SuzukiSavage.com - Stripping/Polishing engine case

Motahed

Ex Member

Stripping/Polishing engine case
07/03/06 at 23:45:05

I'm trying to clean up my old 86 Savage, but the engine cases have turned an ugly mottled mix of grey and silver. I have used paint stripper to remove laquer/clearcoat and rubbed like crazy with steel wool, then used Mothers Aluminum and Mag Polish but it is still a scabby and cancerous looking mix of grey and silver patches. It made both the grey and silver very shiny but that's about it. What am I doing wrong? The patches of silver between the grey scabs almost look like chrome now, so I would love to get the whole thing looking this way.

Back to top

IP Logged

bobtreat Ex Member	Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case Reply #1 - 07/04/06 at 05:30:33 My 04 has just started to oxidize around a couple of the bolt holes,an the plan is to send them off for chroming this fall.You might try a brass brush on a drill to clean an polish.The eastwood co. sells a polishing kit for aluminum
Back to top	IP Logged

Island_Biker Ex Member	Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case Reply #2 - 07/04/06 at 06:05:25 Why not paint it - some of the folks here have some terrific looking black engines.
Back to top	IP Logged

Jim_R Ex Member	Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case Reply #3 - 07/04/06 at 06:09:19 I used a orbital buffer and a orbital sander(with a buffer pad) and mothers polish. Worked like a charm. It does take time but its well worth it.
Back to top	IP Logged

Motahed Ex Member	Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case Reply #4 - 07/05/06 at 00:31:12 Thanks to all for the info. I guess I'll take another run at it, maybe using a more agressive abrasive to start, and finish by rubbing the Mothers in a lot more.
Back to top	IP Logged

Dynobob

Serious Thumper

Offline

2003 LS650 (with
Supertrapp)

Posts: 634
Northern Virginia
Gender: male

Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Reply #5 - 07/05/06 at 13:30:26

If there's alot of corrosion, you have to sand the surface of the aluminum. Start with 360 grit (220 if it's really bad). Follow with 400 grit, then finer and finer grit.

I finish mine with some serious polishing with Simichrome polish. You can find it in most cycle shops. It also works great on chrome but be careful. It is quite abrasive and will remove material over time. I did that to my Cragar chrome wheels years ago Grin

Back to top

IP Logged

stinger

Serious Thumper

Offline

I love YaBB 1G -
SP1!

Posts: 848

Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Reply #6 - 07/05/06 at 22:49:10

If you want your casings to come out like chrome, your going about it the wrong way. Polishing by hand just wont cut the mustard. Remove the cover to be polished and with a light grinder smooth out any deep scars. Dont worry about fine scratches, they will come out when you polish. Go to a hardware store and buy a package of usually 2 buffing wheels and some buffing compound. Costs anywhere from $5 to $10. Buy a couple of different compunds seperatly. Usually just a couple of dollars a piece. Attach the buffing wheel to a a electric motor with a shaft and just buff away. Ask a salesperson to help you pick out the compound. You work down from rough to a fine rouge. Whole job on a casing takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Wash the part . Then you can hand polish for a super finish, and then spray with clear coat. if you prefer not to clear coat you will be forced to buff lightly with a cloth every couple of weeks to keep the finish. On small parts like spokes, buy a small buffing wheel that fits on a drill. follow the same steps. Trick is to not use much pressure on the part with the wheel. let the wheel do all the work, and your parts will come out looking like chrome

Back to top

IP Logged

theikeman Senior Member Offline Live each day as if it were your last ... Posts: 344 Gibsonton in South Florida Gender:	Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case Reply #7 - 07/14/06 at 23:10:53 It sounds like the paint remover was not left on long enough or was to weak. That is why some spots shine (bare aluminum) and some dont (still clearcoated) Try paint remover again before you start the sweat job. It also helps to use fine steel wool to remove the gook the paint remover leaves behind. Just my 2 cents Ike
Back to top	1996 Just bought it, Maroon, so much to do, so little time ... Future adds: Iridium, dyna muff, air filter mod, fork brace, 1 piece seat, carb mod and more IP Logged

enophile

Full Member

Offline

1998 Savage, black,
mostly stock

Posts: 116
Morgantown, WV
Gender: male

Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Reply #8 - 07/15/06 at 18:42:42

stinger wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

If you want your casings to come out like chrome, your going about it the wrong way. Polishing by hand just wont cut the mustard. Remove the cover to be polished and with a light grinder smooth out any deep scars. Dont worry about fine scratches, they will come out when you polish. Go to a hardware store and buy a package of usually 2 buffing wheels and some buffing compound. Costs anywhere from $5 to $10. Buy a couple of different compunds seperatly. Usually just a couple of dollars a piece. Attach the buffing wheel to a a electric motor with a shaft and just buff away. Ask a salesperson to help you pick out the compound. You work down from rough to a fine rouge. Whole job on a casing takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Wash the part . Then you can hand polish for a super finish, and then spray with clear coat. if you prefer not to clear coat you will be forced to buff lightly with a cloth every couple of weeks to keep the finish. On small parts like spokes, buy a small buffing wheel that fits on a drill. follow the same steps. Trick is to not use much pressure on the part with the wheel. let the wheel do all the work, and your parts will come out looking like chrome

stinger,

I've used these buffing wheels a lot and they are fantastic. I have a bench grinder with two of them on it that I use regularly for buffing anything from cabinet knobs to automotive parts. This is how I was planning to buff my Savage parts but I was going to try mounting one to a drill so I don't have to disassemble everything and take it to the workbench.

Back to top

The number of cylinders isn't important...it's how you use them.

IP Logged