Cleaning Aluminum.... the best way?

[Gliderman8]

I have a Toyota transmission that I plan on installing in my car. The aluminum case of the transmission looks bad due to the corrosion of the aluminum. Whats the best way to clean it up? I did degrease it and wash it down, but what next?

 

[martx-5]

I've had good luck with those soap filled Brillo pads in cleaning up aluminum. Give it a try...it's cheap.

 

[Gliderman8]

Thanks Art- Often the simplest methods are overlooked, and the brillo never even crossed my mind.... THANKS!

 

[Popeye]

I've hear of oven cleaner.

CAVEAT - I'm not sure what the chemicals do to cast aluminum... anyone on the forum know??

 

[ecurie_ecosse]

Depends on the type of oven cleaner.You have to read the label,some of it isn't good for aluminium.

Stuart.

 

[Gliderman8]

I did try some E-Z Off oven cleaner on the bell housing... even though the can says not to use on aluminum, it did not seem to do any harm to the surface, but also didn't do that great a job.

 

[3798j]

Here's something that's brought some success for me. I've been working at cleaning the corrosion on these old Appliance aluminum wheels with 3M sponge sanding blocks for the larger areas and folded sheets of sandpaper for the "nooks $ crannies".
Before:

After:

 

[toysrrus]

Howdy Folks,

I`ve recently done over my TR3 Trans. & many parts like it.

1st. I degrease it.

2nd. I put a wire brush on my drill & get it down to bare.

3rd. Prime & Paint with Heat Resistant Alum Paint.

If you look at this pic to the left; You`ll see the final results.

Regards, Russ

PS: Just tried adding the pic but my file is too large & I don`t like schrinking it down to nothing cause I can never get it back to its Orig. size.

 

[PAUL161]

Elliot, This is what I use when I need some extra cleaning power. I've even soaked carburetter bodies in it undiluted and they came out looking like new. It's bad stuff if you get it on your hands and skin, so you need to wear rubber or nitride gloves along with eye protection. <span style="color: #FF0000"><span style="text-decoration: underline">FOR GODS SAKE, DON'T GET IT IN</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline">YOUR EYES</span>!</span> PJ

 

[Gliderman8]

Paul- I have also used this stuff and it works great. I will give it a try by brushing it on to the Toyota trans. that I want to clean.

Russ- I've already degreased it and I will give the wire wheel a try. As for reducing the size of your photo, just compress it and "save as" a different name, then you will still keep your original the same size.

Thanks guys for the suggestions.

 

[Sarastro]

Oven cleaners are mostly strong alkali, usually sodium hydroxide (AKA lye). Any alkali will take the corrosion off aluminum--even ammonia works pretty well, most of the time, although it might not be strong enough for heavy corrosion.

Alkali solutions will also attack the aluminum, so you really need to be careful with them. If you want to go the chemical route, I would use oven cleaner only as a last resort. Start with ammonia, and if that doesn't work, try diluted drain opener, which is also lye. If you use a lye solution, make sure to wear rubber gloves, even with a weak solution. It eats into your skin and doesn't give up. Keep some mild acid (like vinegar) around to pour on it if you get some on your skin.

Lye solution will also create a kind of "smut" on the aluminum surface--a blackish coating. This can be cleaned off fairly easily, as long as it doesn't get too heavy.