Cosmoline Removal From Painted Surfaces?!?
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Has anyone found - or heard of - a good way to remove the OEM applied cosmoline from the engine bay (inner fenders, strut towers, etc...). I've done a bunch of searching and it seems no one has a "good" solution. I tried non-chlorinated Brake Kleen after reading a bunch of people suggesting it, but wasn't pleased with the results. It seemed to still leave a layer after multiple applications, and in the areas it appears to be fully removed it seems to soften the paint.
I'm not concerned with time or elbow grease - I just want the crap off the bay! Anyone had good results with certain products or processes?!?
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never could get it off of my e30s. (short of using abrasive methods for engine parts) i gave up though once i thought i might start doing more harm than good. cosmoline > damaged paint.
Dan
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I'd try lacquer thinner. No, it won't hurt your paint.
Not that I don't believe you - but do you have any experience using lacquer thinner on automotive paint? My dad uses lacquer thinner a bit around their sign shop (usually for removing paint I believe...) and I know it's some pretty harsh stuff.
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So I gave lacquer thinner a try on one of the small brackets I plan to remove from the bay. The lacquer thinner cuts through the cosmoline wonderfully!
.... Unfortunately it also cuts through the paint under it equally well!
Lacquer thinner on a rag removes the cosmoline in about 2-3 seconds of light scrubbing, however I found that any more then 2-3 seconds and you'll start to get into the paint under it. It's especially bad if there is any paint flake or scratches - those areas will pull up paint even faster (especially because there is no cosmoline on that scratch/flake so the lacquer thinner starts on the paint immediately). If you scrub on a spot for 10 seconds or more.... Bye-bye paint.
I think a person *could* use lacquer thinner - but you'd need to be very careful not to overdo it in quantity or scrubbing. I'd also be concerned about making the painted surfaces "splotchy" by the varying scrub times.
A quick pass with the lacquer thinner really does eat the cosmoline quickly tho - I'm just not sure it's worth the risk of going too far into the paint.
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I have also heard of people using oven cleaner to remove cosmoline but I cant tell you if it works or not.
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