Cleaning Aluminum, Suggestions for chemicals to use |
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Cleaning Aluminum, Suggestions for chemicals to use |
John |
Jul 11 2005, 02:21 PM
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#1
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member? what's a member? Group: Members Posts: 3,393 Joined: 30-January 04 From: Evansville, IN (SIRPCA) Member No.: 1,615 Region Association: None |
I would like some suggestions as to what to use to clean and "brighten" aluminum such as an engine case.
I don't want to media blast the case. I know this would clean it but would end up leaving a more rough surface finish that I would like. I would like to use some sort of cleaner/brightener. I plan on using a pressure washer or a spray type parts washer. In searching the web I have found only a few types that can be bought in small quantities (like a gallon). Thanks for your advise. |
bd1308 |
Jul 11 2005, 02:26 PM
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#2
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Sir Post-a-lot Group: Members Posts: 8,020 Joined: 24-January 05 From: Louisville,KY Member No.: 3,501 |
I was wanting to use Simple Green cleaner with my pressure washer, but the little detergent nozzle system is broken.
I used Simple Green and love it. |
spare time toys |
Jul 11 2005, 02:30 PM
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#3
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hooked on grilling food. Group: Members Posts: 4,059 Joined: 3-April 04 From: West Plano Tx Member No.: 1,884 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Go to your local truck stop and get a big can of never dull. I used it back when I drove truck for a living and it worked great for polishing and chrome or aluminum on the rig. It will take some elbo grease but well worth it.
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tat2dphreak |
Jul 11 2005, 02:35 PM
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#4
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stoya, stoya, stoya Group: Benefactors Posts: 8,797 Joined: 6-June 03 From: Wylie, TX Member No.: 792 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I'm going to Hijack a bit...
my tranny is CAKED with greasy crap... I tried engine brite, and it seemed to soften it, but not really cut it... just loosen it enough for a wire brush... any ideas? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/hijacked.gif) |
John |
Jul 11 2005, 02:45 PM
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#5
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member? what's a member? Group: Members Posts: 3,393 Joined: 30-January 04 From: Evansville, IN (SIRPCA) Member No.: 1,615 Region Association: None |
I plan on using the pressure washer with HOT water and something similar to simple green to get the real grime off. I found a product called Aluma Kleen which claims to be an aluminum brightener (biodegradeable) and also a product made for aluminum dip tanks (Aluminum Hot Tank Cleaning Compound). This second one seems like it would work well in a spray type parts washer or in a hot tank. (www.janisan.com/powders.htm) Anyone ever clean this stuff up short of media blasting? I may try a transmission shop... |
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MattR |
Jul 11 2005, 02:46 PM
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#6
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,279 Joined: 23-January 04 From: SF Bay Area Member No.: 1,589 Region Association: Northern California |
Scotch brite pad. It worked wonders for me. Those little blue sponge looking things that are really coarse. I used about 3 or 4 of those along with a bunch of that engine gunk stuff and some gloves (unless you want to look like a goth for a few weeks) and my engine and tranny is all cleaned up.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/blog-1119575927.jpg) |
tat2dphreak |
Jul 11 2005, 03:00 PM
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#7
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stoya, stoya, stoya Group: Benefactors Posts: 8,797 Joined: 6-June 03 From: Wylie, TX Member No.: 792 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I thought about just taking it down to the car wash... coating it in simple green and engine brite and just power washing it... will that hurt anything? I know I'll have to re-grease the output flanges...
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eeyore |
Jul 11 2005, 03:25 PM
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#8
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 889 Joined: 8-January 04 From: meridian, id Member No.: 1,533 Region Association: None |
Hot water and concentrated simple green works just 'ok'. Never tried hot Simple Green. You need to buy a few gallons and get a big Rubbermaid tub to set the tranny in / over. And get a really stiff brush.
After doing the majority of my transmission with Simple Green, I found that turpentine works best for diluting the solid oil/dirt crap that gets in the webbing. Reportedly Simple Green will etch aluminum, so it won't leave a very nice finish. |
tat2dphreak |
Jul 11 2005, 03:29 PM
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#9
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stoya, stoya, stoya Group: Benefactors Posts: 8,797 Joined: 6-June 03 From: Wylie, TX Member No.: 792 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I personally don't care about the 'finish' I just want that gunk off... bead blasting sounds GOOD, but too $$$ for me
btw, how much gunk should be in the bell housing? any? |
ClayPerrine |
Jul 11 2005, 03:35 PM
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#10
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Life's been good to me so far..... Group: Admin Posts: 15,820 Joined: 11-September 03 From: Hurst, TX. Member No.: 1,143 Region Association: NineFourteenerVille |
The inside of the bell housing should be clean, just like the outside of the transmission. but that will never happen.
