Cleaning a cylinder block?

[tfb]

OK folks, I've got a GS1000 cylinder block with a coat of old flaking black paint, and I want to clean it back to bare aluminium.

What should I do?
1. Use some spray-on paint stripper and then hit it with the pressure washer?
2. Dip it in some sort of caustic bath?
3. If #2 is the go, what 'recipe' do you guys recommend?

All sorts of chemicals have crossed my fevered brain... oven cleaner, caustic soda (NaOH) solution, brake fluid (I told you my brain was fevered)...

... but what do you guys recommend? It would be a big help if you don't say something like "George Bush Hand Washer from Walmart" because we don't have Walmart or many American products here in Western Australia (although we do have Coca-Cola, so maybe that would work?!).

But if you could say something like, "A gallon of orange juice and a quart of brake fluid" that would be just the kind of advice I'm looking for.

Cheers,
Mike.

[Agemax]

spray on paint stripper will work well, then pressure wash it off as you say. then finish it up with a wire brush on a drill or dremmel for the fiddly bits.
what sort of finish are you after, are you going to respray it again or leave bare aluminium?

[SVSooke]

Spray on or even brush on stripper is what I've used in the past.Soda blasted my 78 1000 engine so there's another option.

[tfb]

Thanks Agemax... yeah, I'm not after a 'super pristine show-stopper' finish, but just bare aluminium will be fine. I don't mind a bit of 'patina' on the ally of my bikes; a rub with an oily rag once in a while is all the attention they get.

And SVSooke, soda blasting would be nice... but I'm out to keep expenditure to a minimum so I'm quite happy to do some DIY thing using lemon juice and baking soda if that's what will work!

But the paint stripper and the pressure washer is looking like the go so far.

[Agemax]

if you want to keep it bare aluminium then you really should get them vapor blasted. it is not expensive and will leave a perfect finish. resists oxidisation and is a breeze to keep clean. it wont be shiney, just a bare matt/satin finish

[Agemax]

vapor blasting will look like this...........

[tfb]

What?!! That vapour blasting has blasted holes clean through your clutch and points covers!

Seriously, that looks very nice indeed... but if I get the block vapour blasted, then really I better get the whole motor done at the same time, or else I'll have this gleaming cylinder block sitting in the midst of a 'nicely aged' motor!!

I really am leaning towards the paint stripper and pressure washer at this stage...

[Steve]

Whatever you do, don't dip the block completely in any "nasty" stuff.

If your "stuff" is nasty enough to strip paint, what might it do to the finish on your cylinder liners?

.

[Guest]

Where did you get those covers?

[GateKeeper]

Covers were probably home made ? cut out the hole, fill with a piece of plexi glass, use some fancy colored screws and it looks great....

[Agemax]

Where did you get those covers?

made them myself mate.......

[Guest]

made them myself mate.......

I'm impressed! I like them a lot.
You do good work.

[Agemax]

I'm impressed! I like them a lot.
You do good work.

thanks....

the webbing in the clutch window will be gone soon, once the hydraulic clutch conversion is complete.

[GregT]

Given you're in Perth, I'd doubt if vapour blasting is available local to you. General abrasive blasting will be though as it's needed to recon mining gear....
I'd bead or grit blast and leave bare. Just mask up top and bottom pre blasting. In your climate oxidation shouldn't be a problem.

[AJ]

Look into soda blasting. Uses baking soda instead of sand, beads or grit. Washes off.