Diesel soot removal

04GolfTDI

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2004
Location
Maryland
TDI
2004 Golf GLS, Silver
Greetings,
Has anyone concocted any magic removal secrets on how
to easily remove the diesel soot from the rear of their cars?
My 04 Golf is Silver...and filthy.
The soot is very hard to remove using regular old carwash.
I've looked around a little...any help?
Thanks, Dave.
 

ufoguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2004
Location
Plano, Texas
TDI
2005 Passat, Shadow Blue, gray leather
i tried a number of products until using turtle wax bug and tar remover. it cuts right through the soot on my white NB bumper and leaves a little wax behind. absolutely the best thing i have found to deal with the problem. i was thinking of making a post just about this product but hadn't gotten around to it.

also, since using stanadyne performance and lubricity formulas i have noticed a significant reduction in the amount of soot produced by my TDI. also, i have noticed that the "new" soot seems to come off much easier than before using stanadyne.

my bumper residue was also reduced when i did a mufflerectomy and took the exhaust tip to just under the edge of the back bumper at a 45 degree angle. the OEM outlet pointed the exhaust straight down from the muffler about ten or twelve inches inside the edge of the bumper which allowed it to swirl up onto the bumper more than now. mufflerectomy pictures

 

63Ragtop

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2001
Location
Minneapolis, MN, USA
TDI
'01 NB GLS, Auto, Red, Black Leather
My '01 NB collected soot the 1st 6 months until I put on the VW stainless exhaust tips. Since then, no soot accumulation on the body at all. Locally, I've only seen one Golf TDI with the accessory tips. May be worth a try. Good fuel helps also.

I second the motion on the Turtle Wax Bug & Tar - good product. Not as fast as a solvent, but gentle on the paint.
 

laminated

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Location
Canada
TDI
15 Sportwagen
Go to a helicopter operator and get some Brulin 512,It is a concrete floor cleaner we use to clean soot off with,or any aircraft wash like jet clean from Zep.Tide even works..Got a carboned up intake?? use brulin to soak it off..
 

Vroom

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2000
Location
Windsor, Ontario
TDI
mrrobmora
All i use is my regular car soap and I can't say I ever have problems getting rid of the soot... I just wipe it off and it's gone. Do you wax your car often? I don't know if that would make a huge difference, but I can't help but think the soot would wash off a lot easier if you keep the rear of the car well waxed.
 

dakota

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2004
Location
Bloomington, MN
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
Actually, I've always used WD40 to remove tar and other such stuff. I haven't tried it for soot, but I bet it would work. I've never seen it hurt the paing, and I've tried it on various cars, including Corvettes. Never did any damage.
 

VDubbing

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
Stouffville, Ontario Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta Galactic Blue
soot what soot?? My 2003 jetta TDI doesnt leave anything on the bumper. maybe i drive it too hard for the soot to land on the car? Does everyone have this soot?? I know what you guys are talking about but have never gotten it on my car. Maybe im the odd duck
Rob
 

gdr703

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Location
Vancouver, Canada
TDI
Golf 2 door 2002 Indigo
Greetings,
Has anyone concocted any magic removal secrets on how
to easily remove the diesel soot from the rear of their cars?
My 04 Golf is Silver...and filthy.
The soot is very hard to remove using regular old carwash.
I've looked around a little...any help?
Thanks, Dave.
Avoid the soot in the first place, use some fuel additives. such as Stanadyne, Power Service Diesel Kleen, Racor conditioner plus, Howes Meanoer Power Kleaner. etc etc.
hth
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
So Slick, Bugs and Soot Can't Stick!






SPACE AGE PROTECTION FOR YOUR CAR, TRUCK, BOAT, RV, AIRPLANE & MOTORCYCLE


RejeX is a thin-film polymer coating designed to provide a high-release surface. This very thin film – less than a micron thick – prevents stains and adhesion of common contaminants such as exhaust, bugs, oil, tree sap, bird droppings, road grime, brake dust, etc. It also makes graffiti easy to remove and can be applied to windshields to repel rain. It’s easy to apply and produces a deep, lustrous shine that outlasts the most popular waxes by months.



PROTECTS AND BEAUTIFIES PAINTED METAL, GLASS, ACRYLIC, GEL COAT, FIBERGLASS, GLOSSY PLASTIC & POLISHED METAL SURFACES



RejeX is not meant to be used on porous surfaces, highly oxidized painted surfaces, or to fill fine scratches. RejeX can be applied in multiple coats, allowing 8 hours curing time between coats for deeper color and greater depth of gloss. RejeX has a higher refractive index than waxes, so it produces richer, deeper looking colors and a lustrous long-lasting finish.

RejeX can be used over existing wax; however, the duration of protection will be reduced as the softer underlying wax degrades comparatively quickly. There is no reason to wax over RejeX. As we’ve already said, RejeX leaves a shinier, longer-lasting finish than wax… and the wax can't adhere well to RejeX!

link
 

Kabin

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2004
Location
Valley of the sun
TDI
Jetta '04 PD TDI/Tip
I went to the garage to pull something out of the trunk and tracked in a bunch of little soot sputter from the garage floor under the tailpipe. My '01 Dmax doesn't have an egr and has never made such a mess. Makes one want to disconnect the EGR!
 

MDSteve

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2004
Location
Southern MD
TDI
Jetta, 2004, Grey
If you have a boater's world close by ask them. I used to use something specialy made for removing soot from fiberglass. Twin inboards backing down on tuna/billfish can smoke pretty bad.

I think it was called roll on roll off or something. It was a liquid in a spray bottle. Next time I go down to the boat I will see what it is.
 

kcunniff

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Location
Southwest Florida
TDI
2005 Golf GLS BEW (5spd)
A clay bar and Mequiar's Quick Detail Mist and Wipe will work. While you're at it, do the whole car, you'll be amazed at what the clay bar will remove, and your clear coat will feel very smooth.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Whatever choise of cleaner you use, Make sure you claybar the area or the entire car and put a few coats of wax on it or if you have the time, ceramic coat. you will not have any more issues.
 
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