Polishing Your Engine
03-08-2006, 08:25 AM
#11
CMOC Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Kitchener Ontario
Posts: 218
Originally Posted by 89LXStang
Talk to Jumpy he's on the board.He knows a thing or two about making things shiney.
Biz you should have thought of that.........................
Biz you should have thought of that.........................
For the "white Fluffies" you are mentioning, the best fix is prevention, use a good polishing paste such as
Mothers, Flitz or Symchrome (this is the one I use), in the fall, and it will protect you over the winter from getting those white spots. But to get rid of them, as long as they are not to bad, use that same polishing paste and a soft buff ball on the end of a drill, and it will take it off no problem.
4 CRUZEN, polishing can be labour intensive, especially if you do it by hand. The proper equipment cuts this down to a fraction of the time. As I mentioned, try using a polishing paste first in conjunction with a buff ball on a drill. If it still does not come out, the corrosion has likely seeped into the pores of the aluminum, and a light sand and rebuff will be required.
Heres a pic of my own motor, if you need someone to do the polishing, shoot me a PM, I can do this for you.....lord knows I've done a few
Motor pic
03-08-2006, 12:11 PM
#13
CMOC Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Eastern Ontario on the mighty St. Lawrence,
Posts: 307
Jumpy - Metal Polishing
I understand using the polsihing wax and ball once you have your parts,alternater, engine block etc. cleaned and shinny however how do you get them to that state. I don't mind the work I will do a little at a time. Did you use a soft polishing stone or fibre wheel? I wish I lived closer I would like to see the wheels.
03-08-2006, 12:25 PM
#14
CMOC Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Kitchener Ontario
Posts: 218
ya...I just noticed your location
its a bit to explain, and as much of it is practice as it is method, but when I polish I go through a multiple step process, which includes a 2 stage buff. I use several different media and buff types along with different buff compounds. It depends on the alloy hardness and type of part. ( I have a lot of buffing "stuff" ...LOL)
Best way to make it basic (for a first time do it yourselfer) is you need to smooth the surface using media such as sand paper, to fine finish (800-1000 grit), then you use a buffing compound on a soft wheel to bring out the shine. For most the buffing part is easy, go to princess auto and get one of their wheels and buffing compound bars, and this will get you decent results (I say decent, because their stuff is only "OK"), what really throws people is the smoothing, they don't realize how hard it is to sand out casting marks and imperfections (especially in cracks, corners, and small nooks), this is where technique and proper tools cuts the job down to a fraction of the time then doing it by hand.
its a bit to explain, and as much of it is practice as it is method, but when I polish I go through a multiple step process, which includes a 2 stage buff. I use several different media and buff types along with different buff compounds. It depends on the alloy hardness and type of part. ( I have a lot of buffing "stuff" ...LOL)
Best way to make it basic (for a first time do it yourselfer) is you need to smooth the surface using media such as sand paper, to fine finish (800-1000 grit), then you use a buffing compound on a soft wheel to bring out the shine. For most the buffing part is easy, go to princess auto and get one of their wheels and buffing compound bars, and this will get you decent results (I say decent, because their stuff is only "OK"), what really throws people is the smoothing, they don't realize how hard it is to sand out casting marks and imperfections (especially in cracks, corners, and small nooks), this is where technique and proper tools cuts the job down to a fraction of the time then doing it by hand.
03-08-2006, 01:13 PM
#16
CMOC Postaholic
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,366
Originally Posted by JuMPy
ya...I just noticed your location
its a bit to explain, and as much of it is practice as it is method, but when I polish I go through a multiple step process, which includes a 2 stage buff. I use several different media and buff types along with different buff compounds. It depends on the alloy hardness and type of part. ( I have a lot of buffing "stuff" ...LOL)
Best way to make it basic (for a first time do it yourselfer) is you need to smooth the surface using media such as sand paper, to fine finish (800-1000 grit), then you use a buffing compound on a soft wheel to bring out the shine. For most the buffing part is easy, go to princess auto and get one of their wheels and buffing compound bars, and this will get you decent results (I say decent, because their stuff is only "OK"), what really throws people is the smoothing, they don't realize how hard it is to sand out casting marks and imperfections (especially in cracks, corners, and small nooks), this is where technique and proper tools cuts the job down to a fraction of the time then doing it by hand.
its a bit to explain, and as much of it is practice as it is method, but when I polish I go through a multiple step process, which includes a 2 stage buff. I use several different media and buff types along with different buff compounds. It depends on the alloy hardness and type of part. ( I have a lot of buffing "stuff" ...LOL)
Best way to make it basic (for a first time do it yourselfer) is you need to smooth the surface using media such as sand paper, to fine finish (800-1000 grit), then you use a buffing compound on a soft wheel to bring out the shine. For most the buffing part is easy, go to princess auto and get one of their wheels and buffing compound bars, and this will get you decent results (I say decent, because their stuff is only "OK"), what really throws people is the smoothing, they don't realize how hard it is to sand out casting marks and imperfections (especially in cracks, corners, and small nooks), this is where technique and proper tools cuts the job down to a fraction of the time then doing it by hand.
03-08-2006, 01:46 PM
#18
CMOC Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Eastern Ontario on the mighty St. Lawrence,
Posts: 307
Buffing or Polishing whichever turns you on!!!2000BLKGT
I think I will get a couple old parts (brake calibres or something) and try it first before I go at my alternator and engine block! Thanks for all your help sounds like a lot of work but by the look of your engine bay it is worth it.
