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Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

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  • #1

    Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

    Hi All,
    I want to know whether you've ever tried "Diesel Oil (no dilution)" for removing hard to remove Tar and Road Grimes. As I live in a poor country, we have no access to high tech products like "Bug & Tar removers", "Prep-Sol", "Body Solvents" here. Not all car owners can also go abroad and buy these products to use on their cars. So, almost all the car Servicing Centers use spray guns to spray diesel to cars and then wipe off. For home use, we remove these grimes by a diesel-wet cloth or some spray it using house-hold spray bottles. After all, clean the whole car with car shampoo.

    I've read in some forums that diesel can damage car paint but in which ways. Will it cause marring/scratches? I've told a detailer in my country that using diesel can damage the paint but he laughs me off like a nut as I can't explain him in which way. So, please he me again, bothers,

    Thanks,
    HK77
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

    I could imagine it would easily dry out the paint.
    Navy Blue Metallic Pearl 2002 Camaro Z28: Build in progress. (416" LS3/9" Rear End/TH400/200 Shot)
    Superior Blue Metallic 2005 Trailblazer LS: !Badges/!Molding/20% Tint/Stealth Audio in Progress

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    • #3
      Re: Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

      I'm not sure it's the safest thing for the clear coat. It cloud or stain it.

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      • #4
        Re: Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

        I would also imagine if it found a crack or chip in the clear and got under the clear it would begin to damage the clear coat very quickly possibly causing clear coat failure.
        Navy Blue Metallic Pearl 2002 Camaro Z28: Build in progress. (416" LS3/9" Rear End/TH400/200 Shot)
        Superior Blue Metallic 2005 Trailblazer LS: !Badges/!Molding/20% Tint/Stealth Audio in Progress

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        • #5
          Re: Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

          Diesel fuel will work, and if its washed off it will not hurt paint . It is kinda oily, I use mineral spirits. Kerosene will also work well.Years ago I was at a Zeibart, and with every rust proofing they would give each customer a small bottle of remover for rustproofing that may leak on the paint. In the back room they would fill these little bottles from a 55 gallon drum of mineral spirits.

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          • #6
            Re: Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

            Hi Thanks all For the suggestion. I'm also the one thinking whether Diesel Oil can marr/cloud the paint. As I usually wipe it down immediately after it lifts of the dirts/grimes, I hope I didn't make cruel things to clear coat. My car also becomes squeaky clean, no road grimes/tar any more but I feel like it lacked clarity. I'm not sure it's from diesel or from marring/minor scratches from daily washing/drying.
            Please suggest me more information about using Diesel Oil for this application as it really works fantastically well till today for removing tar/grimes. So, if I have a really strong information about what it could do to the paint, I'll abandon it and give knowledge to people around me.

            Thanks All,
            HK77

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            • #7
              Re: Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

              I would imagine that if you washed it off very well and made sure the area was rewaxed, you should be okay.
              quality creates its own demand

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              • #8
                Re: Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

                As mentioned, diesel is kind of oily, not like gasoline which is not oily but more akin to rubbing alcohol.

                While probably not the best thing for automotive paints, chances are you wouldn't harm the paint if you simply apply using some kind of cloth or applicator, then work-off the tar and then wipe everything off. After this use a paint cleaner, a polish or a cleaner/wax to go over the area a second time, this will act to remove any residue left behind also.

                I used to be a Roughneck on an Oil Drilling Rig and we added diesel fuel to our wash water and washed all the rigging and pumps down with this combination and it left everything looking clean and shiny. Also made washing drilling mud off all the pipes and valves easier and faster. Of course the pipes, valves and rigging weren't painted with automotive basecoat/clearcoat paints, but they were painted with paint.


                Mike Phillips
                760-515-0444
                showcargarage@gmail.com
                "Find something you like and use it often"

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                • #9
                  Re: Diesel Oil for Removing Tar/Grimes?

                  Thank you Mike for your helpful information. So, I can use Diesel Oil for sure now. In our country, all the roads are so bad and during rainy season, the tar and road grimes on every car is so bad and thick. I've tried some mild Bug/Tar remover (but not Meguiars) and they failed to remove stubbon ones. Even with diesel oil, we still have to rub some area with force to toally clean.
                  Normally, I spray the lower parts with a household sprayer and let it soak for 2 minutes and then wipe with dry cotton cloth then, shampoo the whole car. According to Mike, next times, I'll always follow with a cleaner after using diesel.

                  Thanks Everyone.

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