MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Removing Waxoyl

Hi,

I am looking for your top ten tips for removing waxoyl.

Many thanks

James
J Paul

Steam cleaning will do it but it has its obvious downsides.
I would guess kerrosine or petrol would probably work but has a bit of a health risk !

ed
Ed H

Waxoyl comes off easily with petrol as I first discovered from a leaking petrol tank sender
Nigel Atkins

James

If its just a few drops or a small area then WD40 will work. As an aside WD40 also removes STAG Wellseal which nothing else seems to touch.

Ed
Ed H

Hi,

Unfortunately it is all over the underside and I do need to get it off to assess the extent of my rust. The PO also managed to get it on real thick!!

http://1965mgmidgetrestoration.blogspot.co.uk/

James



J Paul

The waxoyl is generall soft and will wipe off easily with any wax solvent; petrol, diesel, paraffin etc.

But I suspect a lot of what you are talking about is a rubberised or tar based underseal rather than waxoyl. Best way with that is to warm it gently with a hot air blower (i.e.SWIMBO hair drier) and scrape it of in lumps with a flat bladed paint scraper. Then finish off with petrol / paraffin.
Guy W

I always use white spirit. Brush it on, leave a few moments and just wipe off with a rag. I confess to doing mine annually and then re applying the waxoyl. Anal I know, but I like to see the original paintwork on the underside.


Neil T

Waxoyl isn't meant to be used on areas that are exposed to road spray. It will be worn off. It is intended for spraying into cavities. There is a special Waxoyl underseal for the exposed areas. Personally I prefer the Dinitrol products.
Mike Howlett

The stuff on the underside of mine is a hard, thick rubbery texture, not easy to get off.

I am thinking it is an underseal like Mike says.

I am guessing hard work is the best!

Thanks

James
J Paul

see Guy's post a couple before Mike's :)
Nigel Atkins

I was a little confused while reading this thread. Waxoly is applied with a hand pump sprayer and is for the inside of frame pieces. But that hard tar-like substance that the factory applied as undercoating must have been applied while hot. I didn't think of applying heat, but I'm kind of glad I didn't. No telling what would be contained in those fumes.

If you were asking about undercoating, then...

I used various spinning wire brushes and air-powered tools, time, sweat, and my back. Move around a lot with the wire brush to prevent the work area from heating up and letting the material melt. A dust mask and eye protection are recommended. I know this is probably what you are trying to avoid. My car was stripped at the time, so I built a wood frame around the car and tilted it up on its side for ease of access.

I painted the underside in a nice glossy gray. Shines up with a damp towel. No one but me knows or cares.
Rotary-MG

Stan's comment about fumes etc is why I suggested using a hair drier. It will soften the tar substance sufficiently that a paint scraper will cut through it quite easily remove it cleanly without spraying the stuff all over, as happens with an electric powered wire brush. I suggest that you DONT use a blow torch or flame gun as the whole thing is very likely to go up in flames. Using a hair drier is definitely the safer option - unless SWIMBO finds out!
Guy W

What Guy says x2 only replace the hair drier with a heat gun for paint stripping. It might save your skin if SWMBO (whats the I for Guy?) misses the hair dryer :0)
I've used the gas torch method and it hurts when the molten stuff sticks to skin...
Much more control with the heat gun and then wire brush to finish off to clean steel.

MGmike
M McAndrew

Mike,
The I is any adverb you wish. In my head I always add "I" in to SWMBO to make it pronounceable. But I didn't mean to type it in as well! The reason for suggesting a hair drier rather than a paint heat gun is that I suspect that many more here own a SWMBO than a heat gun. And all SMBBOS have a hair drier.
Guy W

This thread was discussed between 09/12/2012 and 11/12/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.