General Expanding Foam?

[thooms]

Hi folks,

Been taking advantage of the nice weather to give the Panda a once over and cavity wax the living daylights out of the various box sections under the car - I've found a couple of areas (e.g. where the boot latch is, parts of the boot lid etc.) are filled with expanding foam.

Was this done at the factory, or is this an 'improvement' that has been made previously in the cars life?

I hate the stuff (for no particular reason) - is there any easy way of getting it out (chemical warfare to dissolve it or something?), or am I consigned to hacking at it and getting it out the hard way?

Alternatively, I could just leave it - but it feels like a moisture trap which I don't really like the idea of.

Thoughts? :worship:

 

[onemanmade]

Hi folks,

Been taking advantage of the nice weather to give the Panda a once over and cavity wax the living daylights out of the various box sections under the car - I've found a couple of areas (e.g. where the boot latch is, parts of the boot lid etc.) are filled with expanding foam.

Was this done at the factory, or is this an 'improvement' that has been made previously in the cars life?

I hate the stuff (for no particular reason) - is there any easy way of getting it out (chemical warfare to dissolve it or something?), or am I consigned to hacking at it and getting it out the hard way?

Alternatively, I could just leave it - but it feels like a moisture trap which I don't really like the idea of.

Thoughts? :worship:

I dont think there is any on mine though I would have to double check. It doesnt sound like something fiat would have done at the time so my bet would be a previous owners choice.

Personally I would remove it too for the same reasons as you.

 

[kolza]

Sounds like one of the previous owners was audio fan. Self expanding foam is widely used as panell filler.

 

[Numptey]

Hi folks,

Been taking advantage of the nice weather to give the Panda a once over and cavity wax the living daylights out of the various box sections under the car - I've found a couple of areas (e.g. where the boot latch is, parts of the boot lid etc.) are filled with expanding foam.

Was this done at the factory, or is this an 'improvement' that has been made previously in the cars life?

I hate the stuff (for no particular reason) - is there any easy way of getting it out (chemical warfare to dissolve it or something?), or am I consigned to hacking at it and getting it out the hard way?

Alternatively, I could just leave it - but it feels like a moisture trap which I don't really like the idea of.

Thoughts? :worship:

Jeremy Clarckson bouyancy aid?

 

[AndyPanda4x4]

There is an expanding foad removal spray which dissolves it, called 'foam gun cleaner' it's for the foam gun (duh) but it can be used to get rid of it from a surface - this is available from your local builders' mercheant but it can be very expensive

 

[thooms]

Thanks for the replies

Andy - I'll have a look at the spray, thanks for that! I thought about attacking it with thinner or something, but that'll also ruin the paint so it's a non starter really. I'll get some out and see what happens!

Does seem exactly like the sort of thing Clarkson would do, the annoying so-and-so. Maybe he broke into it one night and foamed it just to annoy me.

kolza - I'm sure you're right. Would also explain the fphat battery wires, missing interior trim and dynamat I spend hours and hours and hours and hours removing from the boot floor.

 

[VmanC]

Thanks for the replies

Andy - I'll have a look at the spray, thanks for that! I thought about attacking it with thinner or something, but that'll also ruin the paint so it's a non starter really. I'll get some out and see what happens!

Does seem exactly like the sort of thing Clarkson would do, the annoying so-and-so. Maybe he broke into it one night and foamed it just to annoy me.

kolza - I'm sure you're right. Would also explain the fphat battery wires, missing interior trim and dynamat I spend hours and hours and hours and hours removing from the boot floor.

Why are you removing the Dynamat? I've just spent hours and hours and hours fitting it!

 

[thooms]

You'll spend even more hours if you ever want to take it off

I was worried it'd be rusting underneath it as I found water in the boot - started taking it off but it's a nightmare. Really sharp, too (as I'm sure you now well know...).

Seeing how well it sticks, anything that's under it will be completely hermetically sealed - it's ungodly. My floorpan's covered in it, I'll leave the rest of it in there.

Once I'd started though, I'd kind of committed to taking it all off.

Does make a hell of a difference, though. Even just removing it from the boot floor was very noticeable.