Undercoating?

[72vwtype2]

This winter I have taken on the challenge of de-greasing the engine compartment, by the use of solvent and braun. I am now considering to keep moving towards the front of the vehicle. But before I do I have a couple of questions:

1. How do you tell the difference between undercoating and baked on oil and road grime?

2. Did all buses receive undercoating from either the factory or dealer?

3. Any issues with removing undercoating?

4. Is solvent and or heat gun the best way to remove undercoating and/or grime?

5.If you don't intend on driving in the winter would you re-apply undercoating afterwards?

Thanks.

[Bruce]

Any undercoating will chip off in flakes.  Dried oil and road grime will smear or crumble off.

Solvent for road grime, heat gun for undercoating.

Undercoating is put on for sound deadening.  IMO it accelerates all corrosive processes, so go ahead and scrape it off.
The most rotten cars I've seen were all undercoated.  Generally, the Canadian cars that had the least rust were without.  There are exceptions of course.

[Geoff]

The best way to remove undercoating is with liquid nitrogen, any other way is a waste of time.

Go buy a case of compressed air cans ( used for cleaning your key board) best deal is from Costco.

Shake well and turn upside down, that way the nitrogen is released. Spray over a 12" area tap with a rubber mallet and use a scraper and it will fall off revealing fresh paint!

[owdlvr]

The best way to remove undercoating is with liquid nitrogen, any other way is a waste of time.

Go buy a case of compressed air cans ( used for cleaning your key board) best deal is from Costco.

Shake well and turn upside down, that way the nitrogen is released. Spray over a 12" area tap with a rubber mallet and use a scraper and it will fall off revealing fresh paint!

You are learning well, young padewan.

-Dave

[Jerome]

A friend of mine works on a cattle ranch and used their industrial steam cleaner to take off the undercoating off his truck. Its like a preasure washer but superheated & pressurized. The nitrogen thing sounds interesting...

[beetlemandan]

a little off topic, but there is an old hermit near oliver has a 68 and a 67ish? ( its a frakenstien) beetle and he has owned them since new and are both used as daily drivers/farm vehicles (don't ask). anyways, he waxoils them constantly and they are easily the two most rust free beetle ever seen. not that they're good, just rust free. ( just imagine massive and plentifull stress cracks everywhere)

[72vwtype2]

I did get a chance to get up and close and removed some of the "stuff" underneath the bus. I don't think it is undercoating as it is thin and came off fairly easily with solvent. Actually, when removing it is shines up and looks redish like toffee. I think it might be a wax or bar chain oil.

Although I do not intend on driving it in the winter. I am now hesitant to remove it as the paint underneath it is very prestine. Mind you some areas look they might have some surface rust underneath.