Cleaning aluminium

MaxPower
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6/30/2020 7:33pm Edited Date/Time 7/24/2020 9:19am
I have a 88 XR250 with low hours. But it wasnt loved by the previous owner. Engine it is dirty and stained and I can't get it clean with any amount of aluminum wheel cleaner, Simple Green, and power-washing. Short of vapor blasting is there any cleaning chemicals I can use to make it look better? I removed the engine the frame to do a little more of a thorough job. I bought it to ride, not look at. I'm not anal but I don't walk around with food stains on my shirts either
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yoshgixxer
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7/1/2020 6:04am
Eagle one mag cleaner or eagle one chrome cleaner. Mag is better, but hard to find, makes nasty aluminum bright silver again. Dont get it on anodized stuff
riv187
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7/1/2020 7:37am
When aluminum is oxidized,,and any clear anodized has failed in areas....I haven't found any wheel cleaner that will replace elbow grease. Most wheel cleaners,,and simple green,,are acidic. They work on clear coated wheels for gunk and anodized IF you rinse fast and don't let dry! Simple green and others like it will etch anodizing and leave them spotted.
Red scotch brite pads on a ball or wheel will get the seult you want...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORskUkwMYlM
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The Shop

Hasletjoe
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Haslet, TX US
7/1/2020 8:19am
Vapor basting is the simplest way to do it. Short of that, just use some Wet/Dry and sand till you get the finish you want. You will end up in 1500- 2000 grit paper to make it look great. Possible, but labor intensive. Once it is clean and smooth, the polishes will definitely make it shine. Mothers or Blue Magic are my flavor of choice. Good luck!
7/1/2020 9:52am
My first try over the weekend. Did the kick starter but takes forever.
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Kevin T
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7/1/2020 12:50pm
Steel wool & having an assortment of wire brushes on hand is also helpful when detail cleaning an engine. Check out the assortment of gun cleaning brushes at any gun shop & they'll have all the brushes you need... I like using brass brushes the best but they leave a slight gold tint to your aluminum after scrubbing on it.
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MaxPower
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7/3/2020 1:02pm
Thinking back I may have used something similar. Its a marine product. Definitely not for anodized parts. It works really well. I tried with a tooth brush and a little time. I am able to get between the fins with a scotchbtite pad. The finish product will look better . I just did half the cases for comparison. The dirty side was clean as I could get it with msg wheel cleaner and a 3000 lb power wash



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Jim in VA
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7/3/2020 3:14pm
MaxPower, that’s quite an improvement in the pictures. I used to use the aluminum brightener acid sold by Napa when I did a lot of aluminum welding. It worked well too, you just had to be careful with it, and be sure to rinse it off thoroughly, not letting it sit too long. It removed oxidation very well.
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riv187
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7/4/2020 7:40am
WOW ! Nice find ! I'll be using it!
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MaxPower
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7/4/2020 7:33pm
Jim, its probably a simular chemical to what you used. Ill go over It with a milder cleaner and a softer scotchbtite after i do the heavy work. It seems to take the dirt stains off the white frame too. I can't imagine why the stains on this bike are so bad. I've never had such a tough time cleaning a bike
Kidkawie
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7/8/2020 9:09pm
Google DIY soda blaster, the one with the air nozzle inside a clear tube. Works great on degreased aluminum, do it outside.

A length of rope and polishing compound works good inside cooling fins.
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MaxPower
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7/11/2020 11:28am
Its not perfect but it looks a lot better than it did. I never had a bike so hard to clean. The Aluminum cleaner darkens it a little. When it comes time to do a crank or gears ill vapor blast it.



Steve F
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7/11/2020 2:22pm
Simple Green Aviation fluid is flat a$$ awesome with a ultra sonic cleaner!Smile
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MaxPower
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7/11/2020 7:14pm
Simple Green is great stuff. Nothing was putting a dent in the stained dirty aluminum. I tried with SG and Mag Wheel cleaner and brushes and scotch brite pads.I can't imagine where the previous owner rode to find such toxic mud.
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7/17/2020 9:56am
Steve F wrote:
Simple Green Aviation fluid is flat a$$ awesome with a ultra sonic cleaner!Smile
Gonna give that a try on this pile of parts.


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Matt Fisher
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7/17/2020 6:04pm
Steve F wrote:
Simple Green Aviation fluid is flat a$$ awesome with a ultra sonic cleaner!Smile
Gonna give that a try on this pile of parts. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/07/17/438259/s1200_20200717_123019.jpg[/img]
Gonna give that a try on this pile of parts.


