Cleaning Aluminium

i need it stripped back to metal so i can paint

 

gunk the box in areas then scrub it in with a hard brush then spray wd40 on the area and bingo it all falls off once jetwashed repeat until its all gone theres no wonder stuff out there just good old fashioned elbow grease im doing this tommorow to

 

I used the aerosol version of gunk on my gearbox, also some STP brake cleaner (quite a powerful nozzle/big can) and it cleaned up my gearbox pretty well, with the use of a stiff brush and toothbrush.

 

will just try harder then,

 

This was my 02J gearbox before it was hit with gunk and a jet wash.


After

 

Just remembered that at Laycocks, when we were re-building service exchange overdrives, we had a larger heated tank. Approx 50 litres. This was filled with trichlorethylene, and had an extraction system around the top. This cleaned aluminium to a condition close to as cast.

Not advocating that anyone should try this at home as the hot fumes are dangerous, and the chemical softens rubber seals on assembled units.

 

trichloroethylene is recommended for cleaning ali, as using the traditional caustic bath with react with the metal and bring up white fusty bits all over it, possibly weakening the metal too. this is why putting ali through a dishwasher results in white fusty bits on the surface, as the dishwasher tablets are slightly caustic. cast iron is fine in there though.

for degreasing, it's always worth scraping off as much crap as possible first though to save on detergent. i can heartily recommend swarfega oil and grease remover:



p1sses all over gunk and jizer, and it's pink. used with a wire brush drill attachment it's unstoppable, cheap too from halfrauds.

ps just don't get it in your cuts, it stings somewhat.

 

looks good enough to paint now quick whizz over with the wire wheel job done

any chance you can send the sun to kent lol

 

Actually i take it back about Gunk.
I started cleaning the box last night in the dark, it looked like Neil's box, black with grime.

This morning it looks a whole lot better, just needed a damn good soak over night it seems, now the fiddly little bits to clean up and once over with the wirebrush, which i've left at work so will get that in a weeks time, be good enough for painting by then to.

 

just did mine similar story just the niggly bits to clean

Jon what paint you using and will you be priming it first?

 

That's my pic Gunk is not all bad, I painted it on with a brush, left to dwell for about 5 mins then used a jet wash on it.

I'm going to try some sort of alloy cleaner to brighten it up a bit.

 

sorry about that will edit it.

going to prime it first, once cleaned up and then use some hammerite silver smooth in a can i have that needs using up.

 

Jon P
Do you fancy trying this. Would like to know if it works?
Before I spend my own cash!!!!!!

 

im going to paint mine with some silver paint ive not knocking around cant look any worse than it did lol

 

well heres my efforts used gunk on the gearbox with a stiff brush then jet washed it off left it over night to dry quick whizz over with a air line this morning then applyed some of halfords finest lol

results

 

Dave,

I don't think i need the ali cleaner, a good soak in gunk and a brush has done wonders really.

Annoyed with myself as i have left some tools at work, of which my drill and wirebrush attachement were one of the items. which is what i need this afternoon to go over the box to lift the grime off. then i could paint it ready for me to put in next weekend...

 

Nice work there, what did you have to mask off on the box?

 

only used a bit of masking tape to cover a couple of bits speedo hole ect just zapped the whole thing with paint lol

 

Looks really good.

I have a 1.8t engine and 02J box ready to go into my mk2. I wan't to have them clean before I fit them

 

problem i have is the gearbox will be the cleanest part of the car now may chuck some black paint on a few things lol