Help! to dissolve rust off parts?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 232
Likes: 2
From: Langley B.C Canada
Help! to dissolve rust off parts?
I am in search of some sort of over the counter acid or solvent that best can dissolve rust off parts, I have engine brackets, and nuts and bolts, that I want to clean, back to that dichromate, or shiny new look, but I don't want to have to take my parts to a specialty place to do this.
Does anyone know of what works really well!
Thanks,
Darren
Does anyone know of what works really well!
Thanks,
Darren
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,659
Likes: 7
From: Katy (Houston) TX
CI 7-8 Veteran
I tried vinegar a few weeks ago and here is my tip. Make sure the whole part is submersed in vinegar if you're going to leave it in there for a while; all night for example. I soaked some valve stems in vinegar and the tips where sticking out. The tips where fine before but after this they had some rust on them and even after getting the rust off, that area was effected. It lost all of the polish. Weird????
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,706
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
Vinegar works for light rust, parts will rust very quickly afterwards though.
Isn't there someone you know or a business nearby that has a blasting cabinet?
Isn't there someone you know or a business nearby that has a blasting cabinet?
TT is correct on both counts, though if you don't have access to all the toys that TT has at his disposal, you can also use muriatic acid, which is available at pool supplies or Home Depot. You MUST TAKE PRECAUTIONS when using this though. Eye protection and gloves at a bare minimum. The fumes can be an issue as well. You don't want to leave parts in too long either. I used to use this a fair bit when working with farm equipment and it will remove rust quickly and vigorously. Washing the parts down with water and baking soda afterwards is a good idea as well.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
Captain Lee's "Rust Away"! Can be bought through:
http://www.halonmarketing.com
I bought mine through a dealer at a local swap meet. This stuff works better than anything I've tried. Very rusty parts will come out clean as a whistle after soaking for only a couple of hours.
http://www.halonmarketing.com
I bought mine through a dealer at a local swap meet. This stuff works better than anything I've tried. Very rusty parts will come out clean as a whistle after soaking for only a couple of hours.
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 87,936
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
Originally Posted by Bake's
Naval jelly. Has been around for years, for good reason.
Never worked for me.
Vinegar also left a light carbon film on the old head bolts I tried it on.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 0
From: Chico Ca
I personally go to the local swimming pool store and buy a gallon or two of muratic acid that costs me about 2 bucks a gallon. This stuff works amazingly well on rust. DO NOT BREATHE THAT SH*T it will make you gag like John Holmes's girlfriend! Now I'm gonna have a salad with vinegar and oil dressing
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 0
From: Chico Ca
Originally Posted by grybdn
although I never treid it, I heard "COKE" and a toohbrush.
Coke and a toothbrush.......kinda sounds like my old girlfriend
Racer
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
From: Hershey Pa
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,672
Likes: 1
From: New Cumberland PA
I used vinegar and it does work. I use a hand held wire brush to clean the dirt and loose rust. I let it soak 24hours and then brush it again. There is normally a little bit of rust spots and it takes and 24 hours to loosen it up.
I do want to point out one problem I had. I soaked the rear spindle flange and bolts for several days. The items cleaned up nice. When I went to torque the bolts during assembly, the first one stripped before I got to 70ft/lbs. It seems that the vinegar took enough material off the bolt threads and flange threads making it too loose to properly torque. I then had to get heli-cores put in. When doing the other side I left the bolts in the flange so the the vinegar would not eat the threads (or at least keep it too a minimum). I then purchased new bolts for both sides. I do not think vinegar is good for a long soaking for anything threaded.
The items will rust very fast if not properly finished. I use Metal Ready, from the POR-15 line of products, as soon as the items are dry. Most of the parts then look like the day they were made.
I do want to point out one problem I had. I soaked the rear spindle flange and bolts for several days. The items cleaned up nice. When I went to torque the bolts during assembly, the first one stripped before I got to 70ft/lbs. It seems that the vinegar took enough material off the bolt threads and flange threads making it too loose to properly torque. I then had to get heli-cores put in. When doing the other side I left the bolts in the flange so the the vinegar would not eat the threads (or at least keep it too a minimum). I then purchased new bolts for both sides. I do not think vinegar is good for a long soaking for anything threaded.
The items will rust very fast if not properly finished. I use Metal Ready, from the POR-15 line of products, as soon as the items are dry. Most of the parts then look like the day they were made.