To make clean up much easier, put water in the ultrasonic cleaner, then put the parts and cleaning solution in a plastic bag. Drop the bag in the water. When you're done the nastiness is in the bag, not all over the inside of the cleaning machine.
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7/21/2020 9:21am
Having a go at this with the Simple Green Aircraft solution. Unfortunately early results show that while light and wet/oily surface gunk is removed, the crustier/drier caked on oily dirt remains. Note that I did zero prep on the parts pictured up above, just zipped them in a bag of 100% solution and dropped in the ultrasonic. I pre-heated the solution and water as well.





7/21/2020 9:22am
I wiped off some of the residual gunk on these motor mounts. Other than SOS polishing what other products can I buy over the shelf that will get the oxidation off?

7/21/2020 10:57am
Scrubbed on the gunky parts a bit more and got them looking usable.

Except for those motor mounts, they are just discolored badly. Help.



Steve F
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7/21/2020 11:01am
Scotchbrite pads or SS wool will help.
Matt Fisher
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7/21/2020 6:10pm
Aluminum brightener from NAPA does a good job of getting everything clean (amazing on radiators). Sometimes the aluminum will end up with a slightly darker color and a scotchbrite pad takes care of that.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/MCR1458
MaxPower
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7/21/2020 8:42pm Edited Date/Time 7/21/2020 8:44pm
Scrubbed on the gunky parts a bit more and got them looking usable. Except for those motor mounts, they are just discolored badly. Help. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/07/21/439549/s1200_109846891_10157757109744067_3544582659451369583_o.jpg[/img]
Scrubbed on the gunky parts a bit more and got them looking usable.

Except for those motor mounts, they are just discolored badly. Help.



Did you happen to read the post about the aluminum cleaner?
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Rickyisms
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7/23/2020 8:32pm
Are you guys spraying the aluminum brightener on then rinsing off or spraying and scrubbing then rinsing?
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retrofun
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7/23/2020 9:12pm
Rickyisms wrote:
Are you guys spraying the aluminum brightener on then rinsing off or spraying and scrubbing then rinsing?
Spraying then scrubbing, and a good rinse, and repeat. I’m in Canada so the closest to Napa is lordco. They have the generic “blue stuff” aluminum brightener. It reacts with rusty steel also.
Matt Fisher
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7/24/2020 9:19am
Rickyisms wrote:
Are you guys spraying the aluminum brightener on then rinsing off or spraying and scrubbing then rinsing?
All of the above. Sometimes I am able to spray it on, rinse it off and be done. Other times the nastiness is more stubborn and requires some scrubbing and additional spray/rinse cycles. It isn't great at removing grease type materials so in those cases Simple Green, engine de-greaser, Mr Clean, solvent, etc. get used first.
Jim in VA
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7/24/2020 3:21pm
I would second Matt Fisher here. The aluminum brightener is an acid formula that removes the surface oxides on the aluminum parts. But.. it’s not a degreaser or cleaner. It needs to be able to interact with the aluminum/aluminum oxide itself. If the parts are dirty, greasy, oily, proper cleaning is needed before doing the acid treatment. The acid is also fairly strong, enough that you’ll want gloves. It should also be rinsed from the surface thoroughly with water once clean. Depending on whether the part is cast aluminum or not, sometimes a scotchbrite sponge, or stiff bristled brush might give the best results.
Kidkawie
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7/25/2020 3:37am
The active ingredient in aluminum brightener is muriatic acid. Some alu parts (cast usually) darken and need to be cleaned with wd and a scotchbrite pad.

The best for me was to hand clean with greased lightning then soda blast outdoors. You cant get around hand scrubbing on old ass dirtbikes.
Jim in VA
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7/26/2020 5:33pm
Kidkawie wrote:
The active ingredient in aluminum brightener is muriatic acid. Some alu parts (cast usually) darken and need to be cleaned with wd and a scotchbrite pad...
The active ingredient in aluminum brightener is muriatic acid. Some alu parts (cast usually) darken and need to be cleaned with wd and a scotchbrite pad.

The best for me was to hand clean with greased lightning then soda blast outdoors. You cant get around hand scrubbing on old ass dirtbikes.
Yep, you’re totally correct. Cast aluminum often has quite a bit of magnesium, zinc, and other metals. They react differently depending on the concentration of alloying elements. It’s also why welding some cast aluminum parts works really well, and other pieces weld like crap. Sometimes there’s no replacement for effort.

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