Hi All,

I'm tidying up an old Honda CB 'Two Fifty' and whist at the Kit Car
show today i nearly bought some cleaning fluid for such things that
apparently was mostly phosphoric acid (if I remember correctly)? It's
mainly for around the cylinder barrel fins, the outer casings / rocker
cover were lacquered (much is now missing) but I can take them off and
clean them up on the bench ok.

This chemical solution seemed quite expensive so I didn't bother and
guessed there may be some other 'fluid' out there that may well be
designed for a different role that could work equally well but without
the cost?

Ideally it might also be a bit more gentle .. less likely to damage
paintwork etc (I'd rather it took longer or a few applications than
did damage elsewhere) and available cheaply and easily?

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?

All the best ..

T i m

On Mon, 05 May 2008 19:26:32 GMT, geoff wrote:

One of my suppliers does just such a thing, their phone number is at
work

Ok will do, cheers Geoff ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

In message , T i m
writes
Hi All,

I'm tidying up an old Honda CB 'Two Fifty' and whist at the Kit Car
show today i nearly bought some cleaning fluid for such things that
apparently was mostly phosphoric acid (if I remember correctly)? It's
mainly for around the cylinder barrel fins, the outer casings / rocker
cover were lacquered (much is now missing) but I can take them off and
clean them up on the bench ok.

This chemical solution seemed quite expensive so I didn't bother and
guessed there may be some other 'fluid' out there that may well be
designed for a different role that could work equally well but without
the cost?

Ideally it might also be a bit more gentle .. less likely to damage
paintwork etc (I'd rather it took longer or a few applications than
did damage elsewhere) and available cheaply and easily?

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?

email me at work



One of my suppliers does just such a thing, their phone number is at
work


--
geoff

"T i m" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm tidying up an old Honda CB 'Two Fifty' and whist at the Kit Car
show today i nearly bought some cleaning fluid for such things that
apparently was mostly phosphoric acid (if I remember correctly)? It's
mainly for around the cylinder barrel fins, the outer casings / rocker
cover were lacquered (much is now missing) but I can take them off and
clean them up on the bench ok.

This chemical solution seemed quite expensive so I didn't bother and
guessed there may be some other 'fluid' out there that may well be
designed for a different role that could work equally well but without
the cost?

Ideally it might also be a bit more gentle .. less likely to damage
paintwork etc (I'd rather it took longer or a few applications than
did damage elsewhere) and available cheaply and easily?

Sodium hydroxide dissolves aluminium oxide, as well as the aluminium itself.
It's found in drain cleaner and oven cleaners although you should be able to
buy it readily from a chemical supplier. However the best way to clean
corroded aluminium is vapour blasting, which is glass beads in a water jet,
or blasting with other soft abrasives such as walnut shell. Most acids and
other strong chemicals will leave the surface grey and then you also have to
clean that off which defeats the purpose.

For areas you can reach easily a small rotary wire brush in a drill followed
by Scotchbrite is good.

Finally the scrap yard and engine reconditioners trick is sod the cleaning
and spray it with aluminium wheel silver paint which covers a multitude of
sins.
--
Dave Baker
Puma Race Engines

T i m wrote:

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?


*Ding*

Get the cheapest cola you can find - it has phosphoric acid in it.

Si

On Mon, 5 May 2008 20:44:52 +0100, "Dave Baker" wrote:


Sodium hydroxide dissolves aluminium oxide, as well as the aluminium itself.
It's found in drain cleaner and oven cleaners although you should be able to
buy it readily from a chemical supplier.

Ok, so as I don't know if I have a local chemical supplier the other
stuff should be found in any supermarket / hardware store / shed.

However the best way to clean
corroded aluminium is vapour blasting, which is glass beads in a water jet,
or blasting with other soft abrasives such as walnut shell.

I've heard that process mentioned (Vapour blasting) but didn't know
what it was (so thanks).

Most acids and
other strong chemicals will leave the surface grey and then you also have to
clean that off which defeats the purpose.

Well, grey is better than fluffy white Dave ;-)

For areas you can reach easily a small rotary wire brush in a drill followed
by Scotchbrite is good.

Ah, well this is in-between yer typical air-cooled motorcycle cylinder
and head fins so not much room.

Finally the scrap yard and engine reconditioners trick is sod the cleaning
and spray it with aluminium wheel silver paint which covers a multitude of
sins.

