Paint "Stains" under clearcoat

[Swat 79]

Hey guys, 

 

I've been a fan of Adam's products for a while now and have found these forums to be very helpful, but it seems like  I met my match with the damage to my car's paint (2016 Mustang GT Ingot Silver). 

 

I live in an apartment complex, and walked down to find what seemed like a rust colored paste (think like tooth paste consistency) on my hood, almost like if you melted copper.  I wiped it off and took the car to a touch-less wash (I don't have hose access).  I then hit it with Adam's Waterless Wash Spray and scratch-x (after finding that the footprint was etched into the hood).  I really have no clue what it is or how to get it out, and was hoping you all could offer up some advice.  Note, when I drag my nail across the marks, it stays smooth giving me the impression that it's under the clear coat (I don't know how that could be possible..).  Take a look at the pics below and let me know what you think! 

 

I have gotten in touch with the complex and have pictures of the pipes that the liquid dripped from. 

 

 

[Ironjaw]

Have you tried using a clay bar on it? 

[Chris@Adams]

If it's etched depending on how deep you may or may not be able to wet sand to remove. However you may not be able to completely  remove all ......It's too hard to tell by the pics.

Thoughts?

[LSX Maestro]

I have a very similar stain (Several dots) on the side of my white Duramax that I noticed just the other day! Smooth to the touch, I washed it late in the evening at a Pay and Spray so I must not have noticed then, after getting it back in the garage and drying it with DS I noticed the orangish stains.  Nothing that I tried wiped it off...My paint is layered with LPS plus several layers of H2O GG so hopefully when I get some time it will come off. 

 

I had the same staining on one of my white camaros (now sold) and it turns out it was shingling material from a roofing job.  It was like a black dot on the paint and then once you wiped/washed it off, it would leave a almost rusty/orange dot that was very hard to impossible to remove.   I experimented with compound to see what it would take to remove and ended up going so deep that I got to paint and went through the clear coat before I got it off in that instance, this was on a painted mirror cap that was already destined for a replacement and repaint (Cracked by a hit and run *facepalm*).  

 

My two guesses for my Duramax and for your car are either a winter chemical used by the lovely road commission, or it's some sort of tar like the roofing stuff (Could have come from the road as well, cold patch crews, and the like).  

Edited March 12, 2018 by LSX Maestro

[shane@detailedreflections]

Have you maybe tried some wheel cleaner to see if it’s any fallout of some kind?  Just food for thought. Otherwise try polishing or wet sanding as worst case scenario. If it’s new, I’m guessing it most likely isn’t that deep. 

[Swat 79]

17 hours ago, Ironjaw said:

Have you tried using a clay bar on it? 

 

No I haven't, I will consider that for sure though! After reading the comments below I'm not sure what I can do. 

17 hours ago, Chris@Adams said:

If it's etched depending on how deep you may or may not be able to wet sand to remove. However you may not be able to completely  remove all ......It's too hard to tell by the pics.

Thoughts?

 

I've never wet sanded before, but I guess what I'm struggling to understand is how it was able to get under the clear coat.  I know the pics aren't great, I'll try to get some better ones in the sun. 

17 hours ago, LSX Maestro said:

I have a very similar stain (Several dots) on the side of my white Duramax that I noticed just the other day! Smooth to the touch, I washed it late in the evening at a Pay and Spray so I must not have noticed then, after getting it back in the garage and drying it with DS I noticed the orangish stains.  Nothing that I tried wiped it off...My paint is layered with LPS plus several layers of H2O GG so hopefully when I get some time it will come off. 

 

I had the same staining on one of my white camaros (now sold) and it turns out it was shingling material from a roofing job.  It was like a black dot on the paint and then once you wiped/washed it off, it would leave a almost rusty/orange dot that was very hard to impossible to remove.   I experimented with compound to see what it would take to remove and ended up going so deep that I got to paint and went through the clear coat before I got it off in that instance, this was on a painted mirror cap that was already destined for a replacement and repaint (Cracked by a hit and run *facepalm*).  

 

My two guesses for my Duramax and for your car are either a winter chemical used by the lovely road commission, or it's some sort of tar like the roofing stuff (Could have come from the road as well, cold patch crews, and the like).  

Damn, so I guess this might not be a fixable situation.  Am I looking at a repaint?  

2 hours ago, shane@detailedreflections said:

Have you maybe tried some wheel cleaner to see if it’s any fallout of some kind?  Just food for thought. Otherwise try polishing or wet sanding as worst case scenario. If it’s new, I’m guessing it most likely isn’t that deep. 

