4 replies to this topic

[Bradders94]

i am doing an engine rebuild and i would like to detail the engine, and i was wondering how people get the aluminium clean again,

any tips would be appreciated :)

[mike.]

I used wire brush attachments on a drill for mine. You can get some small ones to get into the corner and edges too.

Then I just primered and sprayed them

[Artful Dodger]

if you clean it, after a few weeks it will tarnish and look bad, if it is on parts of the engine that are not easily accessed or see a lot of the road ( gearbox, clutch housing) you may as well spray them.

but for items such as an ally inlet manifold or a rocker cover, you can sand them down with light sand paper then use polishing pads, halfords sell them, can make it shine!!

[yousmeg]

wire brush and a bit of elbow grease!

[AndyR]

For smaller parts, boil them in Cream of Tartar (available from any supermarket) - a couple of heaped table spoons into about a litre of water. Then wash it off with some hob cleaner and a toothbrush. Brings it up like new.