Getting parts looking good...before and after photos

[Dinsdale]

I put this in General because it applies to any metal part that's looking crusty.

 

The method is simplicity itself. I have a good, hard chisel about six inches long, and I use this to tap off anything that will come off the part. I scratch with a pointy file for places where the chisel won't fit. Then I brush on old diesel engine oil and leave it for a few hours. I think the chemicals in the oil etch into the metal of the part, but I'm just guessing here.

 

Then get some rags and polish off the oil. The attached pictures show the results. I don't have a "before" picture of the caliper, but it looked pretty grim. It doesn't take too long on a brake set up, maybe an hour or so...it depends on how good a finish you want. The finished product is a pleasure to look at, and should rust more slowly afterwards.

 

I didn't use any sandpaper or the like, just the tapping with the chisel.

[94 olds vert]

That is interesting.

[Dinsdale]

That is interesting.

 

After the chisel tapping, the parts were still brown and grim looking. There's some magic that goes on with the oil.......all traces of crappiness disappear and the cool finish appears.

 

I wear ear protectors during the procedure because the noise starts setting my teeth on edge. The only thing to be careful about is not tapping too hard and leaving marks on the part. The chisel I use is very hard indeed, and I let it's weight do the work.......just keep dropping it repeatedly on those bits which are obviously rusty surface blemishes.

 

Sometimes I'll lightly use a flap disk on an angle grinder after the first round of tapping. This doesn't remove these blemishes, it just polishes them and make them easier to see. Then it's back to work with the chisel.

 

It's quick to learn how to figure what is integral with the part and what is now just crap stuck on to it

Edited November 27, 2014 by Dinsdale

[94 olds vert]

I have never heard abouy that before. I may give it a try on a old scale I am restoring. I have access to a lot of old diesel oil.

[Dinsdale]

I have never heard abouy that before. I may give it a try on a old scale I am restoring. I have access to a lot of old diesel oil.

 

I've only ever done the one oil treatment after cleaning a part up. You might get even better results by leaving the oil on for longer/doing repeated applications.

 

Apart from the visual aspect, it makes it better for assembling a caliper when it's still on the car, connected by the hose. All the dust disappears, so I was able to get everything inserted and greased without any ingress of unwantables.

 

After tapping off the rusty blemishes, you can try scratching the object all over with a good, hard pointy file. Just keep scratching away all over in small swirly motions until there's no longer any dust coming off, then brush on the oil.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Dinsdale

[Schurkey]

You're going to need hot water and detergent, or MAYBE aerosol carb cleaner or other zero-residue solvent to remove the diesel fuel from the rotor before you contaminate the brake pads.

 

Putting fuel oil on the rotor is NOT recommended. It will now be in the pores of the metal, when the rotor gets hot, it'll release any trapped oil onto the pads. CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN.

[Dinsdale]

You're going to need hot water and detergent, or MAYBE aerosol carb cleaner or other zero-residue solvent to remove the diesel fuel from the rotor before you contaminate the brake pads.

 

Putting fuel oil on the rotor is NOT recommended. It will now be in the pores of the metal, when the rotor gets hot, it'll release any trapped oil onto the pads. CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN.

 

I will indeed! I've done this before with no problems.

 

When I've bought new rotors they've always been smeared with a greasy protective covering which needs cleaning off. The rotors I'm working on now have just been machined, so the pad contact areas are flat.

 

Cheers!