Nice. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to brighten up such things with an
acid-etch primer followed by a squirt of 'Five wheel Silver' or
similar but I'd prefer cooling / hot parts running naked as such. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 05 May 2008 19:26:32 GMT, geoff wrote:

One of my suppliers does just such a thing, their phone number is at
work

Ok will do, cheers Geoff ;-)

BTW, if you didn't know, I also have a shot blast cabinet


--
geoff

In message , "Mungo \"Two
Sheds\" Toadfoot" writes
T i m wrote:

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?


*Ding*

Get the cheapest cola you can find - it has phosphoric acid in it.

Just remembered - I have 5 litres of phosphoric acid somewhere out the
back

It's the real thing ... as they say

--
geoff

On Mon, 05 May 2008 20:07:16 GMT, geoff wrote:

In message , "Mungo \"Two
Sheds\" Toadfoot" writes
T i m wrote:

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?


*Ding*

Get the cheapest cola you can find - it has phosphoric acid in it.

Just remembered - I have 5 litres of phosphoric acid somewhere out the
back

It's the real thing ... as they say

What, pure Cola Geoff! ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 05 May 2008 20:07:16 GMT, geoff wrote:

In message , "Mungo \"Two
Sheds\" Toadfoot" writes
T i m wrote:

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?


*Ding*

Get the cheapest cola you can find - it has phosphoric acid in it.

Just remembered - I have 5 litres of phosphoric acid somewhere out the
back

It's the real thing ... as they say

What, pure Cola Geoff! ;-)

Why not come over for a tasting ?


--
geoff

On Mon, 5 May 2008 20:52:18 +0100, "Mungo \"Two Sheds\" Toadfoot"
wrote:

T i m wrote:

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?


*Ding*

Get the cheapest cola you can find - it has phosphoric acid in it.

Was it Peter Kay .. his Mum used to buy Rola Cola because she could
get 8l for 40p!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41zqlgjAByg

The cola thing was what I was looking for first, just to see how much
difference it could make whilst carrying little risk (to me or
machine).

Stage 2 might be something 'harsher' but I'll probably only do that
if:

Something more 'domestic' doesn't work (or work well enough)..

The bike runs well enough to make it worthwhile.

Someone offers me the right stuff at the right price waves at Geoff
;-)

All the best ..

T i m

On Mon, 05 May 2008 20:36:33 GMT, geoff wrote:

What, pure Cola Geoff! ;-)

Why not come over for a tasting ?

Hmm, cola AND a shot blasting cabinet .. it would be rude not to eh!
;-)

All the best ..

T i m

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 5 May 2008 20:52:18 +0100, "Mungo \"Two Sheds\" Toadfoot"
wrote:

T i m wrote:

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?


*Ding*

Get the cheapest cola you can find - it has phosphoric acid in it.

Was it Peter Kay .. his Mum used to buy Rola Cola because she could
get 8l for 40p!

How many litres do you think you could make from this ?

http://www.kamco.co.uk/FX.htm


--
geoff

On Mon, 05 May 2008 21:17:16 GMT, geoff wrote:

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 5 May 2008 20:52:18 +0100, "Mungo \"Two Sheds\" Toadfoot"
wrote:

T i m wrote:

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?


*Ding*

Get the cheapest cola you can find - it has phosphoric acid in it.

Was it Peter Kay .. his Mum used to buy Rola Cola because she could
get 8l for 40p!

How many litres do you think you could make from this ?

http://www.kamco.co.uk/FX.htm

Hmm, is that suitable though Geoff? Is limescale the same as the white
stuff on ally?

All the best ..

T i m

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 05 May 2008 21:17:16 GMT, geoff wrote:

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 5 May 2008 20:52:18 +0100, "Mungo \"Two Sheds\" Toadfoot"
wrote:

T i m wrote:

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?


*Ding*

Get the cheapest cola you can find - it has phosphoric acid in it.

Was it Peter Kay .. his Mum used to buy Rola Cola because she could
get 8l for 40p!

How many litres do you think you could make from this ?

http://www.kamco.co.uk/FX.htm

Hmm, is that suitable though Geoff? Is limescale the same as the white
stuff on ally?

It's phosphoric acid - enough pokey cola to last you a life time

Adopts welsh dirty sanchez accent

"there's only one way to find out"

You could always phone Kamco up, they are only just down the road in
Park Street, and are reasonably helpful


--
geoff

T i m wrote:
Hi All,

I'm tidying up an old Honda CB 'Two Fifty' and whist at the Kit Car
show today i nearly bought some cleaning fluid for such things that
apparently was mostly phosphoric acid (if I remember correctly)? It's
mainly for around the cylinder barrel fins, the outer casings / rocker
cover were lacquered (much is now missing) but I can take them off and
clean them up on the bench ok.

