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bat shit on the windshield

IntrepidBear

NAXJA Forum User
I have an 89 Cherokee base model 4.0, AW4 that was stored in a barn for 15 years. I've just got it running and am now fixing some of the necessary cosmetic stuff.

Current problem: the barn was home to fruit bats, which pooped all over the windshield. This appears to have etched the glass to the point where visibility is an issue. Has anyone else had this problem, and do you have any fixes? Replacing the windshield, isn't an option....long story, but I can't get a replacement locally.

What I've tried so far:

detergent
fine steel wool
razor blade
silver polish

Any tips or advise is greatly appreciated.
 
I have an 89 Cherokee base model 4.0, AW4 that was stored in a barn for 15 years. I've just got it running and am now fixing some of the necessary cosmetic stuff.

Current problem: the barn was home to fruit bats, which pooped all over the windshield. This appears to have etched the glass to the point where visibility is an issue. Has anyone else had this problem, and do you have any fixes? Replacing the windshield, isn't an option....long story, but I can't get a replacement locally.

What I've tried so far:

detergent
fine steel wool
razor blade
silver polish

Any tips or advise is greatly appreciated.

Never encountered this problem before but apparently it is fairly common in places. What I found is to try auto paint compound, jewellers rouge, bar keepers friend- All lightly abrasive polishing compounds. One guy said replacing the windshield is often better way to fix it. Apparently bat guano is very acidic and does a real number on glass and paint. Here's a good discussion on the problem I found.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/acid-rain-spots-on-glass.820164/

Good luck
 
In a previous life as an automotive detailer, I've used buffing compound and a rotary buffer to remove light scratches from a windshield. I would be extremely careful about that though. It's very easy to mess up and cause more damage. I was using a rotary 20+ hours a week at the time and was comfortable with it, I'm not sure I'd do the same now. It would be safer but more more time consuming to try and buff it by hand
 
Worst case scenario is that you replace the windshield. It's under $200 around here, and more than likely the adhesive holding it in place is dried to the point you'll get leaks anyway.
 
If it is etched and all of the Bat chit residue is gone, try waxing it. I always used Turtle wax. When mine was etched it was from blowing sand in the desert, the wax helped make the cloudy places more clear. Some of the newer nano waxes may be even better. They do make nano glass coatings, I've never tried any.

One thing I learned about polishing glass is circles are to be avoided, the tiny imperfections in a swirl really increases glare. While cleaning or polishing in a straight line helps minimize the glare some.
 
If it is etched and all of the Bat chit residue is gone, try waxing it. I always used Turtle wax. When mine was etched it was from blowing sand in the desert, the wax helped make the cloudy places more clear. Some of the newer nano waxes may be even better. They do make nano glass coatings, I've never tried any.

One thing I learned about polishing glass is circles are to be avoided, the tiny imperfections in a swirl really increases glare. While cleaning or polishing in a straight line helps minimize the glare some.
I bought a kit for coating plastic glasses that was scratch repair tech. I winder if they make one for glass. Googling "Glass coatings scratch" might turn something up.
 
I looked at one South American XJ that had 44's front and rear, I wonder?
 
I would bet being located in Brazil is a bit different than being located in the US.

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions....very helpful, and yes it is quite different being in Brazil than back in the States.

The back story is that I drove this vehicle from San Diego back in 2001, and parked it in a barn out on a Cocoa farm after I was done with my travels. I recently started coming down for longer visits and thought that it was time to revive the old jeep.

Being on a Cocoa farm there is quite a lot of fruit grown in the area, which attracts fruit bats. Apparently their favorite place to hang out was from the rafters of the barn right above the jeep. From what I understand their excrement is quite acidic which causes the etching. I plan to have it resprayed which will take care of the paint, but the glass is another issue.

As far as a new windshield goes......parts for XJs are simply not available. They imported a few hundred of them in the 1999-2000 era, but that was it. Mine is a Renix, and as far as I know its the only one in the country.

All the parts to get it back on the road, I brought in a suitcase. Yes that included a full exhaust system that I cut into pieces and welded back together when I got down here.........and a radiator.....had to order an ultra large suitcase for that........

As you can see putting a windshield in a suitcase ain't going to happen, and shipping is also near impossible....apart from it being fragile, i'd have to get it past Brazilian customs, which is a byzantine bureaucracy staffed only by neanderthals. It would take months or perhaps years and cost a small fortune in lawyers and customs brokers, and even then may fail (I wish I was exaggerating).

Soooo..... It sounds like I need to polish and then wax or otherwise coat the glass. I am headed back to the states next week so this may need to wait for my next visit.

Do you have any specific recommendations for microcoating? that I can bring in a suitcase! :yelclap:
 
I looked at one South American XJ that had 44's front and rear, I wonder?

I always wanted to hear Chrysler's explanation for why the export version got a front D44? But on the flip side, they were LP D44's!
 
if your flying yourself. pay the extra and take one on the plane.
call the airline. be nice. explain the situation. they will make it happen.
its gotta be the best way if it needs to be replaced.
 
if your flying yourself. pay the extra and take one on the plane.
call the airline. be nice. explain the situation. they will make it happen.
its gotta be the best way if it needs to be replaced.

The airlines aren't the problem. I haven't flown into Brazil but had a good friend in the Dominican Republic I used to go see all the time. He would have me bring some bizarre items at times. Airline no problem, getting it through customs could be, errr, challenging. There were always guys hanging around the baggage claim area to "help with your bags" they also knew who and how much to grease their palms, with a small handling fee for himself, to get things in the country. Once we brought a complete satellite dish, no firect tv but rwal satellite, setup in. Just cost money and knowing the right guy, Americian dollars were always preferred.
 
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The airlines aren't the problem. I haven't flown into Brazil but had a good friend in the Dominican Republic I used to go see all the time. He would have me bring some bizarre items at times. Airline no problem, getting it through customs could be, errors, challenging. There were always guys hanging around the baggage claim area to "help with your bags" they also knew who and how much to grease their palms, with a small handling fee for himself, to get things in the country. Once we brought a complete satellite dish, no firect tv but rwal satellite, setup in. Just cost money and knowing the right guy, Americian dollars were always preferred.
darn. well that sucks.
do they not have places that can make glass down there ? I would assume there is a pattern or number to look up ?

Honestly I did wonders with my glass and the stuff I mentioned above.
just if its etched as much as you say then it might be tough is all.

Let me put it this way. My drivers window had lines from the plastic outer seal.
it took about 10 hours total to polish them out with a dremmel.
It sucked.. big time. you have to really put some pressure. but also not enough to break the glass.
 
Is there no Jeep/Chrysler Stealership down there to use?
 
First off you have to think out of the box, a Renault dealer can get you the parts. May take some bribes.

Second possibility is the boating crowd, a pretty tight knit society that has ways of getting things done. A marine parts dealer can likely get you the part. Just a guess but you can label the windshield for anything, call it a boat part.

The U.S. consulate, especially if you have a trade or service to swap. These guys are world class scroungers and can ship duty free. Procurement and contracting office or the GSO.

ASP Eberle, German company that ships world wide. It has downsized but likely still have their connections.

I feel your pain, I spent some time in a place called Diego Garcia. Where there is a will there is a way.
 
Indeed, 8Mud is the man!!! So how about Allibaba from Hong Kong, LOL. They did move the XJ production line to China after they stopped making them here. I got an entire fiberglass nose piece from there for $27 in 2008 :scared:

8Mud, sounds like we are in the wrong business, LOL.
 
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