Cleaning aluminum pieces

[rjkoop]

I'm in the process of cleaning the AFM, valve covers and other various aluminum pieces. I used a 3M rotating pad and a brass wheel that worked fairly well. There are some nooks and crannies that are hard to get. Is there a liquid/spray that I could use with maybe a stiff brush to clean out these areas? Just wondering what the best solution is to use to clean off 30 years of gray/grime.

[4uall]

I have used engine Gunk and WD-40, Pinesol and Greenworks



http://www.greenworkscleaners.com/products/

When cleaning aluminum, you may have to remove aluminum oxide, which makes the metal look gray. Use an acid solution of water and vinegar or cream of tartar, or a lemon sprinkled with salt, to remove aluminum oxide. These mild acid solutions are safe for cleaning the oxide off of aluminum around your home

[steve8462]

i would try a Dremel style tool. you can get just about any style buffing or grinding tip at a hobby store. it would help get in those tight spots and would work great to remove and soften the casting marks for a truly smooth all over look

[manoa matt]

Kerosene and an old tooth brush.

[wikkid]

4uall, I have seen those images on the interwebz (so they must be true LOL) of incredible cleanups of carb manifolds done by soaking in PineSol. Have you ever tried it? I wonder if it really works like that.

[RRoller123]

Don't we need to seal the cleaned aluminum with something to keep it from quickly re-oxidizing?

[4uall]

Not all aluminum however, Pinesol does the trick













The greatest stuff I have ever used is this


This stuff is amazing! Can be used indoors (ideally at room temp), has no smell and can be used over & over until it becomes ineffective