anyone have a good method to cleaning up tarnished aluminum?

[natemoen]

Have fun cleaning your garage up after

[Dylano*]

Of course I will be doing it outside!

[Rasputin]

Or you could try what I did, take the hose and nozzle etc out of the sand blasting cabinet and add a length of hose. Then stick the suction end into a 50 pound bag of soda blasting beads or beach sand if you prefer and have at 'er. No farting around refilling little containers just blow the whole bag if needed.

[motoman]

Well, I'm not sure how it's going to work yet, but I just got a sand blasting canister. (I have a media cabinet, but this is different) it basically looks like a silver can, about a pint big, with a handle, trigger and nozzle. Fill with your favorite media, connect air compressor and blast! I'm going to use fine beach sand I think. I'll let you know how it goes. Scrubbing with engine degreaser only goes so far.

You'll have some severly blasted aluminum. I would'nt use anything more abrasive than soda.

[gnosis]

I used an acid on the cylinders, rims and rear drive. Cleaned them up like new but they tarnished quickly. I'd like to find a product that would keep the cylinders that way and handle the heat.

[CaptonZap]

I used an acid on the cylinders, rims and rear drive. Cleaned them up like new but they tarnished quickly. I'd like to find a product that would keep the cylinders that way and handle the heat.

Go to post ten in this thread, and start reading. Then pick yer poison, pardner.

CZ

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Gnosis,

I just read in another thread about a fellow xsive that used the silver HT paint, and have read from others that have also used that to treat the jugs so that they wouldn't turn/dull with just polishing as well as the expensive clear coats...JAT for another alternative....especially for the hard to reach/clean finned jugs vs. the flatter case surfaces.

T.C.

[bikerdave79]

Sand may be a bit harsh. Unless you have heavy rust. I used baking soda media and walnuts for heavier stuff. The baking soda works excellent to remove the aluminum oxidation on the wheels and side covers. Been working with grey 3m scotchbrite and mother's the last couple days. Its been working great.

Before

After a few passes



Quite a bit more work to be done but there's hope for it at least.

Well, I'm not sure how it's going to work yet, but I just got a sand blasting canister. (I have a media cabinet, but this is different) it basically looks like a silver can, about a pint big, with a handle, trigger and nozzle. Fill with your favorite media, connect air compressor and blast! I'm going to use fine beach sand I think. I'll let you know how it goes. Scrubbing with engine degreaser only goes so far.

[Radioguylogs]

Low Tech Approach

I wet sand with 320 grit, then wet sand with 600 grit, then polish it with Mother's Aluminum polish.

It's much easier if you remove the covers. Besides you can watch TV while your doing it.

It takes a few hours to do each piece, but it is low risk and gets you there.

You bike is looking better already with the method you are using so far!

Polishing the ugly, corroded aluminum really makes a difference in the way the bike looks- brings it back from that "old junker" appearance.

BTW I don't have any trouble keeping the polished aluminum looking nice, but I am not a dialer rider either.

[mxmikie]

bar keepers friend works great

[jetmechmarty]

bar keepers friend works great

It does a good job getting rid of the tarnish. It's fantastic for getting pots and pans clean. It's great on the car windshield too! Cost? About $1.50.

[mack]

Has anyone

tried the barkeepers friend on carb bodies?

[mack]

Depends

on what your trying to achieve. If you just want to clean the aluminum then goo gone and a scotch bright pad will do wonders.



If you are looking for something more than it is best done with the motor out of the bike so you can get easy access to all the nooks and cranny's. It's a dirty, toxic time consuming labor of love but well worth it when completed.




These where from my SF when I did that restore. That was four or five seasons ago. I clean the bike once a season and because I have a few, I only put about 4000 miles on this one each year. It's my favoured rider. This is a picture of what it looked like after five seasons.

When I do clean it up I use autosol. It takes about 3 hours to do the whole thing, so considering I only do it once a year, it's holding up rather well.
This subject comes up a lot and unfortunately there really is no wonder product that will replace hard work. Autosol only shines and protects. To get it to that stage I used a combination of die grinder and abrasive pads, auto motive sand paper of varying grits and a dremel with medium and fine wheels for the tight curved portions, and a bench grinder with several grits of pastes and buffing wheels.
If you are going to tackle this seriously. Do it outside and wear a very good mask.

[mikubuilder]

Mack! That motor looks SICK! wish mine would look like that some day....

[bikerdave79]

I'd be happy to get it somewhat decent looking. Doesnt have to be a full motor polish. As long as it doesnt look like it sat under a tarp for years like it does now! I don't need to clean my teeth in the reflection as long as it doesn't look like a barn relic I'll be happy. Id rather put miles on it than constantly preen it anyway