cleaning up aluminum?

[Kathleen]

Can anyone suggest a cleaning regimen, and recommend cleaning
products, for a very tired-looking engine and engine compartment?

[Houston]

make sure never to use anything with a pH that's "basic"
like Catrol SuperClean on anything aluminum!...
it will etch the surface, making it look dull or oxidized...
and it will ruin any anodized surface too.
use something with a neutral pH or even slightly "acidic"...
citrus cleaners are awesome degreasers...
to clean up the way the aluminum looks,
you can get a scotch-brite pad to clean the surface corrosion
and make it look clean.
also, steel or copper wire brushes work well for tough spots.
simple green works well for the entire engine bay.
cleans grease & dirt w/o hurting painted finishes,
aluminum, or any plastic & rubber parts.
Don't powerwash it unless you are sure all electronic connections are
secure & protected well. you can easily end up knocking a connection
loose, creating an electrical nightmare later on down the road.
HTH

[PatrickJHamilton]

I clean the aluminium of the engine by blasting with glass bead. Wonderfull, like new!! A little company did the job for me.
Jochen

> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> stevenmichelsen2
>
> To:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Sent:
> Monday, February 03, 2003 7:18
> AM
> Subject:
> [2cylinderhondas] cleaning up
> aluminum?
> Can anyone suggest a cleaning regimen, and recommend
> cleaning
> products, for a very tired-looking engine and engine
> compartment?
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email
> to:
> 2cylinderhondas-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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> .

[mterrens]

I am glad to hear you had good results with bead blasting.  I was considering this, but then got scared off when I found this in a web search...
......"Bead blasting: Small glass beads which shatter on impact clean off surface crud and leave the aluminum looking like it was tapped with a zillion microscopic ball peen hammers. Same warning on keeping grit out of passages."......
Did you find the surface of the engine to be smooth after the bead blasting job, or did it have a texture as described above?
Steve

> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> Jochen Pokies
> To:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Sent:
> Monday, February 03, 2003 2:36
> PM
> Subject:
> Re: [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> up aluminum?
> I clean the aluminium of the engine by blasting
> with glass bead. Wonderfull, like new!! A little company did the job for > me.
> Jochen
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From:
> > stevenmichelsen2
> >
> > To:
> > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent:
> > Monday, February 03, 2003 7:18
> > AM
> > Subject:
> > [2cylinderhondas] cleaning up
> > aluminum?
> > Can anyone suggest a cleaning regimen, and recommend
> > cleaning
> > products, for a very tired-looking engine and engine
> > compartment?

[dealadayray]

I find glass bead to be in everything, and it is grit.
But soap and water do just fine.  Chemicals seem to darken the aluminum, and although surfacing all parts for good smooth flat surfaces is the best, any medium will damage, I had fins bent and surfaces for seals enlarged, not much, just enough.   So I stick with good old soap and water, then I use a high temp aluminum oxide paint to make everything look the same.  Not several coats but enough to color everything the same.  Call Bill Hirsch at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX and talk to him about his aluminum high temp paint.  It gets better every time your engine heats up.
Bill

> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> Jochen Pokies
> To:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Sent:
> Monday, February 03, 2003 12:36
> PM
> Subject:
> Re: [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> up aluminum?
> I clean the aluminium of the engine by blasting
> with glass bead. Wonderfull, like new!! A little company did the job for > me.
> Jochen
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From:
> > stevenmichelsen2
> >
> > To:
> > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent:
> > Monday, February 03, 2003 7:18
> > AM
> > Subject:
> > [2cylinderhondas] cleaning up
> > aluminum?
> > Can anyone suggest a cleaning regimen, and recommend
> > cleaning
> > products, for a very tired-looking engine and engine
> > compartment?
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an
> > email to:
> > 2cylinderhondas-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > Your
> > use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> > Yahoo! Terms of Service
> > .
> To
> unsubscribe from this group, send an email
> to:
> 2cylinderhondas-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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> use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> Yahoo! Terms of Service
> .

[mterrens]

That's a mighty pretty engine compartment you posted!   I guess that's the same paint on the carb, etc.  Did you use the aerosol on the carb, or use a brush?
Thanks for the tip on BIll Hirsch.  This page doesn't mentions engines specifically, but it's probably the stuff...
http://www.hirschauto.com/acb/showdetl. ... 11&CATID=1

> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> william
> colford
> To:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Sent:
> Monday, February 03, 2003 9:00
> PM
> Subject:
> Re: [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> up aluminum?
> I find glass bead to be in everything, and it is grit.
> But soap and water do just fine.  Chemicals seem to darken the aluminum, > and although surfacing all parts for good smooth flat surfaces is the best, > any medium will damage, I had fins bent and surfaces for seals enlarged, not > much, just enough.   So I stick with good old soap and water, then I > use a high temp aluminum oxide paint to make everything look the > same.  Not several coats but enough to color everything the > same.  Call Bill Hirsch at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX and talk to him about his > aluminum high temp paint.  It gets better every time your > engine heats up.
> Bill
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From:
> > Jochen
> > Pokies
> > To:
> > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent:
> > Monday, February 03, 2003 12:36
> > PM
> > Subject:
> > Re: [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> > up aluminum?
> > I clean the aluminium of the engine by blasting
> > with glass bead. Wonderfull, like new!! A little company did the job for > > me.
> > Jochen
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From:
> > > stevenmichelsen2
> > >
> > > To:
> > > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > > Sent:
> > > Monday, February 03, 2003 7:18
> > > AM
> > > Subject:
> > > [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> > > up aluminum?
> > > Can anyone suggest a cleaning regimen, and recommend
> > > cleaning
> > > products, for a very tired-looking engine and engine
> > > compartment?

