Cosmooolineee!!!!

[Mtriple]

Anyone tried xylene? It's somewhat paint friendly iirc and is good for removing adhesive and tar from painted surfaces.

"Somewhat" is accurate. Be careful, it will start to take the paint off. I've had the best luck with Simple Green and then to come back with this old cleaner wax that I've had in the garage for years. I think its called Race Glaze but I will double check when I get home.

***edit*** I found it: http://www.raceglaze.com/polish.html

[Ryann]

^Someone suggested I use it to remove some tar from a polished/clear coated wheel lip one time and it worked nicely. Like you say though, I'm sure it'd do some damage with prolonged use.

[Simon S]

Toward the end of my engine bay work – I seriously gave up on any/all use of chemicals and just painstaking scraped the shit off.

Wood chisels, plastic chisels, and thumbnail.

Once I got most of it off, I’d dampen a paper towel with Simple Green, then put my thumbnail behind the damp part – and scrub away, cleaning square centimeter by square centimeter – till area was done.

During times when I was doing shave and paint work on fender wells – I’d use gasoline and a wire toothbrush. Surprisingly, it didn’t do much to the paint – but was relatively aggressive on the cosmoline.

When I was getting cosmoline off bare aluminum parts – like upper timing case, I’d soak the part in gasoline for a day, then go at it with a scotchbrite until the part was cosmoline-free and had a uniform finish.

Bottom line: the shit sucks and there is no magical chemical that you can use to just wipe it away – unfortunately.

[dannyyisntt]

Anybody try using this steamer to remove it? (Shark portable SC630)

http://www.searsoutlet.com/d/product_details.jsp?md=ct_md&cid=2475&pid=72914&mode=buyNewOnly

I'm thinking about picking it up to see if it works.

[abefroman]

Oven cleaner

[318iBrilliantRot]

i covered my engine compartment from top to bottom with purple power and then power washed it all out and most all of the cosmoline came off. it was a beautiful thing

[325ix]

Steam and simple green worked to at least loosen some of it. The best thing I have found so far for removing it from non painted surfaces was this, the little red thing on bottom, and a little screw driver.

[RobertK]

Klean-Strip Aircraft Paint Remover

http://www.amazon.com/KLEAN-STRIP-GAR343-AIRCRAFT-REMOVER-GAL/dp/B000VHVJN4

Works 100% of the time on metal. Apply liberally with paintbrush, let sit for 15 minutes, wipe off. (Wear gloves)


/thread

[5Toes]

Nobody has mentioned boiling water yet.

Good idea!

Not sarcastic

[nando]

Klean-Strip Aircraft Paint Remover

http://www.amazon.com/KLEAN-STRIP-GAR343-AIRCRAFT-REMOVER-GAL/dp/B000VHVJN4

Works 100% of the time on metal. Apply liberally with paintbrush, let sit for 15 minutes, wipe off. (Wear gloves)


/thread

unpainted metal is not much of a challenge - chemical or mechanical, you can get it off.

it's removing it from painted surfaces that is difficult, at least without damaging the paint.