Should I be Ticked Off?!

[richross]

First, I apologize for the lack of pictures- I'll attach them if possible later.

I was having the tranny rebuilt at a "reputable" shop that does alot of Vette work, and asked the guys if they had time to check out a leak that I noticed coming from under the driver's side dash when I washed the car. I assumed the leak was coming from the wiper motor assemblies somewhere, but thought I'd leave it up to the experienced professionals to find it. When I picked up the car they had sprayed this black sealant s^*t all over the wiper motor assemblies and below/in front of the windshield. I expected at most a little finger-applied sealant to the hole itself, wherever it was. They said no-one would care about the sealant, but I do. Worst part of it is that when I got the car home to wash it, the damn dash leaked same as before; turns out the leak is coming from the hood release mechanism. Took me 5 minutes to find that the rubber hood bumper in the fender groove adjacent to the hood was re-directing water directly onto the hood release cable and right down behind the dash!
Now my car looks like an "avoider" car that has suffered from a serious windshield frame leak, whereas it was 'virgin' before. I know, I know... I shoulda done it myself to begin with...
A car-tech buddy of mine says fuel will dissolve the sealant and it does, but it's gonna take a lifetime and 2 million brain cells worth of fumes to get it done. Plus I'm worried that it'll eat the original sealant, too, making even more of a mess...

Any ideas!?

 

[73shark]

Is the "black sealant" like that rubberized spray undercoating? You might try other solvents like naptha, alcohol, PrepSol, Disolv It, Goo Gone, . . .

 

[Dustoff529]

YES! What would have been wrong with "yep we found it... we can spray some of this black death in your firewall or we can show you where it is and see what you wanna do" Just me....
When I have your wounded
Charlie

 

[richross]

I wonder how much luck I would have in getting THEM to remove all the spray! 73 Shark- The spray looks to be some creosote-based stuff. Once it dries it dries fairly hard. Getting it off the wiper fluid lines was easy, just flexing the lines cracked the stuff and it peeled off. It's slightly glossy and with little bubbles in it. The fuel dissolves a tiny bit of the upper layer into a greasy, sticky, jet black mess. Took approximately 3-4 minutes to dissolve a drop of the stuff about 4mm across and .5 to 1mm thick. I imagine myself stooped over this stuff trying to get it off the bolts holding the wiper motors on and... Geez, it really pisses me off just thinking about it!

 

[6 Shooter]

 

[minifridge1138]

Yes.

 

[c5 joe]

I AGREE

 

[killain]

Get yourself a facemask, gloves and some solvent that removes the 'stuff' and just clean it off. You asked them to do something they "Don't normally do" and this is what you get. Get over it and just clean the mess up and make sure you don't ever ask someone to do something you don't approve.:ugh

 

[Kid_Again]

Yup, buy nitrile gloves and a cheap charcoal canister air filter from Harbor Frieght or wherever you can buy Chicom crap tools and do it yourself.

Could have been worse.

 

[Evolution1980]

Interesting, as I have (had?) that same stuff on and around my wiper area. I just thought it came like that since it was there when I bought the car.

 

[paul67]

If push comes to shove you can hide it.

 

[73shark]

Interesting, as I have (had?) that same stuff on and around my wiper area. I just thought it came like that since it was there when I bought the car.

In the cavity where the wiper arms reside at the base of the w/s on mine, it looks like the factory liberally applied something akin to liquid rubber. Since I'm original owner, it has to be factory.

The only leak I've ever had was on the psgr side and it turned out to be where the outside air tube was glued to the plenum. Just didn't get enuf glue to completely seal it. Luckily I have skinny arms and could reach down and apply sealer in the blind.

 

[Vette79]

YES! What would have been wrong with "yep we found it... we can spray some of this black death in your firewall or we can show you where it is and see what you wanna do" Just me....
When I have your wounded
Charlie

Yep, I agree with Charlie. But also agree that this obviously wasn't something they normally do though. I always try to resolve first before taking it anywhere. I think I may have trust issues...lol..

 

[richross]

Interesting, as I have (had?) that same stuff on and around my wiper area. I just thought it came like that since it was there when I bought the car.

You know what? That's just what the mechanic told me. He said 'don't worry too much about it, Chevy applied pretty much the same thing at the factory themselves.' Problem is, i don't remember seeing any of this s%^t there before I took it in... Oh well, gonna stop *****in' and get to work scrubbin'!
Thanks for all the suggestions all...

 

[LVMYVT76]

Mine has it, looks like undercoating.