How can I get Tar off?

[GS Bloke]

Just got back from a week trip and found lots of tar blobs on my exhaust and engine.
Any ideas for getting these off?

Thanks

 

[Buz]

Neat petrol should do the trick but not sure what it may do to the surface!
I'm sure someone with more experience will be along soon...

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

WD40 has always done the trick for me. A little spray on the tar should help it off with a sponge

 

[GS Bloke]

yea, just been googleing this and WD40 seems to be the kiddie, will give it a go.

 

[JJH]

petrol works for me never had any problems

 

[Bear]

White spirit or WD40. Autoglym sell expensive stuff that works, but its expensive.

 

[Wanderer]

Autoglym sell expensive stuff that works

That's what I'd recommend

 

[alimey4u2]

If it's landed on a hot exhaust pipe you may need to chisel/shave the majority off prior to the above recommended treatments...

 

[Slowdown]

That's what I'd recommend

Autoglym or expensive stuff or stuff that works

 

[LiquidLAN]

Neat petrol should do the trick but not sure what it may do to the surface!
I'm sure someone with more experience will be along soon...

+1 on this wife asked me the same thing today as she was cleaning her car. Probably best not to leave the petrol on too long, I shouldnt think it would do any harm, but I tend to wash it all off after I've removed the tar

PS don't smoke while you are doin this - though it would probably be more effective and removing the tar if you did

 

[Ian 1200 GS Adventure]

The AutoGlym stuff is called Intensive Tar Remover, and certainley is the best, although it does just seem to be white spirit!

Ian.

 

[Pukmeister]

Petrol can stain paint finishes and is also environmentally unfriendly.

I spray on WD40 (it can be used anywhere except the brakes), leave for a few minutes to soak into the tar spots (tea break??) then wipe off with a dry cloth. WD40 leaves a nice protective film afterwards, brings up black plastic like new and in the case of my Titanium end can it shines it up nicely.

For car panels, I have heard wives tales of using butter/margerine to remove tar spots but thats beeing a real cheapskate.

 

[Decompressing]

T-Cut....works everytime and it comes off like soft butter...or propriety Tar Remover of course!

 

[Deleted account W]

Paraffin does the job

 

[LiquidLAN]

Petrol can stain paint finishes and is also environmentally unfriendly.

I spray on WD40 (it can be used anywhere except the brakes), leave for a few minutes to soak into the tar spots (tea break??) then wipe off with a dry cloth. WD40 leaves a nice protective film afterwards, brings up black plastic like new and in the case of my Titanium end can it shines it up nicely.

For car panels, I have heard wives tales of using butter/margerine to remove tar spots but thats beeing a real cheapskate.

lol... out of curiosity, do you really think that WD40 is more enviromentally friendly that a little bit of petrol? Seeing as they are both light oils, I'd have expected WD40 to stain paint finishes as well???

 

[tustinr]

Turpentine - same stuff you use to clean paint brushes. Someone gave me the tip a while back - works wonders. Wipes off in seconds. I was amazed.

 

[Buz]

Flamethrower

 

[G5RJO]

White spirit.....

I had my car parked on my driveway and the local council decided to scrape off the top layer of road surface and re-surface it all in a day, problem was they sprayed the road with molten tar for some reason. This was a nice hot and breezy day

I think you can see where this is going but.......my brand new car was suddenly coated in tar, paintwork, wheels, windows, everything

After a denial of liability over the phone I managed to get someone to take a look at the car. When the same tar spray was all over my front door and the nearest lampost they admitted fault

Professional valet company took on the job and used a few gallon of white spirit to clean it off. My experience is quite common and the car man said the only concern with white spirit and other solvents is it can attack stuck on badges and always strips wax off paintwork. He added that the professional tar remover is often little more that white spirit with a fancier smell in a nice bottle anyway.

So, after this long rant, I suggest white spirit and a good wax on anything painted.

Hope this helps

Roger O.

 

[Jinxit]

Brake Cleaner

I find brake cleaner works well. There does seem to be a lot of tar around this year!!

 

[STUBBS]

i used paraffin the last time i had to remove some