Aluminum Oxidation

[BlackScreaminMachine]

Ok, here is a good one.

Just got the car out of storage, did not drive much last year but really took notice yesterday. Notice the aluminum parts had a good amount of oxidation and white flakes.
Nothing is polished, just stock LS1 type finish.
What are you using to clean, and brighten?
Not looking to take parts off per say and bead blast everything, just want to clean up and keep nice.

Looking for Products and Techniques. Any weblinks on how to's also welcome.

[BlackScreaminMachine]

Re: Aluminum Oxidation

[bmrfan]

Re: Aluminum Oxidation

FYI - most if not all of the nuts and bolts are steel (not aluminum). From your pix, some appear to be black oxide coated and others are zinc plated or zinc chromated.

The last picture (one with 2 red plugs) might also be steel - a magnet will confirm if it's steel.

For the steel parts, you might try APC and a good brush to remove the red rust / white oxidation then coating with a light coating of WD40

For the Aluminum parts, also try cleaning with APC and then polishing with aluminum polish. I've used a Dremel tool fitted with a small buffing wheel to "clean" up aluminum parts

[Richard1]

Re: Aluminum Oxidation

you could soda blast. Google how to make a cheap gun. then just wash off.
Or you could just polish. This is what I did to my replacement alternator for my Renault... With the Meguiar's Mag & Aluminum polish and a buffer wheel on the drill.

[Guitar280Z]

Re: Aluminum Oxidation

Soda blasting seems like the most reasonable thing you could do. My car is almost 20 years old, and even a minimum of cleaning could get a better trade-in price when I get a new car. How many other people are out there with cars that see more than just driving, like Great Lakes winters, or just a lot of miles?

After the first year you own it, the engine has probably lost its new-car luster.