Since I live in the very south and do not have an exposure to salty roads, and basically is a weeked driver, i would like to remove the yellow waxy protectent Porschae puts on all their engines. Anyone have any good remedies. I probably will use a marine aluminum protectent used in the marine industry which dries clear.

 

The 993 guys are fanatics about this, and I believe use a product from Stoner called Xenit. Suppose to work really good.

 

Even if you aren't in a salty road type climate, why do people care to remove it anyway? Totally serious question. I just don't get the cleaning of the underside of a car. And I'm very OCD about my cars and them being clean all the time inside and out, just never underneath.

 

Leave it. I've left the stuff on my Boxster now 9 years and the stuff on the Turbo is 8 years old.

Salt is everywhere and besides salt isn't the only thing that attacks aluminum.

To remove it you'll need to use (probably) Gunk and several cans of it, then rinse this away with water, but this water can lead to surface corrosion in any of the wiring connectorst that get wet and then after awhile goofy electrical gremlins can appear.

For instance, I decided to break down and wash my Boxster's engine. I used Gunk and rinsed the warm engine with water, quite thoroughly but not with any high pressure wand.

Afterwards I drove the car and ran the engine til it got as hot as it can get and thought nothing more about it.

But a few weeks (give or take) later when I pulled into the parking lot at work the spoiler warning light came on and the spoiler was up. It didn't not react to the button. I looked things over and decided I couldn't do anything about it then and later that day drove the car to lunch and back.

When I got back from lunch the spoiler light was out and the spoiler was down. The button worked the spoiler just fine then and the spoiler has worked without hitch since.

But I have not washed the Boxster's engine again, either.

(The Turbo sat out in the rain a couple of weeks ago and upon startup the belt squealed and the engine ran a bit rough and the check engine light came on. I read the codes: P0300, and P0306. Misfires. The engine ran ok afterwards and I spoke with the tech who had me clear the codes, and they have not come on since but I have not let the car sit out in the rain again since then either.)

Sincerely,

Macster.

 

Cosmoline, engine wax, whatever you call it, I hate the stuff. I think it ruins what to me is artwork.

I can remember getting under a 560SL when I first got it and admiring the factory's aluminum trailing arms-just beautiful.

That being said, I spent a Saturday on my back with several toothbrushes and other nylon implements washing off all the stuff I could see with paint thinner. While the thinner melted the golden gunk easily, I needed the brushes to get into the various valleys and folds of all the cast aluminum.

Only got dizzy a couple of times thanks to the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts and it's low VOC requirements for solvents. That's right folks, I'm just a couple of tweets away from Charlie Sheen.

There is one small benefit to removing it, it makes spotting and tracing an oil leak much easier. Do you need to remove it, no; but do you want to remove it, only your psychiatrist knows for sure.

BD

 

Yes, Xenit from Stoners. Safe and efficient.
Send a PM to RL member Cactus in the 993 forum. He has arranged group buys in the past.
I buy it by the case, since it has multiple uses.

And yes, some of the 993 members photos of cleaning with Xenit are Pebble Beach quality ... Amazing work.

 

LOL! Very funny BD!

 

I agree fully with your perspective. To me the underside can be as beautiful as the body. And many times even more so. One particular car that I owned sticks out in my mind as being one of the most amazingly beautiful examples of machinery that I've ever laid eyes on, the Series l E Type Jaguar. Under the hood was just sensory overload, from the triple SU carbs with polished dash pot covers, shiny black porcelainized exhaust headers, polished aluminum cam covers with tall chrome acorn nuts. This was a car where the eye candy never stopped. Triple chrome windshield wipers, 4 rear coil over shocks, inboard mounted rear brakes, knock-off wheels, it goes on and on. I'd spend hours detailing the cars chassis and under the hood.

 

I did my 993 over the winter. The only product that works well and quickly is Xenit from Stoner. Ask for the Rennlist discount when you order and you get 12cans for $33 with free shipping. You will need almost the whole case if you are doing the fender wells as well.

 

My vote is drive it. Leave the junk alone....they put it there for a reason....

Then again, I beat on my cars...drive the ca ca out of them..Do DE....etc. They sometimes have mud and stuff from the local roads on them....even the turbo. I have a Rauh Welt like philosophy...the cars are more beautiful that way.


Jeff

 

I bought my car from a concour guy. He spent most his time polishing, cleaning and spit shining the car inside out, top and bottom. Some folks just get their satisfaction that way. He told me its only been in the rain one time... wow! The first time I used the headlight washers just to check them out they both blew away.....

When I first got it I thought about spinning a bunch of brodies out in the field and getting it covered in mud. Then I was gonna send him pictures of my four wheelin' escapades. But then I thought that'd just be wrong so it's still pretty much clean as a whistle.

 

This is simply amazing!

 

Porsche puts it on based on global protection scheme, not so much a regional decision. As i said, I will be using a marine aluminum protectent that is clear has no residue, and is used in the harshest salt environment. It's called SarkHide, dries clear and I have used it fro many years on my offshore boats. So it will continue to be protected. Eastwood is now selling it.

http://www.eastwood.com/sharkhide-al...ant-quart.html
Thanks for all the inputs!

 

I can understand appreciating mechanical design as art, but who gets to look at the underside of your Porsche?

 

Me.

It's parking space is up a ramp in a warehouse.

Every time I go in to pull something out I'm looking at most of it's shiny hiney.

Now excuse me, Charlie's on the other line.....

BD