# Engine Block - How can I restore this?



## Chris424 (Dec 5, 2007)

Hello,

I am after some help from you brilliant people. . .

I think the people I purchased my car from Steam Cleaned the engine and may not have re-oiled the engine block afterwards. I have noticed that over the past couple of months my engine block has started to go powery and white (like oxidisation)





































I have sprayed some WD40 to stop it getting worse (thats not rust!)
Does anyone know how I can restore it? I have tried a small stiff brush etc with no success 

Any help would be fab :thumb:


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## edthedrummer (May 30, 2007)

You'll be lucky mate, the aluminium used on the cylinder heads will naturally corrode like that. They're not oiled from the factory, that'll just be whats occured over the last couple of years. The only way you could remove it would be scrub with a stiff wire brush and then oil it, but you'll have to keep oiling it as the oil will attract dust like mad, and if using WD40, then that actually dries after a while anyway. 

Hope this helps. 
Ted.


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## Chris424 (Dec 5, 2007)

Thanks for the info! 

Thats a pain! Whats the best oil to use?


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## Rilla (Apr 5, 2009)

tbh the only sure fire way to remove corrosion from ally like that is shot blasting, but thats a bit of a misson for such a small bit. As an alternative, maybe apply some hammerite with a brush just to mask the discolouration?


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## impster (May 2, 2007)

Get it cleaned up with a small and the 'softest' wire brush you can find.
Then, get ready for regular application of autosol to keep it 'minty fresh'.

No 'easy way out' on this one I'm afraid!


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## edthedrummer (May 30, 2007)

shot blasting wouldn't do anything, all it would do is remove the oxidisation, but it would return again quite rapidly. just the nature of the beast i'm afraid.


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## maersk (Sep 6, 2007)

Its just the cam cover. I would take it off, have it bead blasted (not shot) and powder coated in my favourite colour - or smooth hammerite it.


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

You could try cleaning and scrubbing it as described already, and then to protect it have a look at something like Raceglaze Jet Laq as described here (5th product down):-

http://www.raceglaze.co.uk/metal-cleaning.html

Not used it myself but I'm sure a PM to Mark @ Raceglaze, or post something up in his section on here and he'll be able to tell you if it's suitable or not, but from the description it seems to be :thumb:


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## RaceGlazer (Jan 10, 2007)

Thanks for recommending our product, and yes,it would be spot on - I'd use AluBright first to clean it too.

Am downloading pics off my camera now, will post shortly.


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

The Jet Laq was the first thing that came to mind actually when I saw the OP's pictures :thumb:


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## RaceGlazer (Jan 10, 2007)

This is a quick totally non-manual clean up of part of the inlet manifold of my Volvo - I won't be able to conduct a test of Jet Laq on it as I'm flogging it very soon but should try to do that on another car we have:


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## ivor (Sep 24, 2008)

personally i would use get yourself on ebay and bye a metal polishing kit if you want it up to a mirror finish or use raceglaze metal polish or you could use the briliant range personally i found a combination to be the best bet.

1) Raceglaze - depending how bad the corrosion 
2) Brilliant - 
use these in that order 
3) megs metal polish 
4)Blackfire- Metal sealant 
and this is what you end up with


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## RaceGlazer (Jan 10, 2007)

I think that part has a very different finsih to both mine and the OPs parts - that looks like stainless and ours are cast alloy. Race Glaze AluTech metalpolish would achieve that kind of finish.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Doesn't BH Deox-C and Deox-Gel remove any king of metllic oxidisation, Not just Rust?

Worth asking the question.


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## ivor (Sep 24, 2008)

here you go here's a before shot for you and you can guess how much work is involved


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## RaceGlazer (Jan 10, 2007)

Is the finish you ended up with what it was like when new ?


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## ivor (Sep 24, 2008)

nope it starts out like the last picture with the surface dimpled then for my own preference i remove the cast marks with a file and any excess metal then I use a detail sander to get it level using 240grit then i use the polishing kit and finally I use the steps laid out above it was meant as an example of what can be achieved looking the cam cover if you removed the plastic trim then used a bit of elbow grease or metal polishing mop it wouldn't take long to achieve the result.


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## Chris424 (Dec 5, 2007)

Thanks for all the posts everyone. I think I may just clean it up and use some smooth hammerite. . . I had forgotten they do smooth! Thanks


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## qwertyuiop (Jul 3, 2009)

You can buy an Aluminium cleaner but its an acid (not talking about wheel cleaner either),NEVER spray WD40 on an engine,as it is partly absorbed by the porous aluminium and starts to cook and go black, 3 seconds after the engine has been switched on! Only sanding it flat will get rid of the discolouration.I use silicon spray, dont geddit on yer tyres.


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