moving and the fan is running.
I'm liking this theory better all the time.
I think if I get another trail, I will investigate it more carefully and see if it is greasy like petroleum jelly.
I also found a pdf on removing cosmoline from firearms. It suggests very hot (actually boiling) water as the best method and recommends boiling small parts.
It also suggests a steam cleaner.
But this quote on getting cosmoline out of the wood stock is what really caught my eye. It sounds EXACTLY like what happens around the washer jets.
"On the wood there will most likely still be excess oil inside of the wood of the stock. If you place the stock in the sun over a period of a couple sunny days while wiping off the seeping oil every 15 to 30 minutes you should be just fine."
According to the research with the infrared thermometer elsewhere in this thread, the hood is easily that hot, but might not be if the car is moving and the fan is running.
I'm liking this theory better all the time.
I think if I get another trail, I will investigate it more carefully and see if it is greasy like petroleum jelly.
I also found a pdf on removing cosmoline from firearms. It suggests very hot (actually boiling) water as the best method and recommends boiling small parts.
It also suggests a steam cleaner.
But this quote on getting cosmoline out of the wood stock is what really caught my eye. It sounds EXACTLY like what happens around the washer jets.
"On the wood there will most likely still be excess oil inside of the wood of the stock. If you place the stock in the sun over a period of a couple sunny days while wiping off the seeping oil every 15 to 30 minutes you should be just fine."
I am wondering if this should a Warranty Issue where our MINI dealer should perform the cleaning rather than us. I am scared it might damage the paint.
#67
Nether cosmoline nor hot water should damage the paint, I would think. The purpose of the cosmoline is to protect it during the ship ride over and hot water shouldn't be a big deal. I might stay away from boiling water, just because I might burn myself.
#68
hmmmmnnnn....okey I'll try. Thank you.
#69
#73
#74
Okay, the Protect-All didn't work on the strips. The water spots or cosmoline spots or whatever it is, won't fade. I tried vinegar and lime remover, and they have no effect. The good news is that the nozzles don't seem to weep anymore. It only happened on the day I drove my car back from the dealer. Now I just need to find something to remove the stupid spots.
#75