This chemical solution seemed quite expensive so I didn't bother and
guessed there may be some other 'fluid' out there that may well be
designed for a different role that could work equally well but without
the cost?

Ideally it might also be a bit more gentle .. less likely to damage
paintwork etc (I'd rather it took longer or a few applications than
did damage elsewhere) and available cheaply and easily?

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?

Alluminium brighteners are either phosphoric acid or hydroflouric acid. The
former is fairly benign, the latter is very nasty stuff indeed, but works
better AFAIK.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

In message , The Medway
Handyman writes


T i m wrote:
Hi All,

I'm tidying up an old Honda CB 'Two Fifty' and whist at the Kit Car
show today i nearly bought some cleaning fluid for such things that
apparently was mostly phosphoric acid (if I remember correctly)? It's
mainly for around the cylinder barrel fins, the outer casings / rocker
cover were lacquered (much is now missing) but I can take them off and
clean them up on the bench ok.

This chemical solution seemed quite expensive so I didn't bother and
guessed there may be some other 'fluid' out there that may well be
designed for a different role that could work equally well but without
the cost?

Ideally it might also be a bit more gentle .. less likely to damage
paintwork etc (I'd rather it took longer or a few applications than
did damage elsewhere) and available cheaply and easily?

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?

Alluminium brighteners are either phosphoric acid or hydroflouric acid. The
former is fairly benign, the latter is very nasty stuff indeed, but works
better AFAIK.

They both dissolve your bones, although , where I wouldn't be too
concerned dipping my fingers into phosphoric acid, I'd rather not be in
the same room as hydrofluoric

--
geoff

On May 5, 7:48*pm, T i m wrote:
This chemical solution seemed quite expensive so I didn't bother and
guessed there may be some other 'fluid' out there that may well be
designed for a different role that could work equally well but without
the cost?

Ideally it might also be a bit more gentle .. less likely to damage
paintwork etc (I'd rather it took longer or a few applications than
did damage elsewhere) and available cheaply and easily?

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?

For a general cleaner for aluminium try a dishwasher tablet dissolved
in water.

Don't scrub it on highly polished surfaces (there may be impurities in
it ) also keep it off paintwork as much as possible (it's a bit
caustic).

It should have silicates in which prevent corrosion by the other
ingredients.

cheers,
Pete.

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
On May 5, 7:48 pm, T i m wrote:
This chemical solution seemed quite expensive so I didn't bother and
guessed there may be some other 'fluid' out there that may well be
designed for a different role that could work equally well but without
the cost?

Ideally it might also be a bit more gentle .. less likely to damage
paintwork etc (I'd rather it took longer or a few applications than
did damage elsewhere) and available cheaply and easily?

Like using cola to remove oil from yer concrete drive sorta thing?

For a general cleaner for aluminium try a dishwasher tablet dissolved
in water.

Don't scrub it on highly polished surfaces (there may be impurities in
it ) also keep it off paintwork as much as possible (it's a bit
caustic).

It should have silicates in which prevent corrosion by the other
ingredients.

cheers,
Pete.


Don't get it on the skin, it says that it is corrosive for a reason.

On Tue, 6 May 2008 04:34:50 -0700 (PDT), Pete C
wrote:


For a general cleaner for aluminium try a dishwasher tablet dissolved
in water.

Ah, ok, what sorta volume of water would you suggest then please Pete
(/ tablet)?

Don't scrub it on highly polished surfaces (there may be impurities in
it ) also keep it off paintwork as much as possible (it's a bit
caustic).

Understood. Luckily the tank and plastics on this bike come off with
just 3 screws so can be got right out of the way.

It should have silicates in which prevent corrosion by the other
ingredients.

Ok.

All the best ..

T i m

p.s. In case you didn't see my thanks to those who offered help re my
recent washing machine project, 'thanks' very much for the heads up on
sealsdirect Pete. ;-)

On May 6, 5:57*pm, T i m wrote:
Ah, ok, what sorta volume of water would you suggest then please Pete
(/ tablet)?

A pint or two of water, cold is OK if it's left overnight.

If any undissolved stuff is filtered out it could be used in a spray
bottle.

cheers,
Pete.