So I have an assigned parking space where I live (UNCOVERED :thud: ), and it happens to be nicely placed right underneath a tree. Well last weekend my car got shit on with these pelets that when they hit the car, sap pours out of them. I didn't know how long they had been on the car but I ended up having to soak my entire car in p21s TAW to get them off, then did a normal wash. I topped it with a coat of blackfire since all protection was gone. Here's my question: Now my car was only beading water for one day. But every morning there's leaves and crap on my car.. so is the tree also raining sap down on my car that I can see/don't notice that's breaking down the wax that fast? I'm just confused 'cause I just waxed it a few days ago :shrug: Thoughts?
No question about it. Trees can do a number on our cars. My poor S2K was subjected to tree shite on a daily basis for almost two years. It was a bear keeping her clean and despite my best efforts damage was inflicted upon the finish. May I ask how you know that the BWD is no longer beading after only one day? Are you sure about that? In any case, based on what I have read over at Detailing World (I reference in particular postings by Dodo Factory [Dom Colbeck] and DaveKG), beading is caused by surface tension. Contaminants can break this surface tension and thus cause a diminishment in beading. This does not necessarily mean that the sealant is no longer providing protection. It just means that the surface conditions that produce beading no longer obtain. Perhaps this is your situation ... or perhaps not. I don't know how much real protection a micro-thin layer of protectant can provide against tree sap (or bird doo). Any sacrificial barrier, of course, is better than none. All one can do is wash one's car frequently and wax often. You might consider using a spray wax after each wash (e.g., DG Aquwax, Meg's Ultimate Quik Wax, Optimum Spray Wax, or Blackfire Deep Gloss Spray) to supplement your BWD. This is probably no help at all. Sorry. Good luck!
Tree resin (sap) [: the resin produced by most plants is a viscous liquid, composed mainly of volatile fluid terpenes, with lesser components of dissolved non-volatile solids which make resin thick and sticky. Some resins also contain a high proportion of resin acids. Some resins when soft are known as 'oleo-resins', and when containing benzoic acid or cinnamic acid they are called balsams] [1] Appears like a dark brown/ rust red coloured raised surface mark, some of the most common resinous tree sap types are: White Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Walnut (also secretes an oily residue) Maple, Oak, Popular, and Blue Spruce, none of which are water soluble, the acidic content of the sap will etch the paint surface; causing a concave surface. A lot depends upon the type of sap, which is actually an acidic resin emitted from the tree, the resin deposits can be removed by- Isopropyl alcohol (IPA), a safe solvent (Stoner’s Tarminator®) or turpentine, which is made from tree resins, in severe cases it can be used to break down the resin in tree sap, use as a last resort only and use sparingly and do not rub hard and give it some time to work and then use detailer’s clay. Once you remove the sap deposits, the paint or clear may be cracked, which may entail some expensive refinishing. Factors as to the amount of time it takes to remove sap and what damage it has caused are dependent on temperature and time the sap has been on the paint surface. Be careful and take your time removing it, remember always let the products do the work for you. For tree sap that has hardened, carefully scrape the top of the spot off with a plastic razor blade to expose the softer sap inside. The remaining sap can usually be removed by soaking with Isopropyl Alcohol (or Stoner’s Tarminator®) wet the area with the product by soaking a micro fibre towel and allows it to remain on the surface for 3-5 minutes, then wipe with soft dry towel. Apply Zaino’s ZPC Fusion with a foam applicator and then remove residue or soak a towel with the solvent placing it over the sap and let soak for 10-minutes, repeat in order for the solvents to break down the sap, once it’s removed re-apply sealant / wax protection of your choice. If the paint has been etched the surface can be levelled with a suitable polish and then apply a paint protection Insect Honeydew- (sometimes mistaken for tree resin is excreted by aphids or scale insects that infest the leaves and branches Sticky residue should be removed as soon as possible as it could compromise the clear coat, remove as per tree sap Notes 1. Use caution if you use WD-40 for sap removal, as it contains hydrocarbon-based (aliphatic) solvents, which may compromise the integrity of the clear coat causing it to occlude (clouding or yellowing). 2. Avoid using a QD sprays to flush residue, as they contain either carnauba wax or polymer sealants, which will seal the acid and not allow it to dissipate. Using an alkaline rinse of baking soda and water (to neutralize the acid) as soon as is practical is highly recommended, if the affected paintwork is not neutralized any remaining acid residue will be reactivated. 3. If the paint or glass surface has been etched the surface can be levelled with a suitable polish, then apply a paint protection.
Well.. I can go take a picture. And show you it's not beading.. Maybe it's because it's been raining really hard for three days straight now--so there's just too much water to bead? I dunno it's weird though. Informative post, thanks! But I know it won't protect from sap or bird poo, but I was thinking maybe the fact there is so many leaves and crap on my car, that it's creating like a layer of crap that I can't see, that caused the sealant to break down in a matter of a day or two? :shrug: I should emphasize--I'm not worried about the sap, I got it off. I'm wondering if the leaves and other tree crap falling on my car is what's causing it not to bead anymore? There's no sap actually on the car (that I can see/tell)
OK so here's some pics.. sorry they're crappy 'cause they were taken with my iPhone.. Here you can see SOME beading on the lower half of the car: Here, absolutely NO beading--seems the water is just "sitting" on the paint, as if it wasn't waxed:
I would suggest that there is a film of tree sap on the paint surface and this is why there is no water beading (having said that this is not an indication of protection, as has been suggested water beading is caused by surface tension) Most organic waxes (Carnauba) are more resistant to environmental hazards then synthetics, although an acrylic polymer does offers limited resistance. But the best way to avoid clear coat etching is too remove the environmental debris with a chemical paint cleaner as soon as it’s noticed, and replace the paint protection Collinite 845 Insulator Wax is probably the most durable non-organic wax product, and but this may only provide enough of a barrier to enable it to be removed quickly before causing too much damage to the paint film surface.
