Can anyone reccomend a fairly aggressive aluminum cleaner/acid?

[muddslinger]

Need to clean some nasty corrosion off a sami motor I'm building and wondered if anyone can recommend a brand and where to get it? Tried car quest and they got nadda.,.

[Mope]

Good timing on this. I need to do the same.

[ZUKIMON]

I've never seen anything remove the corrosion. A good aluminum wheel acid works great for cleaning the gunk off it, but for the corrosion, you may have to just resort to a good wire wheel and some elbow grease.

[APEX4x4]

I've heard if you smeared the aluminum with a sliced onion, leave this for one hours and then rinse with warm water, the aluminum looks as good as new, I just do not know whether I should believe this
Normally I always use a wire brush that I can put on my drill, than the aluminum will shine like a mirror

[Mope]

It's been a while but if I recall I think Muratic Acid might work on aluminum. DON'T breathe that crap though! Also it will etch cement, and kill grass so be careful what you do with it.

[av8djc]

Phosphoric Acid is what you want. Look in a good automotive paint supply house.

Dave

[Rebel Zuk]

I use Wesleys Bleach White cleaner. It eats pretty good, but dont breathe the junk in.

[Anvil 14]

Stay away from anything that has lye in it ,i.e. oven cleaner. Lye eats aluminum ferociously.And gives off deadly fumes.Spot test on a scrap piece of aluminum.
Ross

[ZUKIMON]

Stay away from anything that has lye in it ,i.e. oven cleaner. Lye eats aluminum ferociously.And gives off deadly fumes.Spot test on a scrap piece of aluminum.
Ross

That's some very good information.   I'll have to keep that in mind.

[Lift-Dr]

I used a sandblaster with really really fine sand.                      Mel

[madbob]

take it the a machine shop and have it hot tanked?

[shane_zuk]

having a bare block hot tanked should not cost that much and it will get off all burnt oil and debris.

[Orionn]

start by Hot Tanking it first if its a bare block., the solution used is slightly caustic and will pull off most of the corrosion.

are you cleaning just so you can paint or do you want to polish the block like a mirror?

depending on what finish your looking for depends on what to use or how to use it.

If the block is assembled, use Navel Jelly (Phosphoric acid gell) and a stiff brass brush (and gloves and Eye glass'/Face Shield)

follow up with lots of elboe greas

[muddslinger]

Thanks guys! Since the shortblock is together and in good shape I didn't want to tear it down, and the local machine shop guy says aluminum anything in the hot tank is BAD! He even takes out the cam bearing before a tanking, saying it will make for a pretty violent reaction(maybe the stuff has lye in it??). In these days of mondo technology I was hoping there was a spray on stuff I could douse it in at the car wash and then hose it off..  and I'm pretty lazy.. lol