Engine bay prep - soft metals/alloys/aluminium

Engine bay prep - soft metals/alloys/aluminium

Author
Discussion

rallycross

Original Poster:

12,810 posts

238 months

Saturday 28th January 2017
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How to keep under bonnet aluminium/alloy/soft metal fresh?
I've got one of my cars short term with an outdoor car cover on and I've noticed in this cold weather it's causing condensation under the bonnet which is causing the soft metals to corrode.

How can I prep the metals to look fresh again and stop further corrosion (will stop using car cover for a start!)

Photos below of effect on engine bay soft metals they were nice and fresh 6 weeks ago and now looking speckled/corroded



steveo3002

10,534 posts

175 months

Saturday 28th January 2017
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strong wheel cleaner like wicked wheels and a scrub with a scotch pad

then once cleaned up i spray mine down with the poundshop version of wd40 often

battered

4,088 posts

148 months

Saturday 28th January 2017
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You can get rid of the white deposits with steel wool or with nylon scouring pads. These will bring back the dull shine you need. Then you can protect it with a light coating of oil in paraffin, if you want to do it on the cheap, or with ACF-50 if you don't mind spending some money. ACF50 is used by motorcyclists to keep ally bits shiny in winter.

jeff666

2,323 posts

192 months

Tuesday 31st January 2017
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Another vote for ACF50 used a lot in the Aircraft industry.

rallycross

Original Poster:

12,810 posts

238 months

Tuesday 31st January 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for the advice will give that a go this weekend

sidgolf

163 posts

191 months

Tuesday 31st January 2017
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i found that one of those brass brushes for cleaning spark-plugs took corroded ally straight back to clean,shiny metal.
a coat of clear lacquer seems to have kept it that way.