Polishing Engine Alloy

[Welsh62fhc]

Hi Folks

Any of you got any tips on polishing the alloy parts of the engine and Carbs etc. I don't want that really shining look that costs about £600 by a pro but doesn't last, just a good way to get a nice shine. Been looking for a buffing wheel for my cordless drill but can only find Chinese rubbish.

Thanks Gary

62 FHC 860957

[mgcjag]

Just try Autosol metal polish and a rag......plenty of elbow grease......assuming your surfaces are just dull this will work really well.......a very soft toothbrush or similar to polish in the awkward areas.......Steve

[malcolm]

This my bay after autosol and rags plus hard work. Not toy-shiny, but very presentable

[christopher storey]

And, when it's done, give it a wipe over with ACF50 which is quite amazing at preventing the white powder corrosion that we tend to get in damp winters such as last one - there was not a speck of corrosion on my 8 cam covers after last winter which was one of the wettest we have had. The stuff is expensive at about £14 a can but it will last for ever

[H7OB]

You beat me too it Christopher! I get through it with the Jag and various old bikes! It preserves the elbow grease!

[mgcjag]

Good call Christopher....just doing a lot of Aluminium work on my C build....acf50 just ordered

[Robbiee]

I got my very tarnished inlet balance tubes and dashpots shiny using :
Finer and finer wet and dry and very fine wire wool for the scratches and deeper marks
Then a polishing wheel and compound, first hard then softer
To finish I used “Mother’s” aluminium polish
Robbie

[Welsh62fhc]

Many thanks everyone

[chrisfell]

This isn't advice, merely what I did.
I had the cam covers and carbs machine polished when the engine was rebuilt.
It did look very nice.



Since then all I have done is hand polishing using dusters and domestic polish (Brasso, Mothers, Autosol, Autoglym). It still looks very nice.


(17 years and 65000 miles later.)
I did try to protect it using an oil based substance like ACF50, but all that did was attract the dirt and dust.

[Mark Gordon]

This topic comes up from time to time. Here's an earlier thread that offers additional advice.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10584&p=84283&hilit ... ond#p84283

[Joes66]

I just did a bit of this
I bought Clarke CBB150 250W 6'' Bench Buffer/ Polisher (230V)
Excellent buffer
Although I also got the bigger buffing pads wheels of e bay
Used wet and dry to start with and then aerosol and the buffer

[cactusman]

Autosol is good.....but for aluminium and aluminium alloy use white Diamond polish....brilliant...available from Amazon....

[max-it-out]

I`ve just done the steering wheel metal part with silver polish - a lot of hand work , but polishes up to a mirror finish ...3 weeks later and its already starting to go dull again in parts

Something that puzzles me ...the alloy looks bright silver , but when using the polish ( whitish liquid ) it leaves a black mark on the rag - why not a silver mark ?

[malcolm]

Same happens when you polish the engine parts. Look clean to start, but black comes off on the rag. It's the oxidisation (which you can't easily see) coming off I believe.

[cactusman]

Aluminium oxide is white...assuming you are polishing aluminium....and that is what you actually polish away....a new layer forms instantly. So your rag picks up extremely finely divided alumina and other surface contaminants, plus the polish compound you use...the combination winds up looking somewhere from charcoal to black in colour depending on the polish, the contaminants and the material you are polishing...and even stuff from the rag itself, dyes etc...