RE: [alfa] Engine Cleaning

["Jeff Greenfield" <alfaguy@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark -

Here is a copy of a post that I wrote not all that long ago ...

FWIW, most machine shops won't hot tank Aluminum. Something about it
dissolving if left in there for a little too long.

I've had really good success with the process outlined ...

HTH,

Jeff

This is what I've done successfully with engine parts that I want to make
look pretty.

1) Using a rotary wire brush in a drill (or better, an air powered die
grinder) polish the aluminum using a very liberal amount of WD-40 as a
lubricant.

2) wash said parts thoroughly, I usually run them through the parts washer,
then wash with water and a degreaser such as gunk, and then (yes, I really
do) run them through the dishwasher on the pot-scrubber cycle.

3) Lasty, to make them look really pretty, I use a product called Buff-N-Rub
(or is Run-N-Buff, I can never remember), this is available in arts and
crafts stores (Michaels) and is used for gilding picture frames. Squeeze
some out of the tube, into a very small container, dilute with some WD-40,
and brush onto the surface using a disposable acid brush. Then take a
disposable rag, or wad of paper towels and wipe off the excess. A small
amount goes a very long way. You should not need more than two tubes (1 will
probably do it) for a 4 cylinder Alfa engine. It comes in a couple of
colors, the one to use is the only silver that they have and I think is
called Pewter.

You can skip the buff-n-rub if you are happy with the results after
everything is cleaned. However, chances are that it will oxidize quite
rapidly and it won't stay looking nice for too long.

This will make all the parts look like new and seems to last pretty well. I
did this whole treatment on the last engine that I rebuilt and the results
were spectacular.


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-alfa@domain.elided [mailto:owner-alfa@domain.elided] On Behalf Of Mark
Denovich
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2003 2:39 PM
To: Alfa Digest
Subject: [alfa] Engine Cleaning

So I keep seeing all these beautiful shiny new rebuilt aluminum
motors... and I'm jealous.

So were all these engines professionaly hot-tanked?  is there anything
the home mechanic can do to approximate this process?

Alternately anyone have experience getting things hot tanked in the
Pittsburgh, PA area?

--Mark
The Alfa Wiki: http://alfa.denovich.org
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