Bestr way to clean up ally casting

[chillybilly]

Work on the nemett has had to be interupted for a more pressing matter .

An opertunity to get a pumper carb for my motorcycle , i have to swap the pumper for the original on my mates bike and the carb is mine ,got that end of the job in hand though it does have its tale of woe ..... :-[

My prob is the pumper carb though mechanically sound could do with a real good clean up ,its cast aluminium alloy and has got black staining in all the nooks and crannys ,any good ideas /methods of cleaning this off would be greatly appreciated .Then i can get back to the making :big:

 

[rleete]

Carb cleaner is your best bet.

But, if it's been coated and you're in a pinch, use lye and water. Lye can be obtained as drain cleaner. WEAR GLOVES! Safety glasses, too. Dip in solution and scrub, and it should be bare metal in a flash. Rinse well.

 

[Ed T]

Aluminum wheel cleaner. Get the kind for bare, cast wheels. If the carb is aluminum, this should work pretty well. Here that would be an Eagel One product, not sure what you can get in UK. Lye might be a bit too aggresive. I completely disolved a Go Kart exhaust with some many years ago. look for something with hydrofluoric acid in it unless nanny has said you can't play with that.

 

[chillybilly]

Thanks lads ,dont know what lye is in the uk but aluminium wheel cleaner i can get over here ,nanny is always watching though .Will ally wheel cleaner attack the brass and rubber components of the carb i wonder ?

Have a track day on the bike on the 29th april ,shoud be fun trying to remain on the bike when this little beuaty starts to pump the gas into the motor coming out of the tight turns LOL

 

[bambuko]

... dont know what lye is in the uk ...

Caustic soda, used in soap making, biodiesel production and domestic cleaning - can be bought easily in hardware shops on a high street. Great in dissolving old grime.
Alternatively pinch a dishwasher tablet - similarly effective.

Chris

 

[hudmut]

Will

Oven cleaner works great and if you have a any thing anodisid it will get that of to.

The link might be of some use to you as well

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/user/V8TV#p/u/28/Oal0_5Ayjm4[/ame]

 

[compspecial]

I've always used auto paint thinner! worked a treat but the paint shop guys always told me off!
Alloys used in carbs contain a lot of zinc and caustic might be a b it severe i think.

 

[steamer]

Simple Green in the gallon bottle.....a good deal less nasty than oven cleaner. and it works very well

Took 60 years of varnish and paint off a milling vise I repair once....mix it 1 for 1 with hot water.

Dave

 

[bearcar1]

I agree whole heartedly with Steamer on this one. Lye (caustic soda or alum, whatever you wish to name it) is NASTY stuff. Both to human flesh as well as some of the less hearty alloys used in such castings. Prepare yourself for several sessions of sitting down with an array of stiff brushes and good lighting and some clean dry rags. It becomes almost therapeutic after a time. Automotive brake cleaner in aerosol will work well in ridding grunge and grime from surfaces. Warming the carb up before you begin by letting it sit under a heating lamp for a few hours or in an oven that has been heated up and turned off. The surface just has to be warm and not overly hot, lest you bake the stuff you are attempting to remove onto the surface. Perhaps the use of a rotary tool such as a Dremel and a small cup brush attachment can be used as well for the more stubborn stains. I've never had occasion to use automotive alloy wheel cleaner but see no reason it should not be effective if the directions are followed properly. Send us some piccys of your project in question, we'd love to see them.

BC1
Jim

 

[Foozer]

look for something with hydrofluoric acid in it unless nanny has said you can't play with that.

This one nanny is right, that stuff is nasty if not handled right. Much rather deal with the soapy skin feeling Lye can produce than the bone calcium seeking the acid does.
--------------------
Hydrofluoric acid (HF) differs from other acids because the fluoride ion readily penetrates the skin,
causing destruction of deep tissue layers, including bone. Pain associated with exposure to solutions of
HF (1-50%) may be delayed for 1-24 hours. If HF is not rapidly neutralized and the fluoride ion bound,
tissue destruction may continue for days and result in limb loss or death. HF is similar to other acids in
that the initial extent of a burn depends on the concentration, the temperature, and the duration of contact
with the acid.
ehs.unc.edu/environmental/docs/hydrofluoricacid.pdf


Robert