Aluminum corrosion

[Mr. Pockets]

As in, how do I remove it? My engine is pretty clean, but I want to go to town on it as soon as I get the Legacy back together. The intake manifold has little white corroded spots on it. I plan on just removing the entire thing to clean it for two reasons:

1. It doesn't look that hard.
2. I want to replace the PCV valve, and I'm sick of dropping things into my engine, never to be seen again.

What should I use, then, to make the manifold look nice again?

I'll be awaiting a response to this. I have some little dots forming on my mainfold, and its bothering the heck outta me.

-Mike

[lee]

I think you should reconsider if you really want to clean this up. The aluminum will immediately begin to oxidize again unless a clear coat (like lacquer) is put on (don't know the advisability of that due to heat).

If you really want to persist, I have taken motorcycle parts from the same condition to a chrome like polish. It just takes stages of extensive rubbing with finer and finer products. One caveat, don't use steel wool or any other iron based product (leaves tiny embedded fibers behind that rust - and then appearance really sucks).

Stop at any stage that you like, but I suggest you use various grades of buffing wheel compounds on a dremel or similar tool. That would be slow on large areas, not sure what kind of buffing tools you have access to.

Try to keep water off the finished surface, that seems to speed up the oxidation.

[Beav]

Or you could just take it to the machine shop and have it glass-beaded for $15-$20. Then have it coated to prevent further oxidation.

Beav

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by lee
I think you should reconsider if you really want to clean this up. The aluminum will immediately begin to oxidize again unless a clear coat (like lacquer) is put on (don't know the advisability of that due to heat).

If you really want to persist, I have taken motorcycle parts from the same condition to a chrome like polish. It just takes stages of extensive rubbing with finer and finer products. One caveat, don't use steel wool or any other iron based product (leaves tiny embedded fibers behind that rust - and then appearance really sucks).

Stop at any stage that you like, but I suggest you use various grades of buffing wheel compounds on a dremel or similar tool. That would be slow on large areas, not sure what kind of buffing tools you have access to.

Try to keep water off the finished surface, that seems to speed up the oxidation.

Thanks for your reply. I don't want to lacquer it and I don't want to polish it to a chrome-like finish. I just want it to look like it did when it was new.

When I bought the car, everything looked brand-new. It's taken a whole two years for these tiny little corroded spots to show up, so if I have to do this every other year, or even every year, I really don't care. Hey, that's more bonding time.

Thanks again.

[wawazat??]

to see what people have to say. Our car is driven all year, unlike some of your car dolly mounted, garage queens and it has always been in the Rust Belt (Indianapolis, Akron, Detroit). I wash down the entire engine bay 3-4 times a year. Start with a car wash detergent and soft brush to knock off the big easy chunks and then move to a spray bottle of Simple Green/water solution with a stiffer brush and a tooth brush. Simple Green will remove your wax and can sometimes leave some streaking, but this has always polished out when I do my 3 step Meguiars polishing ritual. I just did it Saturday to knock of the winter nasties. I don't have the corrosion you mention Nick, but I have seen it in the past. It washes/scrubs off. Just remember that when you rinse, DO NOT spray aforceful stream at any of the components. Use a light mist to rinse away the cleaner.

As the boys here say "Just my $0.02 and YMMV."

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by wawazat??
to see what people have to say. Our car is driven all year, unlike some of your car dolly mounted, garage queens and it has always been in the Rust Belt (Indianapolis, Akron, Detroit). I wash down the entire engine bay 3-4 times a year. Start with a car wash detergent and soft brush to knock off the big easy chunks and then move to a spray bottle of Simple Green/water solution with a stiffer brush and a tooth brush. Simple Green will remove your wax and can sometimes leave some streaking, but this has always polished out when I do my 3 step Meguiars polishing ritual. I just did it Saturday to knock of the winter nasties. I don't have the corrosion you mention Nick, but I have seen it in the past. It washes/scrubs off. Just remember that when you rinse, DO NOT spray aforceful stream at any of the components. Use a light mist to rinse away the cleaner.

As the boys here say "Just my $0.02 and YMMV."

Thanks, Todd.

I didn't know that Simple Green took off wax. Whoops. Well, I should have known when it took that tar off my SVX last summer with one wipe...

All three cars are due for a waxing (yes, even the Justy), so when it's warm enough to do it, uh...I will...where was I going with this?