Polishing engines

650chopper · Full Member Joined: Mar 19, 2006 Posts: 24

I am trying to get my engine polished and having a hard time getting spots off the engine side covers. The spots are a darker gray than the rest i tried super strip and that didnt work. Anyone have any tips that i could try. I would appreciate it. Thanks

kingwj · Posted: May 17, 2006, 7:39 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing engines

The spots may be where the coating wore off after 30 years and the aluminum has corroded. It will involve some elbow grease to correct.

Personally I used a green scotchbrite followed by 600 then 1000 grit wet dry followed by simichrome polish. The alloy polish came up nicely.

Also use the search function next to the Forum FAQ and you will see hundreds of tips on polishing.

650chopper · Full Member Joined: Mar 19, 2006 Posts: 24

Thanks alot i will try it

Wulf · Posted: May 18, 2006, 5:59 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing engines

Do you have a good bench grinder?
Wulf

650chopper · Full Member Joined: Mar 19, 2006 Posts: 24

Yeah i do whys that?

KYLEPRESTON · Posted: August 3, 2006, 2:05 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing engines

If you still need help I should think if you got a several diffrent polishing wheels and different rouge you should be able to go in steps working the alloy with the largest grit to the finest. you need to change wheels for each grit. if you contaminate the wheel with a girt more course, the wheel is now at the course grit. I have worked on cars for years with the family and found this to be a very good method. As I have not polished the engine yet, It may be a little difficult getting in all those tight spots.

smokeyman66 · Posted: August 3, 2006, 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing engines

For the tight spots....They also make those polishing wheels for the Dremel and my personal favorite the Rotozip. Just from my "cage" as you guys call it experience. God I love building a 10 second car.

xsjohn · Posted: August 24, 2006, 4:10 am Post subject: Re: Polishing engines

I lightly bead blasted my cases and fork tubes then I used walmart steel wool starting with the coarse working lightly. Then the medium then the fine. Then hit it with tooth paste. Then wash good. Then sprayed it with dupli-color clear wheel paint from autozone. After the paint dries for an hour or so put the pieces in the oven at 200 for 6 hours or so. The baking will slightly darken the aluminum and make the paint hard as nails and resistant to oils. Baking won't hurt seals or oil pump at 200 degrees. Old Yamaha Mechanic John Underwood

guelah · New Member Joined: Aug 28, 2006 Posts: 8 Location: NEPA

I just made my first attempt at poliching up the side covers last night after reading others' tips here. I bought some marine paint striper, 3 different grit scotch-brites and a tub of mother's mag polish. I hit the side cover (yeah only one last night) with the striper for about 10 minutes, wiped that off and then used each of the scotch-brites with a small bit of the striper on them and finally the mother's. I noticed I had some of the spots you're talking about so I put a little mother's on a 5" buffing pad with an electric drill and ran that over the case concentrating on the areas with the dark spots which seemed to do the trick. The buffing pad left some dark deposits of (what I assume to be) mother's but a quick buff with a dry towel took those right out. Being a newbie, I have very little to draw from about this but seems a bunch of elbow grease (or power tools) goes a long way when it comes to putting on the shine.

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