Cleaning up the engine case

My 82 XS400r Seca spent about 15 years of it's life under a blue tarp in a carport in Gulf Coast Texas - 99% humidity, salt air, and nearby chemical plants. Consequently, the engine cases and side pieces are dull and grodie. There are discolored patches, areas that looks like they had mold scrubbed off, etc.

Is there a way to clean this up? I've tried Nev-r-Dull and stuff like that, but it doesn't make a difference. Am I better off just leaving it alone and telling people that it has a period correct patina? I've also considered painting the most offensive parts flat black, along with the rusty headers, leaving the still shiny mufflers chrome.

Thoughts?

 

Short of acid wash, steel wool or something like that, probably not, is my guess.

I had some of that, and really rusty header too. I painted the header with VHT Flame-Proof (get it from O'Rielly's auto parts)...it held up REAL well on that header, I had my doubts, as I've used supposedly high temp paints before that didn't work well and flaked or discolored.

This stuff is amazing. Holds up to 2000 degrees F, hard as a rock once you fired the part up and let it "burn in". I just scuffed the pipes real well with coarse sandpaper to shed some rust and provide some adhesion surface on the chrome, then washed, dried, and painted.

If I did it again, I'd cook the pipes in the oven for a bit before trying to re-install them...the paint stays soft until heated, and I got some dings during re-assemble. But I was able to spot paint those spots. Check it out in my profile pics...I used the aluminum color.

You could do the motor with that too, that would probably look good...

 

Keep in mind many of the aluminum parts/covers were (crappy) clear coated. Try stripping that off first, light sanding/buffing etc before you totally decide to paint or use super harsh chemicals.

The engine itself... Sand blasting?

 

Oh yeah, good point. I stripped my covers and fork lowers with Aircraft Remover.

Looks much better.

 

I definitely need to strip my forks still. But ya, you will want to spend some time and wetsand them, and use a buffer wheel on it. Trust me it is worth it!!!! I didnt believe it when they told me, but it is highly addicting!

 

Solid advice. The bike in the pic suffered through at least 4 years outside in Michigan winters with only a big old nasty canvas tarp for cover (if that.)

It was horribly corroded when I got it; you do need to strip the old clear coat off first. The corrosion in many cases, is under the old clear coat which is why it won't respond to polishing.

 

Here is a link to a forum discussing this in further detail.

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... olish.html

While you work on it, it helps to look at Fitz's bikes for inspiration!!! Haha.


Oh quick question for you Fitz, how do you get the actual engine casing (not the covers) and carbs looking so spiffy????

 

I cleaned up the cases on a KZ1000 using a foam buffing pad chucked in a drill and some fairly aggressive rubbing compound. I didn't get them super shiny like bigfitz52's but I got a nice even "brushed aluminum" luster and I didn't have to strip them. As said, though, it will depend on how bad the clearcoat is and whether there's any corrosion under it.

The clearcoat is there to keep the aluminum from oxidizing, so if you strip you'll have to keep them waxed if you want shiny.

Got the buffing pads from this place: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Speci ... g_Pad.html

 

look up home made soda blaster,

in fact i will do it for you

http://www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-t ... a_blaster/

i have done it and it works. I did a real quick job on my carbs and was impressed. I have also seen it done in a sand blasting booth and it is impressive how well it works with out damaging or marking the ally.

sand blasting is also great but it dose effect the surface of the part, great if you are painting as it gives a uniform texture.

I had my frame on my ZX9r acid dipped then powdered. the sand would have given a better finish as it would have given a uniform texture to the whole frame. with the dip the texture between the cast and the tube can be seen under the powder.

 

The chrome looks great! For general maintenance, I use Super Clean,
just don't let it dry in place or it will streak.

 

On that bike I used a product called "VIM" it's a household kitchen cleanser from Canada; similar to Ajax or Comet cleanser. Gritty, highly alkaloid; made for removing soap scum and tarnish from kitchen sinks. Scrub it in with a stiff brush, let it sit for a few, wash with copious amounts of low pressure water. Blow dry with compressed air.

I got a bag of blasting soda to use in my Craftsman sand-blaster; wow. I used it on the petcock parts in that article. I'm going to be rebuilding the carbs from my 650 soon; I might do a comparison between Comet/Ajax/VIM and soda blasting, and let you guys decide.

Thanks for the compliment, by the way. That bike took a LOT more elbow grease than $$$ to put right, and it was 110% worth it.

My personal faves: Mother's chrome cleaner; Mother's Billet Metal polish; Solvol Autosol (polish in a tube) Mother's Back-to-Black; Original Armor-All; Turtle Wax liquid hard-shell (green) and Turtle Wax Carnuba; Nevr-Dull; Simple Green "Motorsports" formula; Simple Green original diluted 3:1; and Tarminator spray solvent-type bug and tar remover.

 

You might shoot madbohemian a line he has a really good method with amazing results.

Rob