White mystery film?

[spf_lexus]

So I just picked up a VVt 1uz and i'm confident it's low mile and overall it's in great shape but there is an over abundance of this white, dried-on "film" that is very hard to take off. It's on all aluminum parts, I.E valve covers, manifold and VVt covers. Is it corrosion or old dried coolant? I tried google searches and no luck.


I took a wire brush to one of the valve covers and it did not take much off. Does anyone know of a good cleaner that can deal with this stuff? Only answer I can think of is maybe a diluted acid spray and a brush.


Any help appreciated,

Sean

 

[Bushwhacker]

They're aluminum salts. They will appear if the car hasn't been used for a long time and the condensation in the engine compartment hasn't evaporated.

It can be removed with a high speed wire brush or with this stuf....
http://www.bicsuperstore.com/Henkel-Corp-0180270-Aluminum-Jelly/M/B000BZX3PI.htm

 

[Bushwhacker]

They're aluminum salts. They will appear if the car hasn't been used for a long time and the condensation in the engine compartment hasn't evaporated.

It can be removed with a high speed wire brush or with this stuf....
http://www.bicsuperstore.com/Henkel-Corp-0180270-Aluminum-Jelly/M/B000BZX3PI.htm

I cheated and just scrubbed the visible engine parts with hot water and detergent, then sprayed them with heat resistant aluminum paint.
Before...

After...

 

[spf_lexus]

Thanks Bushwacker. I'm going to look into the aluminum cleansers a bit more. Nice color match on the high temp spray, if you didn't say you sprayed them... I would never know .


I am planning to either chrome plate the V-covers + manifold or have them powder coated wrinkle red, havent decided yet.

 

[Thermactor]

Every car that's spent time in a winter exposed to road salts will have an engine bay covered in this white film. It's perfectly normal.

 

[spf_lexus]

Thanks Therm, now i'm not so worried about it. After a second google search I found that WD-40 and a tooth brush works great.. just requires a few passes.


I got up this morning and decided to get the covers cleaned up and started looking into high temp chrome engine enamels. Has anyone ever seen the outcome of these aerasol chrome paints? I realized there are quite a few brands that sell high temp but need some opinions. Getting these parts sent to a chrome specialist is going to cost an arm and a leg, thats why I considered this. Obviously a thorough deep cleaning is required but what about primers? Should I be wary of certain brands?


Bushwacker,

What brand of paint did you use on your V-covers? I might give it a shot

Any help appreciated,
Sean

 

[XR8tt]

Have you thought of sand blasting ??
Or similar ??

 

[spf_lexus]

Once I decide on a finish, I will most likely have them blasted. It's just everywhere... block, oil pans, v-covers, cam-covers, alternator (found out it was rusted completely shut) and some on the manifold.

I guess the good ol' tooth bruth and maybe some CLR for the harder areas?


Also, I need some suggestions. I would like to use a good aerosol paint that I can pick up locally but I just dont know if there is a decent high temp "chrome" paint out there that ould come out clean/even. I figure a good blast to open up the metal pores, and then a high temp primer but thats where my plans run short.

 

[cribbj]

I really like the look of freshly glass bead blasted aluminum, but you've got to be freaking careful what you blast, and how you do it. Glass beads, even the little near-microscopic variety, don't mix well in a running engine.

Have a look at Smitherz thread. He's the man when it comes to cleaning up aluminum without bead blasting it.

 

[spf_lexus]

Thanx cribbj, i'll go through Smithers thread.


Have you ever seen high temp chrome aerosols used before? I'v been reading and found mixed responses. Some say it will never look right and some say if prepped correctly, will work fine. I'm a little green in the paints depertment

 

[cribbj]

I'm not much of a paint guy either, sorry. I like powder coatings, and apparently there are some powders that look similar to chrome. I'm hoping to (eventually) get my valve covers done up in the same RSP color as my car.

There's a guy over on SF that does excellent "real" chroming for not too many $$$. I've had him do a few pieces for the Supra, and they really turned out well. Shoot me a PM if you're interested in his contact info.