Just take your tranny out, disassemble it, and take the cases down to Zim's and have them tumble them. Get a tranny gasket kit, and put it back together. You fix all the leaks at once, and you get a nice clean tranny out of the process. |
tat2dphreak |
Jul 11 2005, 03:42 PM
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#11
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stoya, stoya, stoya Group: Benefactors Posts: 8,797 Joined: 6-June 03 From: Wylie, TX Member No.: 792 Region Association: Southwest Region |
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/lol2.gif) that's a good one Clay... me taking apart and re-assebling a tranny is like watching a monkey try to screw a football... maybe I'll look for a cheap spare side-shifter and rebuild it and have them do the case... but that will be later... the tranny doesn't leak... not now anyway... but I think the tired 1.7 it used to reside behind, did... how much does ZIM's charge for the tumble? for taking the tranny apart and re-assembling it? maybe in the winter or next year I'll farm that work out... for now, I just want to drive it (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif) so close... yet so far away... |
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SpecialK |
Jul 11 2005, 03:42 PM
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#12
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aircraft surgeon Group: Benefactors Posts: 3,211 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Pacific, MO Member No.: 1,797 |
Go to a HVAC supply store (Johnstone, W.W. Grainger, etc.) and purchase a gallon of condenser coil cleaner (not the evaporator coil cleaner). Dilute it per instructions (a little stronger if heavily soiled) and using a spray bottle, soak down the case, and let it foam away for 5 or so minutes, then rinse with water (repeat as necessary). Be careful, the cleaner is acidic (hydroflouric, and Phosphoric acid IIRC), is no gouda to get on your skin or in your eyes, so wear protective gear, especially during the "rinse" procedure.
"....But Kevin, what do I do with the rest of the gallon?" Good question! The condenser coil cleaner works great on cleaning EAC (electronic air cleaner) filters (the metal plates), as well as the metal mesh filters found in most stove vent hoods. And here's a novel idea....clean your condenser coil (outside unit) with the stuff and save yourself about a $100 on a service call (power off at the breaker or disconnect, saturate the coil from the outside, spray with water nozzle from the inside out........watch the crap fly out....uhh, while wearing your safety glasses, or face shield of course!). (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer.gif) |
SLITS |
Jul 11 2005, 03:50 PM
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#13
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"This Utah shit is HARSH!" Group: Benefactors Posts: 13,602 Joined: 22-February 04 From: SoCal Mountains ... Member No.: 1,696 Region Association: None |
Aluminum "brighteners" should be mostly phosphoric acid based, maybe with a hydrflouric acid kicker. Any more active acid will eat it away.
Iffin it's got grease on it, acid won't cut it but sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) will. It will, however, dissolve the aluminum rapidly once the grease is gone. |
andys |
Jul 11 2005, 03:55 PM
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#14
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,165 Joined: 21-May 03 From: Valencia, CA Member No.: 721 Region Association: None |
Hot water and a concentrated water soluble cleaner will work quite well. The hotter the water, the easier the caked-on stuff comes off. A brass brush will keep you from scratching the aluminum. If you have a pressure washer that can take hot water (the cheap one's can't), that'll work nicely. If it's bad, make a trip to the self car wash first. A mild acid solution works well to get it looking brite (relatively). Aluminum screen door cleaners are available at places like HD, etc. I've used pool acid as well. Use eye protection!!
Andy |
John |
Jul 11 2005, 04:01 PM
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#15
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member? what's a member? Group: Members Posts: 3,393 Joined: 30-January 04 From: Evansville, IN (SIRPCA) Member No.: 1,615 Region Association: None |
Thanks Kevin,
Have you used the stuff and know it to work well? Please let me know. There is a Grainger right down the street.... |
Howard |
Jul 11 2005, 04:09 PM
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#16
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Incontin(g)ent Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 5,785 Joined: 24-July 03 From: Westlake Village, CA Member No.: 943 Region Association: None |
'Gunk' spray degreaser or Easy Off oven cleaner (they remove paint, so aim carefully) stiff brush, attach hose to water heater or use pressure washer. Then maintain with with Simple Green every six months when you pull the rockers. You do pull the rockers, don't you (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif)
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Katmanken |
Jul 11 2005, 04:12 PM
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#17
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You haven't seen me if anybody asks... Group: Members Posts: 4,738 Joined: 14-June 03 From: USA Member No.: 819 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Those tranny cases are magnesium- not aluminum.
Be careful what you use to clean it with as they use a magnesium "pickle" process to creat an oxide layer for protection. I like fantastic, simple green, etc, and brake cleaner or lacquer thinner. Mafg is a reactive metal and I don't like using strong acids or bases on them. Ken |
goose2 |
Jul 11 2005, 04:24 PM
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#18
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 976 Joined: 30-March 05 From: Eugene, Oregon Member No.: 3,847 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Spray on mag wheel cleaner (Eagle 1 works), if it's not too greasy.
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John |
Jul 11 2005, 04:25 PM
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#19
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member? what's a member? Group: Members Posts: 3,393 Joined: 30-January 04 From: Evansville, IN (SIRPCA) Member No.: 1,615 Region Association: None |
Yup, My thread was hi-jacked. (Damn terrorists) My engine case and all the parts I'm interested in cleaning up are ALUMINUM. Ifin' i was to want to clean my transmission housing, I would dissassemble it completely, pressure wash it with very hot water and a mild degreaser, rinse and repeat until all the crap was gone from the outside. I would then media blast it (walnut shells) until it was nice. Then as stated earlier, I would clear coat it. But I'm asking about aluminum brightener. |
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tat2dphreak |
Jul 11 2005, 04:37 PM
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#20
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stoya, stoya, stoya Group: Benefactors Posts: 8,797 Joined: 6-June 03 From: Wylie, TX Member No.: 792 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Sorry John, I thought the tranny was aluminum-inumum... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif) no more hijack from me... I think I'll just get it on the road, then use simple grren at the car wash... |
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