Sticky oily residue

[Alf]

A friend recently bought a 2002 NB8B Auto from NSW with only about 50,000 km on it. The car looks sweet, and goes well, though I had some trouble with the clutch.

One funny thing, there was a sticky oily residue which seemed to be well aged (kind of like oil was sprayed on and the volatiles had evaporated). This was found in two places under the bonnet, about a square foot at the front RHS, and all the way across the void at the back of the engine compartment, behind the rubber seal, directly under the windshield, where the air comes in for the vents. I just can't relate these two seemingly geographically unrelated areas.

Any ideas of a common event that might have caused these two areas to become coated with this mess. Ohh - the guy who sold it to her claimed it was a protective coating

Thanks,
Alf

[fattima]

Sounds like a protective / anti corrosion coating, wonder if the car had an after market treatment done at some stage. I use spray wax that sounds similar to protect engine parts such as crank journals when storing for a long time.

[bruce]

It does sound like a protective coating. Could be factory (to protect for the sea voyage to Oz and not removed) or aftermarket. I saw an Astra motor covered in a hard yellow wax (factory protection for the voyage) - only way to remove it was a 120c hot water pressure cleaner as nothing else would move it.

[davamb]

Throttle body cleaner will remove it if you spill it

[Alex]

I have the same in my car, it's a sticky almost wax layer on the inside of some panels, I checked and I think it is a corrosion prevention since there is a reciept that came with the paperwork that said it had been treated

[lowmiata]

Any ideas of a common event that might have caused these two areas to become coated with this mess. Ohh - the guy who sold it to her claimed it was a protective coating

Thanks,
Alf

If I were to guess I would say its corrosive protection panel beaters apply after they have repaired an accident.
they usually spray it librally everywhere and only clean of the bits where your likely to touch.

you can pick it though, when you touch it and smear it it wont come of like oil would you need to use metho or something similar.

on the inside of panels might be rust proofing but its fairly uncommon to have large amounts of it ie like it has dripped out the drain holes in doors etc.

got any pics?

[Alf]

Thanks guys,
Sounds like others have similar stuff, so it sounds like it may be a protective coating after all, just looked too crappy and uneven.

I'll try to get some pics next time it shows up at work, LM. but it doesn't look like a repair. It's on the flat section at the front RHS just behind the headlamp and in the void under the windshield (as fundies has it).

heers,
Alf