This morning on my way to work a large plastic bag flew underneath my car. As a result a portion of the bag looks like it melted to the bottom of the catalytic converter and exhaust system. I'm sure it will cause no damage to the car, but it smells horrible once the car is warmed up and sitting. What I want to know if there is anything I can do to remove it without damaging the cat or the exhaust. What I intend to do, if I don't hear anything specific, is just leave the car running for an hour or two when I get home to burn it off.
2006-12-04 06:47:40 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Just in response to the potential for fire... I would prefer not to have it catch on fire, but if it did, that's why it's awesome that GAP insurance is standard on leases in NJ. Please keep sending answers at least until I stop by the service station by my house, I'm going to see if he can throw it up in the air and poke around to make sure everything is ok, I just hate that d*&#ed smell... lol
2006-12-04 07:09:37 · update #1
Just had the car lifted, scraped off the majority of the plastic, BUT there was a 4 foot section of the bag wrapped around the front driver's side axle, so I'm really lucky none of the brake lines or ABS wiring was damaged!
2006-12-04 09:29:38 · update #2
Use a putty knife to scrape off what you can. When I was young I used to do this from an oil change pit that I worked in all the time. You will still have to burn the rest off but it won't take as long if you scrape of the majority. Either way, you shouldn't worry. I have never seen anything catch fire from this. And I have seen it more times that I can count.
2006-12-04 06:52:07 · answer #1 · answered by Clint M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Trying to burn it off may cause even more problems as it can easily start on fire. When the car is cooled off, take a scraper and/or knife to remove the plastic. But you need to get that plastic off asap, just incase it catches on fire and then you have no more car. It's worth going under your car with a scraper or anything sharp to get that plastic off!! But make sure your car has been sitting for quite some time and cooled off, you don't want to touch a hot exhaust.. ouch!
2006-12-04 06:58:25 · answer #2 · answered by Jun!or 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't let it sit - too much junk that could catch fire. Raise the car and scrape as much as you can off.
Then get some lacquer thinner or something on a rag and wipe it off. You don't have to get every little bit, just most of it.
You don't want that junk burning under your car.
2006-12-04 08:03:06 · answer #3 · answered by jeff_is_sexy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep. Scrape off as much as you can. The rest will burn off in time.
Happened to me. I was stopping every few miles checking the engine bay. Later found the culprit
2006-12-04 06:54:45 · answer #4 · answered by Wil T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try to remove as much as possible then drive it for a while. Letting it sit to burn off might produce a fire.
2006-12-04 06:52:44 · answer #5 · answered by Lab 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Couldn't you use oven cleaning foam, I use that on my exhaust for my motorcycle and it works perfectly.
2015-11-22 15:57:29 · answer #6 · answered by Chris 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