Aluminum cleaner

[GTP091]

Does anybody have any good recommendations for Aluminum cleaner?? I want to clean my water pump and a few other engine parts. Engine degreaser doesn't sound like it will restore the aluminum. Something that will take off oxidation and wont eat rubber paint or plastic would be ideal.

Mike

[ForcedFirebird]

I have great luck with a product called Formula88. It will make pistons/rods look brand new, and will take the carbon off the inside of heads/manifolds with a soak overnight at 100% strength - and best of all it's biodegradable and non-volatile/flammable.

[pocket-rocket]

I've had good luck with brake clean and #0000 super fine steel wool. It's so fine, you can use it to bring gasket mounting surfaces (like intakes) back to their factory condition without a single scratch from it (not even joking there).

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

if you want a mirror like chrome finish, get a hard buffing wheel that looks like a cloth grinding disc and use a hard wax in bar form and buff the shit out of it while its in a vice or something.

(i used to work for a metal polishing place) this will make it look like chrome. till it gets oxidized again

[Superdave]

easy off oven cleaner works ok, i just cleaned up a TGP top end with a whole can.. lol

[GTP091]

Thanks for all the tips. I'll keep an eye out for the formula88 and maybe use steel wool with it. I'd like to polish it but don't want to pull the pump to do this; not just yet anyway. I'll let you know when I complete the job.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

dont pull it to polish it. buy a new one to put in and polish that one. and the lower rad hose housing too. that little three nippled thing there with all the coolant lines comming from it could use some shine too if you ask me. your valve covers look pretty badass though if you ask me

[ForcedFirebird]

Before...



After (overnight soak)...








Cleans valves good too!

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

impressive!!

[60dgrzbelow0]

Also... Piston-Kleen

http://www.orisonmarketing.com/cleaners/piston/carbon.html

...or more local to you available from AutoZone... Purple Power

http://www.clean-rite.com/

Caveat Emptor...

If you have anything ferrous bolted on the aluminum parts...beware of dissimilar metal corrosion or even re-depositing old crap on almost clean parts via chemical electrolysis. I ruined a very decent set of 3.4L pistons by leaving them soak longer than a few hours at a pop... the con-rods fused to the pistons as a result of my being a lazy dumbass...

[ForcedFirebird]

If you have anything ferrous bolted on the aluminum parts...beware of dissimilar metal corrosion or even re-depositing old crap on almost clean parts via chemical electrolysis. I ruined a very decent set of 3.4L pistons by leaving them soak longer than a few hours at a pop... the con-rods fused to the pistons as a result of my being a lazy dumbass...

I think I remember telling you to be careful

Formula88 works great on pistons as well with no adverse effects...

http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/forcedfirebird/pistons/3400%20used%20pistons/

[60dgrzbelow0]

Yes.....

...and I have not fully covered from it yet ...LOL

[pocket-rocket]

Too bad Ben and I scoured Warsaw and Elkhart for Formula 88 and came up with nothing...

Here is an LIM off of a Hyundai Sonota that I was doing head gaskets on that I used that steel wool on (which weren't really that dirty :/)

Before:





After a short, quick scrub:



$3 bag of wool:

[ForcedFirebird]

Yeah, I meant to bring a couple gallons for you guys at the meet, but ended up forgetting

[pocket-rocket]

I was more then appreciative for what I got to begin with. Stickers I was hoping for, but then next thing I know, you're tossing me a t-shirt, lol. I wore it to a recent picnic