| Author | Message | ||
     Noobuel |
I picked this clutch cover up from eBay. I'm not sure what this crud is on the interior and exterior walls. Is it useable? What is the best way to remove/clean it without damaging the paint/powder coat on the exterior surface? The parts smell like they were soaked in gasoline.    | ||
| Smoke |
we call that corrosion around here in Louisiana. wire brush and see how deep the pits are to make your determination. tim | ||
| D_adams |
I'd go with scotch-brite by hand to scuff at it. Like Smoke said, looks like corrosion, and it's from brake fluid on aluminum. Brake calipers do the same thing on older bikes that I've seen, that's a prime example of why you want to change the fluid at least every year or so even if you're not riding/using it much. | ||
| Jdugger |
Try both Denatured alcohol and WD-40 as cleaning agents as well. They will help cut through that grime, but won't hurt the underlying aluminum. A agree with Dean, this is crust from brake fluid -- it attracts water and promotes corrosion. In my opinion, clean fluid will do this just as well as dirty if it's allowed to dry on the metal. | ||
| Crowley |
Try making your own Soda blaster if you have access to a compressor. The Bi-Carb of Soda medium won't damage the alloy at all, but will remove the oxide. It works fine on brake calipers, and unlike agressive grit mediums, to clean it afterwards, all you do is rinse the part under a tap  | ||
| Zac4mac |
I use #8 grit glass in my blaster at the shop. Very gentle on aluminum, I use it several times while porting a head. Never tried soda or walnut... Z | ||
| Crowley |
Give Soda a try. It works very well on old carbs etc, and after a rinse, no more worries about removing the medium from nooks and crannies. I used it for cleaning out the sludge trap and oil ways in my Bonnie crank, something I wouldn't dream of doing with a non soluble medium. | ||
| Noobuel |
Thanks for the feedback and options. I don't have access to a compressor so I'll have to try the Scotch-brite with WD-40 option first. If that doesn't work what would a machine and/or paint shop charge for a pass through the blaster? | ||
| Crowley |
They'd probably do it for the price of a pint (or that strange cold beer you colonials drink  ) Just be VERY careful about the blasting medium they use, you really don't want it tearing up the surface a seal glides on. | ||
| Nuts4mc |
we do alot of TIG welding at the shop...mainly SS - sometimes an aluminum part comes through the door - working/living near ocean - it is almost always corroded - Easy Off or Draino are phosphoric acid and work well - try a small piece first - do NOT use the super purple de-greaseing stuff - it tends to turn pot metal/carbs/Aluminum black! ...here's a link to the Miller Welder forum with additional info -hope this helps http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/communities/m board/showthread.php?28459-cleaning-corroded-alumi num | ||
| Noobuel |
Used various grits of 3M Scotch-brite sheets that the local paint and body shop gave me when I went in to ask about soda blasting (which they don't do, machine is on order). Used those in combination with letting sections of it soak in Easy-Off for 30 seconds at a time after masking the front side. Not perfect, but I think it's useable in this state, or should I go another round with the Easy-off etc? I worked it for an hour or so and couldn't really seem to get the 3M sheets into the smallest corners/surface transitions. Should I be concerned about the amount of material removed and whether the O-rings will still prevent leaks properly? Bonus: I no longer have finger prints, anybody up for a heist?     | ||
| D_adams |
In the 2nd pic, the cuts/marks that are there, I'd hit those with some very fine (1000 grit or higher) sandpaper to remove any burrs. Otherwise, I'd say it looks pretty usable. The outside lip isn't as critical, it's just for retaining the puck if I'm correct, maybe to make it easier to replace it. | ||
| Noobuel |
Those nicks are above where the circlip holds the sleeve in to the cover, does anything contact that surface? (Message edited by Noobuel on February 22, 2013) | ||
| Nuts4mc |
looking good! you do know that the clutch slave cylinder has Orings on it - of very small cross section...there is nothing that contacts the area above the circlip groove...but you do not want to "cut" the orings with any burrs in that area when installing the slave cylinder...make sure the nicks are deburred to allow the installation of the o rings to be as smooth as possible...some use brake fluid to lube the o rings before insertion - I like the silicon grease that you buy in little packs at the check out at the auto parts counter - either the one for spark plug boots or caliper pins works well for me... only other tip I could offer - is to make a "sandpaper whip" take a 1/4" dia bolt (2-3"long) cut off the head and then saw a slit ( about an 1" long) lengthwise down one end...use the tip Dean offers or use some " very fine" Scotch brite pad and force a 2" x 1" length into the slit - chuck it up in your hand drill and "hone" the bore where the slave cylinder and those tiny Orings are gonna live....clean the part real good with alcohol before assembly - good luck | ||
| Noobuel |
Well, I was apparently over zealous in the cleaning process. I went to install the cover today along with the Oberon actuator and rather than requiring significant pressure to seat the sleeve it literally just dropped right to the bottom.  So I went with option #2, used my original cover after sanding a few rough spots. The Oberon piece required a TON of pressure to get fully seated in my original cover in order to put the circlip in place. Really wishing I had a press, ultimately ended up using a rubber mallet to get it seated all the way. With my luck I galled the sleeve and cover and the shiny new Oberon part will start leaking too. | ||
| Noobuel |
Well, after a nightmare of a bleeding process I finally got to take a test ride. Everything seems to be holding up okay, no leaks yet thus far. |