[dealadayray]

Polish on the carb, paint on the engine.  And all the bolts were Gold Cad plated.

> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> Steven
> Michelsen
> To:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Sent:
> Monday, February 03, 2003 9:25
> PM
> Subject:
> Re: [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> up aluminum?
> That's a mighty pretty engine compartment you
> posted!   I guess that's the same paint on the carb, etc.  Did > you use the aerosol on the carb, or use a brush?
> Thanks for the tip on BIll Hirsch.  This page doesn't mentions > engines specifically, but it's probably the stuff...
> http://www.hirschauto.com/acb/showdetl. ... 11&CATID=1
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From:
> > william colford
> > To:
> > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent:
> > Monday, February 03, 2003 9:00
> > PM
> > Subject:
> > Re: [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> > up aluminum?
> > I find glass bead to be in everything, and it is
> > grit.  But soap and water do just fine.  Chemicals seem to darken > > the aluminum, and although surfacing all parts for good smooth flat surfaces > > is the best, any medium will damage, I had fins bent and surfaces for seals > > enlarged, not much, just enough.   So I stick with good old soap > > and water, then I use a high temp aluminum oxide paint to make > > everything look the same.  Not several coats but enough to color > > everything the same.  Call Bill Hirsch at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX and talk to > > him about his aluminum high temp paint.  It gets better every time > > your engine heats up.
> > Bill
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From:
> > > Jochen
> > > Pokies
> > > To:
> > > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > > Sent:
> > > Monday, February 03, 2003 12:36
> > > PM
> > > Subject:
> > > Re: [2cylinderhondas]
> > > cleaning up aluminum?
> > > I clean the aluminium of the engine by
> > > blasting with glass bead. Wonderfull, like new!! A little company did the > > > job for me.
> > > Jochen
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From:
> > > > stevenmichelsen2
> > > >
> > > > To:
> > > > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > > > Sent:
> > > > Monday, February 03, 2003
> > > > 7:18 AM
> > > > Subject:
> > > > [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> > > > up aluminum?
> > > > Can anyone suggest a cleaning regimen, and recommend > > > > cleaning > > > > products, for a very tired-looking engine and engine > > > > compartment?
> To unsubscribe
> from this group, send an email
> to:
> 2cylinderhondas-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> Your
> use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> Yahoo! Terms of Service
> .

[dealadayray]

As to the question on the Brushed or Spray, I used both.
The last picture was over a year and a half ago, I will take another tomorrow and send it out.  Looks just as good today.
Bill

> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> Steven
> Michelsen
> To:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Sent:
> Monday, February 03, 2003 9:25
> PM
> Subject:
> Re: [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> up aluminum?
> That's a mighty pretty engine compartment you
> posted!   I guess that's the same paint on the carb, etc.  Did > you use the aerosol on the carb, or use a brush?
> Thanks for the tip on BIll Hirsch.  This page doesn't mentions > engines specifically, but it's probably the stuff...
> http://www.hirschauto.com/acb/showdetl. ... 11&CATID=1
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From:
> > william colford
> > To:
> > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent:
> > Monday, February 03, 2003 9:00
> > PM
> > Subject:
> > Re: [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> > up aluminum?
> > I find glass bead to be in everything, and it is
> > grit.  But soap and water do just fine.  Chemicals seem to darken > > the aluminum, and although surfacing all parts for good smooth flat surfaces > > is the best, any medium will damage, I had fins bent and surfaces for seals > > enlarged, not much, just enough.   So I stick with good old soap > > and water, then I use a high temp aluminum oxide paint to make > > everything look the same.  Not several coats but enough to color > > everything the same.  Call Bill Hirsch at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX and talk to > > him about his aluminum high temp paint.  It gets better every time > > your engine heats up.
> > Bill
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From:
> > > Jochen
> > > Pokies
> > > To:
> > > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > > Sent:
> > > Monday, February 03, 2003 12:36
> > > PM
> > > Subject:
> > > Re: [2cylinderhondas]
> > > cleaning up aluminum?
> > > I clean the aluminium of the engine by
> > > blasting with glass bead. Wonderfull, like new!! A little company did the > > > job for me.
> > > Jochen
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From:
> > > > stevenmichelsen2
> > > >
> > > > To:
> > > > 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> > > > Sent:
> > > > Monday, February 03, 2003
> > > > 7:18 AM
> > > > Subject:
> > > > [2cylinderhondas] cleaning
> > > > up aluminum?
> > > > Can anyone suggest a cleaning regimen, and recommend > > > > cleaning > > > > products, for a very tired-looking engine and engine > > > > compartment?
> To unsubscribe
> from this group, send an email
> to:
> 2cylinderhondas-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> Your
> use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> Yahoo! Terms of Service
> .