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  • #1

    Polishing

    Hi
    I am wondering does the clutch plate have a clear coat on it?
    I am using 400 wet sand paper to clean it up,then using never dull to brighten it up.
    What about the actual aluminum engine?
    I know I can't sand that. It has been sitting for 7 yrs.
    This summer I got it up and running.
    Now it's time to make her pretty.
    Movin On Down The Line.
    Where Ever You Go.
    There You Are.
    '82'xj1100j Maxim
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Hey Sandy , not sure about the 400 grit paper. You might want to try something finer and might be tuff getting into the little knooks and crannies with sand paper.
    I am doing the same this winter to mine and I was thinking about using some fine stainless steel wool with some polishing compound maybe a #0000 to start.The clear coat is all but gone from my covers.
    I am also thinking about getting the engine case powder coated in a nice gloss black finish.
    BDF Special
    80SG Vetter bagger 1196 Wiseco big bore kit, Mega Cycle Cams, slotted cam gears, ported and flowed head, bronze intake seats, Dyno Jet kit, Dyno coils and Mikes XS air pods, Venture cam chain adjuster,Geezer's regulator, Clutch mod, Mac 4 into 1 with custom built and tuned baffle, Oil cooler,MikesXS emulators mod.
    Dyno tuned to 98 hp at the rear wheel.

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    • #3
      Yup... 400 grit is pretty rough. While many graduate from rougher to a finer size, most usually end up wet sanding with a 2000 grit or finer, then followed by a polish of some sort. My personal favorite is Simichrome since it can be used on everything including the headers without turning colors from the heat.

      Some people use the steel wool. I never have, but I have heard of fine pieces of steel being left behind embedded in the aluminum and rusting.

      Glad everything is running good and you are starting to clean it up. Take some before and after pics for us... and yourself!


      Tod
      Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

      You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

      Current bikes:
      '06 Suzuki DR650
      *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
      '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
      '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
      '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
      '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
      '81 XS1100 Special
      '81 YZ250
      '80 XS850 Special
      '80 XR100
      *Crashed/Totalled, still own

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      • #4
        Polishing

        Hello ! I am not an expert on polishing ,but this works well for me: take off all engine covers you want to shine up. If they never have been off the bike before - they will still have some of the factory clear coating on them. If so: remove the clear coating with paint remover. Wash with water.
        The next I do is to use my 11500 rpm grinder (nota Dremel type - I have a bigger machine) to polish with what we call polishing cheese here in Norway. I dont know the name you use on this in USA, but I am sure yo will find it in hardware/tool stores. (Weight of each "brick" with polishing cheese is about 4lbs here.)There are different products for different metals. Use one for aluminium. It will take some time to polish each cover,but when you are finished with them they will look like mirrors !
        I have not clear coated my covers because I think they look better without clear coating. But ofcourse you will have to polish them from time to time. If you get water on the covers the aluminium will soon need a bit TLC.
        TERJE

        `79SF
        `80SG x 2
        `80LG x 2
        `81SH
        `82XJ1100J
        `83CB1000 CUSTOM
        `79WIFE

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        • #5
          Polishing Aluminum

          Go here for more info...

          http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...threadid=15657
          You can't stay young forever, but you can be immature for the rest of your life...

          '78E "Pathfinder" Show bike...
          Lovingly restored by Dave Delzell
          Drilled airbox
          Tkat fork brace
          Hardly mufflers
          late model carbs
          Newer style fuses
          Oil pressure guage
          Custom security system
          Stainless braid brake lines

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          • #6
            Originally posted by tinman905
            Hey Sandy , not sure about the 400 grit paper. You might want to try something finer and might be tuff getting into the little knooks and crannies with sand paper.
            I am doing the same this winter to mine and I was thinking about using some fine stainless steel wool with some polishing compound maybe a #0000 to start.The clear coat is all but gone from my covers.
            I am also thinking about getting the engine case powder coated in a nice gloss black finish.
            I've been told to never use steel wool on aluminum. Strands of the steel will become imbedded in the aluminum and then rust, making the whole thing look a lot worse then when you started. Brass wool is okay.
            The life of a Repo Man is always intense.

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            • #7
              polishing

              I am using 400 sand paper to get off the grit.After all it has been sitting for 7 yrs.
              I am going to use 2000 after then put a polish(Mothers)
              I am going to try and get some pics for all.
              Lots of elbow grease but it is starting to look pretty good.
              I am also using a dremal as well.
              Movin On Down The Line.
              Where Ever You Go.
              There You Are.
              '82'xj1100j Maxim

              Comment

              • #8
                I would advise against 400. That is pretty rough. Usually it pays of to start out with a little finer grade and put a little more work into it. For this aluminum, I usually don't go any heavier than 800. Then I go to 1000 wetsand and then 2000 wetsand followed up by a polish. I havn't done a lot of work with this but with what I have done, the results are amazing.
                United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY
                If I can do it at 18 yrs old, anyone can
                "You know something, You can't polish a turd"
                "What are you rebelling against", "Well, what do you got?"
                Acta Non Verba

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                • #9
                  Darn ol' carbon-steel embedment

                  When the contractors were welding up the calandria of our WR1 reactor the inspectors found rust streaks on the stainless steel after the light water leak test. Turns out one of the welders was still wearing his old-fashioned hobnail boots as he walked about inside the thing during construction.
                  Fred Hill, S'toon
                  XS11SG with Spirit of America sidecar
                  "The Flying Pumpkin"

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