This is a good idea, I'll give this a shot as well. 

[LSX Maestro]

Well, it's possible, especially if the wet sand doesn't go well.  I'd try as many things as you can before moving to that though.  Iron decon with wheel cleaner and clay is what I plan on trying this weekend.  

 

This is why 1 or 2 or 3 or more sacrificial layers of Sealant/Wax is important.  I took my thumbnail to a spot and it looked like it would come off with enough convincing whereas it never budged on my un-waxed Camaro.  

[Swat 79]

On 3/13/2018 at 1:44 PM, LSX Maestro said:

Well, it's possible, especially if the wet sand doesn't go well.  I'd try as many things as you can before moving to that though.  Iron decon with wheel cleaner and clay is what I plan on trying this weekend.  

 

This is why 1 or 2 or 3 or more sacrificial layers of Sealant/Wax is important.  I took my thumbnail to a spot and it looked like it would come off with enough convincing whereas it never budged on my un-waxed Camaro.  

 

 

Man this is such a good point.  Do you have any products to recommend from Adam's that can help get the job done?  Keep me posted on your results! 

[LSX Maestro]

2 hours ago, Swat 79 said:

 

 

Man this is such a good point.  Do you have any products to recommend from Adam's that can help get the job done?  Keep me posted on your results! 

In your situation, I would recommend you:

 

1. Strip wash the whole vehicle.  Accomplished with either Adam's Strip Wash, or adding a few ounces of APC to regular Car Shampoo.  Or Dawn Dishsoap which worked for me.  
2. Iron decon (This is accomplished via misting Adam's Wheel Cleaner or a product like CarPro Iron-X onto the car)
3. Follow with Clay and a lubricant, which if you're about to seal right away I'd recommend using Rinseless wash diluted, you can use Detail Spray but I am skittish about the small amount of Wax that Detail Spray would leave behind.  If you do use Detail Spray, then I would re-Strip Wash just to make sure the paint is as naked as possible.  Hopefully the Clay + Wheel Cleaner will take off all of the spots you have.  
4. As noted Re-Strip Wash and/or wipe down the paint with either IPA or Adam's Coating Prep.  (I Strip + Coating Prep wipe down at this point)
5. Apply Liquid Paint Sealant by hand or by machine 
6. Apply H2O Guard and Gloss over the top and then apply the H2O every month or two after washes or using the Dry Method to maintain the shine and barrier as well as adding extra layers that nasty weather, road stuff, and fall out will land on instead of your clear coat
7. Repeat in 6-8 months.  Sooner if it sits outside and sees a lot of salt and the like.  Longer if it's a garage kept car that doesn't drive out that much.  

This is my daily driver cycle as of right now.  There's lots of small things (Glass, Trim, Wheels, intermediate steps etc.) that I'm leaving out but I think you can handle the rest.  These forums and Adam's videos will contain all you need to know.  

[LSX Maestro]

On 3/15/2018 at 11:54 AM, Swat 79 said:

 

 

Man this is such a good point.  Do you have any products to recommend from Adam's that can help get the job done?  Keep me posted on your results! 

Ok got the truck all cleaned up yesterday.  I'm happy to report that Waterless Wash and Visco Clay took it right off, very little elbow greased needed.  I attribute this to the car being layered with LPS + H2O GG + Detail Spray the day before it happened.  I didn't take before or after pics but what I had was very similar to what you described.  Some sort of spray/globs of it landed while the truck was moving on the passenger door.  It didn't want to wash or rub off but Clay took care of it.  In my limited detailing experience, if clay and a cleaner won't take it off, then you've got a problem.  

[Swat 79]

On 3/19/2018 at 1:06 PM, LSX Maestro said:

Ok got the truck all cleaned up yesterday.  I'm happy to report that Waterless Wash and Visco Clay took it right off, very little elbow greased needed.  I attribute this to the car being layered with LPS + H2O GG + Detail Spray the day before it happened.  I didn't take before or after pics but what I had was very similar to what you described.  Some sort of spray/globs of it landed while the truck was moving on the passenger door.  It didn't want to wash or rub off but Clay took care of it.  In my limited detailing experience, if clay and a cleaner won't take it off, then you've got a problem.  

 

 

That's great to hear.  This in addition to your last post, have been very helpful.  I spoke with the apartment complex and they are going to reimburse me for the damage, so I may take it to a detail shop to save some time.  If they can't, I am going to do your process for sure!