Restoring aluminum - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Caswell239 · 02-22-2017, 12:01 AM

My car had to be parked outside over winter and now the aluminum is corroding. The trans, crossmember and alt/ps brackets are "dusting". Just wondering what you guys do to fix it. It's not real bad, seems to just wipe off by hand, but can't get my fingers into all crevices. Any advice?

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BRZN · 02-22-2017, 08:34 AM

All those pieces are cast aluminum. You'll not want to get any type of paste of liquid polish onto them, you'll never get the polish off.

Try in an inconspicuous place, a cheap, acid type, caustic wheel cleaner from the box store chains. You'll need to agitate the product on the metal, so brushes are going to be needed. Bottle type brushes, Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brushes, Trim and Lug Nut Brush, tooth brush, etc...

I don't believe you'll be able to get the pieces into a back to new appearance, but most of the white oxidation should come off.

O.F. · 02-22-2017, 09:11 AM

You might experiment with some 0000 steel wool. I've used it on aluminum wheels before with great results.

BRZN · 02-22-2017, 10:42 AM

The steel wool will polish spots it's rubbed on. If you can't get into all the little crevices with your fingers the pieces will no longer have an even appearance.

Viczl1 · 02-24-2017, 09:46 PM

Steel wool will get logged into the aluminum DONT DO IT.

BRZN · 02-25-2017, 05:20 AM

/\
Good point. I'd not thought of that of that one. They're two dissimilar materials. If the steel gets into the aluminum you'll begin to not only see the oxidation from the aluminum, but rust from the steel.

Ponchonutty · 02-25-2017, 06:26 AM

Spray it with some aluminum cleaner, hose it off and dry it as fast as you can. Then spray it with wd40 or other water repellent. It will look good again

gringo · 03-03-2017, 07:20 AM

Blast it with soda. Get a portable sandblaster/media blaster at Harbor Freight and load it up with common baking soda. The aluminum will look like new after that and the soda will help protect it from oxidizing again. Works like a charm!

stratman2SSRS · 03-03-2017, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gringo

Blast it with soda. Get a portable sandblaster/media blaster at Harbor Freight and load it up with common baking soda. The aluminum will look like new after that and the soda will help protect it from oxidizing again. Works like a charm!

Possibly Gringo would like to help you clean up all the mess the soda is going to make everywhere else on your car. Assuming you are not going to take the parts off the car.

02-22-2017, 12:01 AM	#1
Caswell239 Drives: 2011 2ss/rs Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 1,431	Restoring aluminum My car had to be parked outside over winter and now the aluminum is corroding. The trans, crossmember and alt/ps brackets are "dusting". Just wondering what you guys do to fix it. It's not real bad, seems to just wipe off by hand, but can't get my fingers into all crevices. Any advice? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

02-22-2017, 08:34 AM	#2
BRZN Drives: 2012 1LT Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Denver, PA Posts: 450	All those pieces are cast aluminum. You'll not want to get any type of paste of liquid polish onto them, you'll never get the polish off. Try in an inconspicuous place, a cheap, acid type, caustic wheel cleaner from the box store chains. You'll need to agitate the product on the metal, so brushes are going to be needed. Bottle type brushes, Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brushes, Trim and Lug Nut Brush, tooth brush, etc... I don't believe you'll be able to get the pieces into a back to new appearance, but most of the white oxidation should come off. __________________

02-22-2017, 10:42 AM	#4
BRZN Drives: 2012 1LT Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Denver, PA Posts: 450	The steel wool will polish spots it's rubbed on. If you can't get into all the little crevices with your fingers the pieces will no longer have an even appearance. __________________

02-24-2017, 09:46 PM	#5
Viczl1 Drives: 2019 ZL1 Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: New York Posts: 162	Steel wool will get logged into the aluminum DONT DO IT. __________________ 2013 Inferno Orange A6, bone stock

02-25-2017, 05:20 AM	#6
BRZN Drives: 2012 1LT Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Denver, PA Posts: 450	/\ Good point. I'd not thought of that of that one. They're two dissimilar materials. If the steel gets into the aluminum you'll begin to not only see the oxidation from the aluminum, but rust from the steel. __________________

02-22-2017, 09:11 AM	#3
O.F. Drives: 2015 BLK/BLK 2SS/RS MN6 Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: New Hampshuh Posts: 266	You might experiment with some 0000 steel wool. I've used it on aluminum wheels before with great results.

02-25-2017, 06:26 AM	#7
Ponchonutty Drives: 2012 SS L99 Converible Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: New Washington, Ohio Posts: 606	Spray it with some aluminum cleaner, hose it off and dry it as fast as you can. Then spray it with wd40 or other water repellent. It will look good again

03-03-2017, 07:20 AM	#8
gringo Account Suspended Drives: Camaro V6 Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: U.S. Posts: 1,722	Blast it with soda. Get a portable sandblaster/media blaster at Harbor Freight and load it up with common baking soda. The aluminum will look like new after that and the soda will help protect it from oxidizing again. Works like a charm!