So I had a High Pressure Fuel Pump issue last week and while there I had them strip off all the stuff that had been leaked on....3rd time since June. What I cannot understand is that it has not been more than 70* in the last month. Most of the time it's well below 60* and in the evenings and mornings (up until 8am) it's sub 40*.

That said, when I went in and talked to the MA I expressed my annoyance about it being so cold and yet its leaking (these are all new leaks since cold) and she told me that she'd take it to the body shop and have them take a very close look at it because she said she's surprised as well, but said "we'll try to take it off, but it's actually good for your car so we don't want to take it all off."

I apologize if I'm stupid, but I thought it was only good for the boat ride so that salt corrosion wouldn't occur on any metal on the car/on the engine.

Is cosmoline really good? And please don't use this as a reference not to get a Mini. Every time I get it swapped out they detail the hell out of my car, normally done the same business day, and they wave the loaner fuel requirement so I'm in and out of there in no time at all at not cost at all either.

Thanks!

 

Cosmoline does as you stated. Its a salt corrosion preventative. I had them leave some cosmo in my car in certain areas. I had to have them clean a few spots though because in the desert here it began to run down the plastic front fender and stained it temporarily.

If you live in a salty/moist area theres no harm in it except a few grams of weight maybe . I mainly left it on the main bolts I could see like the bonnet bolts etc just to help prevent corrosion as much as I could.

Maybe someone else can help clear this up, as I dont think theres any harm in it, aside from being annoying sometimes

 

double post

 

Cosmoline is flamable, has a melting point of 130 degrees and has a flashpoint of 325 degrees. I wouln't leave any on the car. If it is 70 outside and the car is in the sun, the metal could easily get over the melting temp. It then pools and eventually will drip.

It is a temporary salt preventative and inteneded for storage, not long-term use. It is very messy if parts require maintanance and is very difficult to remove from clothing, rubber, wood or concrete. It also collects dust and sand which could be damaging to the surface. Cosmoline is considered to be a harzardous substance by OSHA because ir contains naptha.

I colllect military firearms and deal with it all the time and can see no reason to leave any on the car.

 

Ohhhh hahah. Guess I wont be using any butane torches or welders in my engine bay for fab work

 

Agree with the above in most instances. But if you live on an island out in the ocean such as Martha Vineyard, Nantucket, Barrier Islands etc then leaving it on will help with the tremendous high salt water air. But that is the only time i would leave it on.

If you live in an area where they use a lot of salt on the roads during the winter it is best ot wash the car frequently rather than use the cosmoline as a preventative as the sand and other crap will cause the cosmoline not to be effective anyway.

 

If cosmoline is so good why don't the Japanese use it on their cars? They live on a island, the cars travel on ships to the U.S. and another countries, yet no cosmoline and no rust...

 

Cosmoline is excellent at preventing metal from corroding, therefore it is appropriate for vehicles being shipped overseas. Cosmoline becomes a problem if it's not removed properly (at the POE or by the dealership) and then (normally during hot weather) it can melt and drip down on your Mini's plastic trim. If it dries on the textured plastic trim it is difficult to remove and the discoloration can be permanent. You were right in having the dealership address this issue.

 

OP yr MA is an idiot... yeah the Cos is good for transoceanic shipping, but the purpose of the high-pressure washes at the VDCs is to get rid of all of it--but they never seem to. Shoot, my 2005 S was still weeping the Cos out the rear wiper mechanism and from under my chrome trim when I traded it in after 3.5 years and 30K miles. It's a pain in the ****, and can discolor paint, chrome, vinyl, plastic, etc if not addressed.

 

I never had a problem with it. Do they spray it all over the car before transport or what? All I ever hear is people who are ticked that it leaks out of little joints on the car or something, like toothpaste being squeezed out of the car. I never could understand what the deal was.