Degreaser attacking aluminum?

[Guest]

I'm using a HD degreaser made by ZEP, either the same or very similar to Industrial Purple, to degrease parts. I've noticed that it will occasionally react with certain types of aluminum, making the part either white (hard crystal -like areas) or sometimes black. I totally submerse the parts, and leave them anywhere from 1 hour to a day or more.

Do I need to cut the cleaner with water, or isn't it a problem?

Today it soaked some sportbike parts and the cast brake and shifter turned dark grey/black in spots. The top triple clamp was not affected.

Most of it will be blasted anyway, but on things like the underside of a VC it needs to be scrubbed-off (mostly the white, crystal-like residue) to look decent.

What do most of you use for degreasing? Do you completely submerge the parts? How long?

Thanks.


Jay

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

I would mix it with water,should have a ratio on the bottle

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

Do you have a TDS sheet on this product ? It should tell you what metals it is safe on. Sodium hydroxide will blacken aluminum since it is a soft metal....if you see white it is most likely salts....

[TiradoCustomCoatings]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

Your leaving your parts submerged for way too long, especially if your using the degreaser at full strength.
I usually will submerge parts for about 30 min, most of the time this will be enough. If not I will re-submerge the part for another 30 minutes or so.

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

I use PP and Northern's cleaner and use the full strength and watered down. But I spay it on and let it set a little while and use a brush to help get the stuff off. And then wash it and use Dawn to help also. I also use the coil cleaner you get from AC and heating supply companies and spray it on and let it fome up and then rinse. It is diluted as per instructions. Some guys say its can be rough on you skin so you want to use it carefully and that northern cleaner can burn you also.

If you are having to mess with a lot of greasy parts I think I would use the engine degreasers to start with then use the other to finish up with and get away from the soaking part and then you be happy.

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

All that over the counter suff like that has that in it. He is just leaving it in to long.

Do you have a TDS sheet on this product ? It should tell you what metals it is safe on. Sodium hydroxide will blacken aluminum since it is a soft metal....if you see white it is most likely salts....

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

Your leaving your parts submerged for way too long, especially if your using the degreaser at full strength.
I usually will submerge parts for about 30 min, most of the time this will be enough. If not I will re-submerge the part for another 30 minutes or so.

These last sportbike parts were only in there for maybe an hour. Some of the aluminum parts were effected, others were fine.

With a couple nasty valve covers that I have here I needed extremely long soak times to remove the gunk under the baffles. I had cooked the s!#$%^ out of them and they were still smoking like a chimney, so I tossed them back in the degreaser for another 12 hours.

I guess I can water it down some, but it seems like it will just take longer to breakdown the grease...

What are you guys using?

Thanks.


Jay

[X-Link]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

I have the same stuff. It says right on the bottle to not use it on aluminum...

I due use it with aluminum but limit the time only while I'm cleaning it by hand and then wash it off.

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

I have the same stuff. It says right on the bottle to not use it on aluminum...

I due use it with aluminum but limit the time only while I'm cleaning it by hand and then wash it off.

You mean I gotta read the bottle???

OK, it says that strong concentrations may attack aluminum, but it didn't list it in the "do not use on" sentence (marble, paint, plastic).

What I find strange is that it affect some aluminum parts and not others. I guess I'll back-down on the time and watch it closer. From what I can tell, if it is attacking the aluminum it will give off small bubbles.

Thanks.


Jay

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

It must be a Man thing, not reading directions You know I love you :P

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

Its taken me 3 years to get my friend next door that owns the 64 Chevelle I painted to read the instructions on what he used on the car and he had to redo some areas because of that before it ever came to me to paint. Now when he comes over with a question he says yes I did read the instruction this time

It must be a Man thing, not reading directions You know I love you :P

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

I use the same or similar it will turn some aluminum different colors. The parts that dont turn color probally have a clean anodizing on them if there are some spots that turn color that is because the anodizing has worn off in that area. The caution for use on aluminum is because it will dull or etch a polished piece. If left long enough it will start eating away at the aluminum starting with the thinest parts first threaded hioles edges ect because it is acid based.. I just left I set of shovel head rocker boxes for 2 days to get all the crud off and there was no noticable problem I also use it at full power I dont cut it with water at all then again my solution has been in use for awhile but I do top it off with fresh when I cant cover a part totally. As for the underside of valve covers rocker boxes anything that wont be coated or seen I give them I quick cleaning with a scotch brite pad and dawn soap when I am washing the rest of the part down but I dont kill myself. I have yet to have a customer complain about what the underside of a part looks like.

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

Purple Power is what i use and i just had this happen today.. it never did it B4???
no longer than 10 min. and this is what i got... No need to pul out the cybersolve i guess
Normal paint not powder.

[attachment=1:31r281u0]IMG_1110 [640x480].JPG[/attachment:31r281u0]
[attachment=0:31r281u0]IMG_1111 [640x480].JPG[/attachment:31r281u0]

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

Wow - I wouldn't have expected it to strip paint like that!


Jay

[Guest]

Re: Degreaser attacking aluminum?

Supper cheap spray can paint Maybe? Or maybe the dog had to take a leak And what the hell I want to know is why he used that to start with? Just blast the dag thing and be done with it unless he had oil and crap all over it and then I would have washed it down with Dawn real good and then blasted or put a stripper on it and then cleaned and blasted? What the Hell are you guys doing out there to either prep for blasting or prep for coating? Are we going to have to write you a book on what to do firsties or something?

Yea I know there is no such word as firsties But there is now

Shelly please take a note and write book on what / how/ do /first thingee OK Good girl I knew you could do it

Thanks

The Old Man or "A hole" whatever

Wow - I wouldn't have expected it to strip paint like that!


Jay