Undercoating - keep or clean?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 269
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St. Jude Contributor
Undercoating - keep or clean?
My car has a greasy / oiling undercoating under the whole car.
There is an equal amount of road grime and rocks that have collected onto it.
From what I understand, undercoating is to help prevent rust from salted roads.
This car lived in southern CA all of its life, but I'm in New Orleans - never seen snow in my life.
So, is there any reason I shouldn't clean it off? My car lives in the carport, so will normal rain do rust damage if the undercoating isn't there?
There is an equal amount of road grime and rocks that have collected onto it.
From what I understand, undercoating is to help prevent rust from salted roads.
This car lived in southern CA all of its life, but I'm in New Orleans - never seen snow in my life.
So, is there any reason I shouldn't clean it off? My car lives in the carport, so will normal rain do rust damage if the undercoating isn't there?
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 438
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From: Houston, Texas
Re: Undercoating - keep or clean? (Marc78)
Do you have a good way to get it off? It is probably pretty tough stuff. Don't forget the humid, salty air you have in New Orleans.
If the coating is in decent shape you may want to just clean it up a little and maybe paint it. No real reason to work at taking it off unless it is unsightly.
If the coating is in decent shape you may want to just clean it up a little and maybe paint it. No real reason to work at taking it off unless it is unsightly.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 269
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St. Jude Contributor
Re: Undercoating - keep or clean? (noskillz)
I guess I don't mind having it there... it can't hurt.
Just gets pretty messy when I get under there.
Plus, its real hard to keep things (tools, myself) clean when doing something like re-threading a bolt. Dirt can get in the threads pretty easily.
I guess I'll just wipe it off in the areas I need to work on, and leave the rest on the frame. Can't hurt.
Just gets pretty messy when I get under there.
Plus, its real hard to keep things (tools, myself) clean when doing something like re-threading a bolt. Dirt can get in the threads pretty easily.
I guess I'll just wipe it off in the areas I need to work on, and leave the rest on the frame. Can't hurt.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Undercoating - keep or clean? (noskillz)
just clean it up a little and maybe paint it
With that there is no just clean it up a little and paint. It is all or nothing. If you decide to clean and paint it all the grease must be removed or the paint will not stick. I want my undercarriage spotless so I would clean and paint it. At car shows this is the second place I look, the undercarriage, If the guy scrimped on it I don't care what he done to the top it is still 2nd rate work.
With that there is no just clean it up a little and paint. It is all or nothing. If you decide to clean and paint it all the grease must be removed or the paint will not stick. I want my undercarriage spotless so I would clean and paint it. At car shows this is the second place I look, the undercarriage, If the guy scrimped on it I don't care what he done to the top it is still 2nd rate work.
