Cosmoline question

do most of u guys have Cosmoline under ur car? i found there is a lot under my TT. do i need to remove it or it doesn't matter on the car?

Cosmoline is used as a rust inhibitor on all cars brought by ship. It is perfectly OK to leave it alone. It will eventually burn-off.

My car has it too. Some detail places can remove it with industrial solvents but be prepared to pay a pretty penny.

Will an engine cleaner/degreaser remove it? I bought Eimann Fabrik Citrus Engine Cleaner from CMA... anybody use this before?

Sloth, I just spent most of the weekend doing my GT3. What I don't understand is that all the parts they spray it on are aluminum or alloy steel. What is there to rust? Anyway, here's what I did. Get the car up on a lift or at least jack stands, it much easier to do if you can get the car up high. Warm up the engine, the cosmoline comes off easier when hot. Then I sprayed an area with the Eimann Fabrik Engine Degreaser (your garage will smell like oranges for a while). Then I used a power washer with a 15 degree tip and the pressure set fairly low to wash it off. Some thicker areas I had to hit twice or scrub with a detailing brush. If you're really ****, remove the rear plastic tray so you can get to the transmission case. This will get 90% of it off with minimal work but it is messy. That crap is really sticky when it comes off, so use latex gloves and some kind of eye protection. And be prepared to toss out whatever clothes you have on when you start the job, because they will never come clean again. The rest I did by hand with a rag, some brushes and more Eimann. It's good stuff. It took me about 4 hours to do the rear of the car. The front suspension parts only took about 1.5 hours. Make sure to remove the wheels for easier access to the suspension parts, which are coated with the stuff. Also do the inside of your wheels, since they get some overspray and cosmoline attracts brake dust as if it was a magnet. Karl

Is there any reason to get it off other than cosmetics?

Yes... it is leaving a mess on my garage floor as it drips off the hot engine. But it is a good mess and I am pleased to have it along with a new Porsche.

You are just not driving it enough!!! It also gives off a sweetish smell that is the engine counterpart of the new interior car smell. Smells good to me. Give it to me and I'll have it burned off pretty quick .

Yes, three reasons, at least. 1) extra weight (probably a couple lbs of that goop on my car), especially on the suspension pieces (unsprung weight). 2) it is a dirt magnet for brake dust and other undercarriage gunk (more weight) and 3) it makes the car a lot easier and neater to work on. Doing an oil and transmission fluid change or adjusting the suspension is a much neater process when that stuff is off. It may eventually burn off the engine and transmission but it will stay on the wheels and suspension parts forever. Karl

Not really Viken. Unless you mean it will burn off AFTER 14 years. My 89S4 has it all over the lower part of the car, and it has 75k on it. I am pulling the motor so I will get all of that off, as well as do the actual body as well. Its on the cross member, the steering rack, side rails, a-arms - everywhere.

I am not sure why your experience differs but my 7-year old C4S hasn't had any Cosmoline in at least 4 years and I didn't remove it. All my other cars have been the same. It may be that the amount of this stuff varies from car to car, I am not sure.

Viken & Brendan: Cosmoline application was sold to automakers as an "overall" inhibitor. Thru the early 1990's, it (cosmoline) was liberally applied over the entire vehicle prior to shipping, and then removed at the dealer (VW/Audi) or at the ports (Honda/Toyota/BMW/MB). Over time, the application points of Cosmoline have shrunk dramatically (mostly due to the use of 3M's "wrap"). Cosmoline is still a remarkably effective barrier/inhibitor against corrosion/etching/fluid damage - thus it's continued use. There is a remover for Cosmoline, sold under the trade name "KATZ". J

I removed mine, couldn't stand looking at the crap. Easier to maintain and stays cleaner.

Oak, Nice job, how'd you do it? Esp. the tranny case. Did you do the front suspension parts as well? Karl

In my experience the cosmoline does not burn off at all when it's applied heavily, especially on suspension parts. Porsche seems to be really gooping this stuff on the newer cars. It looks like they get it up on a lift after the car is all assembled and a guy shoots the bottom with a wand. The application varies from car to car. Sometimes it is waxy, other times it is hard. It can even get on brake calipers. I question the value of it aside from making a big mess.

Thanks for the info, Jeff. But, what is this 3M "wrap?" Is it the plastic they use to cover body panels? If so, how is that a replacement for Cosmoline which is normally applied underneath a car.

Wow Oak, you could eat dinner off the underside of your car if it could be flipped over, he he. I assume it's on my Cayenne??? I did notice some tacky stuff that look sprayed on under my side rails. Is that the stuff???

\ Thanks Karl, There's really isn't any short cuts, I just used some Stryk (sp?) cleaner and some mild solvents, and assortments of large and small brass wire bushes, and nylon brushes and some dental tools for fine detailing. It's easier to start from the center and work out towards the suspension. I also detailed the front suspension the same way. Also used some engine sealant from Meguires, puts a nice finish and helps keep it clean.

Oak, that's call CLEAN!!

Viken, Yes, I'm referring to the white plastic. In the late 80's to early 90's, MB, VW, Audi (from personal experience) coated the entire vehicle w/Cosmoline, which was washed off at the port (MB), or to be removed at the dealership (VW/Audi). Sadly, early 90's VW/Audi's would often sit out at dealer lots "slathered" in dirt attracting, sticky Cosmoline. J PS - Cosmoline is used on virtually every piece of military hardware shipped overseas. It's sold in "bricks", and melted down for dipping or spray application, or in barrels of liquid. The old port in Charleston, SC used a mix of hot water spray and cleaner to remove exterior and some undercar cosmoline. To the previous question as to "why"... check out: http://www.cortecvci.com/Publication...ts/02-137.html - this is an evaluation on metal in a salt vapor environment (think shipping - car at seaport & on boat for 10 to 20 days) Check Houghton.ca for an MDS on cosmoline

More... here's the distributor's link for a remover: http://www.corrosionvci.com/414-pds.pdf All I can say is - take it all off!!!

Isn't it bad to spray alot of water on a hot engine? Couldn't it cause extremely rapid thermal contraction of the vital parts?

BRH, Yes, I'd be reluctant to hit a hot engine. To clean @ home, I've connected a hose to the water heater... that does the trick. J

Some parts are indeed shipped by air, including engines. Remember that parts shipped by boat are wrapped & protected a great deal more than any vehicle. J PS - once saw a "pallet" of Jag motors come off of a plane @ Dulles - followed by an "S".

Replace motors do not have cosmoline. Jeff

Here is where one can purchase the Cosmoline remover from: http://www.vci-product.com/ecoair.html It's the one all the way on the bottom of the page. I wonder how many cans are needed per car? The minimum order seems to be for 10 cans!

Leon, Depends - more solvent means less elbow grease and faster removal. It comes down to how much one wishes to spend. J

Jesus. Its not that its expensive, its just that I can get these pieces that are cosmilined blasted and then power coated in a nice snazzy silver or black crinkle for the same price. Price is not everything. Its nothing in this case, as its a few hundred either way if its true that you need to buy a box of ten.

I'm leaving mine on since I plan to drive it in the winter. Any tips on what is a must for winter driving ? (besides winter tires).

I don't think you need to spend $150 on the Eco stuff. Eimann Fabrik Engine Degreaser or Wurth Engine Degreaser both work very well at removing cosmoline and you can buy them individually. I went through 4 cans. It does help to have a lift (I didn't) and a powerwasher (I did) connected to a hot water outlet (I didn't). Karl