cleaning oxidized aluminum

[Joe Garfield]

Trying to clean up engine parts (mostly the generator cover) on my GS650L. I just found info about a product called Easy Cut, but it says it is not for use on clear-coated aluminum.

Are the engine covers on these bikes coated? If so, are there other recommended products? I tried Turtlewax Chrome Polish with little to no results.

[Calvin Blackmore]

Trying to clean up engine parts (mostly the generator cover) on my GS650L. I just found info about a product called Easy Cut, but it says it is not for use on clear-coated aluminum.

Are the engine covers on these bikes coated? If so, are there other recommended products? I tried Turtlewax Chrome Polish with little to no results.

covers are factory clear coated with a god awfu hard epoxy thing

you can use a stripper to remove it then polish and re-coat
some folks here just maintain the polish they put on and do not reapply a clearcoat

[Rkt-Rch]

forget the clear coat, besides how else are you going to get that wrist workout!! If you own a Diegrinder (air powered) and some 3m scotchbrite deburring wheels and some mothers or whatever aluimim polish you prefer you will be amazed how quick and nice the job will come out.

[Nessism]

I recently bought a sisal wheel for my buffer and was amazed with the results. When used along with some heavy cutting compound, it really cut through the oxidation without having to sand first. A real time saver.

[alke46]

I recently bought a sisal wheel for my buffer and was amazed with the results. When used along with some heavy cutting compound, it really cut through the oxidation without having to sand first. A real time saver.

Is a high rpm tool necessary for best results?

[Joe Garfield]

Thanks for the tips so far. Do I remove the clear coat and oxidation at the same time, with the same stuff? This is a first for me. Can get some pics up later if anyone needs to see it, but basically my generator cover has turned dark grey on half of it and has white oxidation other parts. Not sure where to begin. Rest of bike is in really good shape so I'm pretty eager to clean this up and make it nice.

[Speedo]

alke - no, you can do it by hand (I did). however, I was 22 years old and had nothing but time on my hands. and it took a LOT of time. weeks.
and my fingers were black for a week after that.

joe - how oxidized are we talking? if really bad, you may have to go with naval jelly/aluminum jelly first before polishing. wear gloves (trust me).

as far as clear coat, I agree with all that said get it off and just polish going forward. after polish, you can hit it with PigSpit or S100.

now the hard part: getting clear coat off. way back when I used SimiChrome polish and if got clear off and shined alum very well. but it took forever. I'm thinking - from my woodworking refinishing experience - that some sort of laquer thinner/paint thinner/goo-gone/goof off type stuff would help get clear coat off. Then just use any good polish - neverdull, mothers, etc but be patient.

[ikantbreave]

I think the consensus around here, after reading 3,000 of the 3,100 threads on aluminum oxidation, is to use aircraft stripper to get the clear coat off. Comes in a rattlecan at WalMart. Look by the auto polish and such. Haven't tried it yet but I haven't been steered wrong yet. I listen to experience.

[Dreef1999]

Lacquer thinner will indeed take the clearcoat off. Does a great job of it. It also will damage the black on the emblem and will also work the glue holding the emblem.

[Turtleface]

Using a rotary buffing wheel with a sisal wheel and emery compound would probably be best. Max RPM on this sort of polishing job would probably be about 3.5-4k. Best way to go about it would be to take the part off, and work it on the wheel, rather than trying to work the wheel on the part. Follow the sisal wheel up with a spiral sewn cotton wheel, with tripoli compound, then another spiral sewn wheel with white rogue compound, finishing up with a buff/pillow sewn wheel with whatever aluminum polish suits your fancy. If you get it right, it'll gleam like nobody's business.

Make sure you use a different wheel for EACH grade of compound, and use it SPARINGLY. Hold the compound to the wheel for one second, at most. If the compound turns into a grey, greasy mess, you used too much, and have lost all the cutting power of the compound. Use a buffing wheel rake to clean off your wheel periodically. For fast cutting action, move the part into the wheel against the direction it's turning. To achieve a higher luster, polish the part with the direction of the wheel. Never use anything other than 100 percent cotton to polish, ever. These techniques work on just about anything you need shined up.

[ikantbreave]

Turtleface,

Sounds like you got the trick going. I'll bring over the engine You're right around the corner.

[Turtleface]

Unfortunately, I no longer have any of the gear for this type of work. Had it all when I lived in Texas, used it on cars and guitars, but sold it all to move to the desert. Though I am slowly gather tools again. Check out Bob's Motorcycle Salvage on Elwood, they have a metric TON of GSes of all years. You should be able to pick up a cover or two to practice on cheap. It's an awesome yard, sooooooo many bikes. I think they've been in business since the early seventies. They also stock clutch cables for our bikes, in case you can't find anyone in town that does. I couldn't when mine broke. Here's a shot from Google maps, should be clickable.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=bob%27s+used+motorcycle+parts+phoenix+az&ie=UTF8&ll=33.413174,-112.052648&spn=0.001612,0.002411&t=h&z=19

You can use a hand drill for polishing as well, just make sure to keep the wheel moving at ALL times. Staying in one spot for too long will generate too much heat, which can discolor or damage the metal. Use a corded one, a battery powered drill is going to die real fast on you. Home Depot sells a ten dollar Ryobi starter kit that includes a mandrel, three cushion sewn buffs, emery compound, tripoli compound, and white rogue. They also sell the spiral sewn wheels. You'll need to find a sisal wheel elsewhere, I haven't source one out here before, but we're the sixth largest city in the nation, you should be able to find one somewhere. Don't use a lot of pressure, it's easier to take more material off later than it is to put material back on. Make sure you wipe down the part you're working periodically as well, and between compound changes. Use a tack cloth and a fast drying, non-residual clean, such as naptha. It's harder than I make it sound to polish things up, and it's a hell of a lot of fun, not to mention terribly satisfying.

[simon kuether]

I'm really lazy.I take the bits off and bead blast them ( takes off the clear and the oxidisation ),then polish with a buff and that's it.To maintain the polished surface , I just use a little WD40 on a cloth to give them a bit of a wipe and rub after I've washed the bike.Did mine over 3 years ago and they still look like they were done yesterday.Cheers,Simon.

[Joe Garfield]

Ok sorry for starting up another oxidized aluminum thread.

There are good ideas here for removing the oxidation, and for removing the clear coat.

I still don't get if I'm supposed to do one before the other, or if some of the techniques for removing oxidation will also remove clear coat.

[Agemax]

I'm really lazy.I take the bits off and bead blast them ( takes off the clear and the oxidisation ),then polish with a buff and that's it.To maintain the polished surface , I just use a little WD40 on a cloth to give them a bit of a wipe and rub after I've washed the bike.Did mine over 3 years ago and they still look like they were done yesterday.Cheers,Simon.

after polishing, household furniture polish will give you much better long term shine and protection than wd40, imo.