how are all of you getting the grim and greasy oily build-up off of the textured aluminum pieces? i just bought some cast aluminum IC pipes and they are DIRTY. i first tried soapy water and a green scotch pad, doesn't really work it just spreads around the gunk. then tried a (concentrated, yet mild) all purpose degreaser... nada. i soaked it in the stuff for hours, tried a plastic bristle brush, cotton towels. nothing is working

so how can i degrease these parts w/o killing the aluminum.

 

Simple green.... spray it let it sit for a few and then wash off. Works like a charm normally.

 

^^Simple Green!

 

If you're doing this in the car, mind your paint!

 

use a coarse scrub brush as well and scrub after its soaked for a minute. rinse; repeat.

 

Try brake cleaner

 

Watch your paint

 

Wheel cleaner w/ acid (Be careful)

 

Be careful. Brake cleaner can eat up some plastic and rubber parts.

 

if its a pourous pipe like the stock intake manifold you can use a wire brush and some soapy water, works suprisingly well.

 

Use kerosene. It cuts right through grease and oil, doesn't harm paint or rubber/plastic, and just leaves a light residue that is easily cleaned off using normal methods.

 

As long as the part is not in the car and the rubber pieces are removed ,Try carb cleaner

 

How about engine degreaser more or less kerosene in a spray can. It is also made for the job. Steam pressure cleaning would work, not sure I try with an FD though.

 

W/D 40 wont harm your paint

 

...mag wheel cleaner

 

thanks for the info. now to decide which to try first. completely unrelated but, i dropped a lock nut from one of my T clamps around the airpump area. so in my search i eventually took off the airbox shroud, airbox, then the undertray. after 1 1/2 hrs of looking i give up DAMN the fun never stops with this car i think this will be my first MIA object lost to the engine compartment. where can it be lol

 

before:


i went with mother's mag and aluminum polish $4.99 at autobacs for a 5oz container. i read a discussion about green stuff causing aluminum to become brittle on autopia.org, dont know if its true, but i decided against using it. took me over 2 1/2 hours non-stop on the pipe pictured. and i only worked on side facing the camera. btw the polish is non-abrasive.. safe but slow.

 

i clean pourous aluminum like XSTransAm said but add baking soda works really good.

 

any scratches from the wire brush? how long do u have to brush? i hear copper wire brushes are soft enough to not scratch is that what u're using ?

 

it probably does but on cast aluminum you cant tell, brush til it is as clean as you want, if you are cleaning anything else than cast aluminum dont use a wire brush