Rough cast aluminum engine parts?

C

CharlesW

The Rainmaker
Any chance I could get some comments on what some of you are using on the rough cast aluminum parts under the hood?
My Montana has an aluminum intake manifold that still looks new and I would like to keep it that way... So far, all I have had to do is wipe it off with a damp towel, but that won't last through an Iowa winter.
I am not a fan of Simple Green. The stories that I have heard about it not being too good for aluminum just reinforce my aversion to the product.
I do use a lot of Meg's APC+, (The old stuff), and haven't yet used it on the aluminum. My 12:1 dilution ratio shouldn't be too strong, but I don't yet know that.
What are some of your experiences?

Charles
 
Hey there Charles,

I feel your pain. Most parts of my Mustang's engine are aluminum. Even though the mustang is not driven in the winter it still gets this white corosion on it. all I do is in the spring take a stiff bristle brush and scrub down the parts that need to be scrubbed! I use my regular bucket of car wash solution! on any "tuff" areas I use either break clean or a little bit of penetrating oil!

Thats how I keep my engine looking Nice and clean! Hope that helps you out!

Nick
 
Charles

When you say rough this is not something that you can polish?

I just did my 94 Nissan Sentra valve cover and that was rough aluminum and filled with oil and dirt from years of no cleaning...Is this the type of surface you are talking about?
 
Beemerboy said:
Charles

When you say rough this is not something that you can polish?

I just did my 94 Nissan Sentra valve cover and that was rough aluminum and filled with oil and dirt from years of no cleaning...Is this the type of surface you are talking about?
Click to expand...
Hey Dave:
It's rough to the extent that I think it would have to be sanded smooth before it could ever be polished.
In answer to your question, "When you say rough this is not something that you can polish?", it is definitely not something I'm going to polish.:)
It's probably similar to the Sentra, but I'm not sure I have ever seen a Sentra engine.
Right now it is new condition and I would like to keep it that way. My usual engine compartment cleaning is with a wash mitt and car wash solution, same as for the rest of the vehicle. Maybe once a year I will use S100 Total Cycle Cleaner to reach all the little crevices and corners I have missed.

Nick:
The brush idea would probably work good and I could use my APC+ or Poorboy's Spray & Wipe with the brush.

I wonder what the results might be with a spray wax buffed off with something like a shoe brush. Might keep it from getting stained.

Charles
 
Charles

When I got this Sentra it had never had any motor cleaning at all that I know of...The valve cover dirt was really embedded into the metal...I used stiff bristle brush and a citrius based cleaner and that with allot of elbow grease took it out...Around that areas that where really oily I used Gunk spray on cleaner and that lifted about everythiung there.

Since yours sound like the same type of metal..I would use a good APC and a stiff plastic brush to keep the dirt from getting embedded in it...regular use this way I would think would work
 
The aerospace Simple Green extreme is very good for that sort of thing, it's considerably more powerful than the original and it's aluminum safe.
 
I also have a mustang and I found out to get rid of the white corosion I spray the intakes down with Megs plastic and vinyl dashboard spray it may sound crazy but it works I have been doing this for some time now spray it on wipe it down white corosion gone just leave the hood open to let the stuff dry.
 
I've used straight car wash shampoo and a cloth/brush. One that I found worked really well (probably not too readily available in the States, though) is Crystal-Glo shampoo. It actually states on the label it can/should be used for aluminum cleaning. It doesn't make it "sparkly" but it does make it bright and clean! And it says it leaves some protection behind too. (Haven't tested that myself, though.)
 
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