The valve cover soaked overnight has been heavily oxidized by the chemicals
in the degreaser. You have to remove this oxidation. Superfine or "0000"
steel wool, it will NOT turn your aluminum valve cover a rust tint -- I did
my Z cover 3 years ago and still looks great (it 'aint garage kept). My
dad's 2000 cover also looks great, no rust tinge at all. The fibers in 0000
steel wool are too fine to "imbed" themselves into the aluminum. It's a
great polisher. I've cleaned up many Z valve covers by lightly sanding the
whole thing with 400 grit sandpaper to cut through the oxidation, then
"0000" or superfine steel wool as a polish. Then final polish with a
polishing compound and a cloth.
Now, if you use a coarse steel wool, it'll really scratch up the cover, but
even here the steel fibers won't "embed" themselves into the aluminum. I
think Patrick might be applying a wood refinishing caution to aluminum.
Steel fibers will get into wood and stain it. You DON'T want to use steel
wool on unfinished wood, as the fibers will get stuck in the grain. If
water then gets on it (like as part of the refinishing process) it'll stain
the wood with rust. It is OK, however, to use very fine steel wool on wood
that has a couple of finish coats already on it, to polish the finish. Just
be sure the wood is fully sealed with no raised grain to catch steel
fibers, and use a really fine steel wool.
Alex
At 08:27 AM 9/6/01 -0500, Patrick J. Horne wrote:
>I would not recommend using steel wool on aluminum, especially the part
>that is to be seen. Steel wool sheds as it works. It also is much
>harder than the aluminum it is being used on. The sttl fibers can get
>imbedded into the aluminum. The imbedded pieces are really small, smaller
>than you can see, but there anyway. As the steel rusts it will change the
>color of the aluminum to have a rust tint. If you must use a wool type
>product, use bronze or one of the synthetic products out there, something
>that is intended to use on aluminum.
>
>As for the black coating, it is possibly a coating of redeposited grease
>and dirt. Try wiping some of it to see if it will come off. If the
>surface indeed has turned black, then abrasion may be the only way to
>clean it up.
>
>Peace,
>Pat
>
>- Support Habitat for Humanity, A "hand up", not a "hand out" -
>
>Pat Horne, Network Manager, Shop Supervisor, Future planner
>CS Dept, University of Texas, Austin, Tx. 78712 USA
>voice (512)471-9730, fax (512)471-8885, horne@cs.utexas.edu
>
>On Thu, 6 Sep 2001, Alex Avery wrote:
>
>> Fine steel wool.
>> Alex
>>
>> At 11:29 PM 9/4/01 -0700, Roman Rist wrote:
>> >I've been cleaning and cleaning my 67.5.
>> >
>> >The valve cover was exceptionally bad with caked up oil inside.
>> >using conventional degreaser and a brush handled the exterior dirt.
>> >then I filled up a plastic trash can with water, degreaser, & undiluted
>> >simple green. I soaked it, scrubbed and hosed off the valve
>> >cover...wow!
>> >It got really clean compared to before. ....So, I figured soaking it
>> >overnite would "really" help......It did, It helped get the whole cover
>> >BLACK!!!! Yuk, yuk!!!
>> >
>> >Don't do what I did. SOAKING IT OVERNIGHT ONLY MAKES IT WORSE!!
>> >
>> >If I figure out how to make it better, I'll let you know.
>> >
>> >Roman
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