Stubborn Paint Stains / Contaminants

[Jake]

Noticed an orange-ish spot of something on my tailgate early last week. Didn't think much of it, thought it was just some sap or something. Washed my truck last thursday and found 2 more small spots on the rear fenders. One is little dots next to the fuel door and on the other side it looks like a scrape. I can't get these spots to come off. So far I've tried just washing it, seafoam bug b gone, turtle wax bug and tar remover, a clay bar, soaking with alcohol on a microfiber for ~20 sec and wiping, and mineral spirits on a microfiber in a similar manner. Nothing has been able to touch it. Wondering if anyone has suggestions for stubborn paint stains / contaminants.

I had a hard time picking it up on the camera but you can see it plain as day with your eyes.

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[Cape Cruiser]

Jake,try iron x . It might be iron particles in the paint from shipping on rail car. Good luck,Bret

 

[Edibrac]

Being orange my first thought would be some sort of iron contaminate. Like brake or rail dust. If it is, Iron X will remove it, and any wax in the area. However, it is odd in your first and third pictures the area is large like it transfered from something. Can you catch a fingernail on it? Does it seem to be on top of the clear coat or a scratch in it?

 

[Jake]

Being orange my first thought would be some sort of iron contaminate. Like brake or rail dust. If it is, Iron X will remove it, and any wax in the area. However, it is odd in your first and third pictures the area is large like it transfered from something. Can you catch a fingernail on it? Does it seem to be on top of the clear coat or a scratch in it?

I'll pick up some iron remover on the way home today. It's worth a shot and even if it doesn't work it's something to add to the cleaning supplies. The little dots next to the fuel door definitely catch a fingernail but the spot on the tailgate just feels rough no distinct ridge to catch a nail. The one that looks to be a scrape might be a scratch but it's hard to tell. Definitely doesn't feel like a deep gouge.

 

[Jake]

Guess I never followed up on this. In case anybody looks at this in the future, I tried a Meguire's iron remover that didn't touch it. The final resolution was that I had to get my tailgate repainted due to a large gash down to the aluminum. I showed the other spots to the guy at paint shop and he wet sanded and polished the other two spots and they were good as new. Still no clue as to what those spots were though.

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