Aluminum on walls.

[Clams Canino]

Ok,<br /><br />My "clam dujour" is a mid 70's Merc 1500 that apparantly was run without water, oil, or something equally as nasty. <br /><br />The bottom line, is that the #2 and #3 pistons melted badly on the skirts and left more aluminum on the cylinder walls than I've ever seen on the walls!<br /><br />Now normally I use muriatic acid and Q-tips to clean stray aluminum off the walls. But looking at this, it'll take hours and hours to "peel" it all off that way. Not to mention the fact that I can't do it outdoors this time of year, and the ventillation issues aren't that pretty.<br /><br />I don't want to bore them .015 over because the walls thenselves look good *if* you could get the aluminum off. I have a couple std. size pistons on hand as well. So, getting the aluminum to go away would save me the boring cost of $45 times 2 holes, plus the cost of two .015 over pistons.<br /><br />Saving $300 somehow "motivates" me to find a way to clean those walls without hurting them! <br /><br />At this point I'm resigned to be spending a long, long, time in the Q-tip business. Any great ideas?<br /><br />-W

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

wouldn't extremely cold temps cause it to contract<br />from the cyl wall? <br />a guess, but the physics makes sense...expnasion &<br />contraction...

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

Fold-up a paper towel, put it over the aluminum and soak it with muriatic. Take it outside and let it work. I don't know if the acid will freeze. You can be our Guinnea Pig.

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

I tried "freeze spray" no real luck. I put the flex hone through all 6 and the dingleberries knocked off some of the loose stuff.<br /><br />I'm gonna try the soaked paper towel next. Wish me luck. <br /><br />-W

 

[imported_miked]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

I've never been inside either of my merc's (50&65hp), and I've never even seen a 1500. Could you use heat to remove the AL? If there's room to get a torch in there, the AL should get soft enough to scrape off long before you reach a temp. high enough to do any damage to steel. Just a thought. I'm a welder - not an outboard mechanic! By the way Clams, I read this forum daily, and it's great to have you on board!

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

Hi!<br />The problem with heat is that it's a cast aluminum block with cast in heads and the steel sleeve is also cast into the block. The angle of heating would be such that hitting the head area would be likely. As it is one has to be carefull not to let the muriatic hit the head area. Blind holes are a PITA to work with.<br /><br />This link: web page <br /><br />Goes to a listing for a similar bare 99ci block. One of the pics gives a real good view of the inside of a cylinder and how it's made.<br /><br />-W<br /><br />PS: What's funny, is I not only know of the guy listing it, I know 2 of the three people (not me) who are gonna jump on it near the end. The inline six mafia has been watching it all week. LOL

 

[truth74]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

Hey clams this is out of the box thinking, but where are you from? I was wondering because i looked up that inline 6 auction and you said you know the guy, so it made me curious because the town he lives in is about 20 miles from me.

 

[Hooty]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

No wonder they're gonna get all over it. It's one of those 1250 horsepower engines!!<br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[Hooty]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

... and Silverlaketim just bought it for a dollar!!!<br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[Hooty]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

I wonder if a good bore solvent, like Hoppe's Number 9, would work?<br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

That was Tim C from upstate NY. I bought a bunch of cranks off him last year.<br /><br />-W<br /><br />

Originally posted by Hooty:<br />... and Silverlaketim just bought it for a dollar!!!<br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

I'm from NH. I know the guy because I bought a powerhead and stuff from him a couple months ago in Fla. He tried to sell me that block for $100 then. hehe.<br /><br />-W<br /><br />

Originally posted by DieselMechanic:<br />Hey clams this is out of the box thinking, but where are you from? I was wondering because i looked up that inline 6 auction and you said you know the guy, so it made me curious because the town he lives in is about 20 miles from me.

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

For the record, I started the aluminum removal 1/2 hour ago. I'll post when I have two squeaky clean holes.<br /><br />-W

 

[Kenny Bush]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

Take a cheap brake hone........ with oil. Spin it on the drill. Should take about 5 minutes.

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

Done, including flex hone and cleaning.<br /><br />-W<br /><br />PS: Brake hone is an easy way to knock them out of round.<br /><br />

Originally posted by Clams Canino:<br />For the record, I started the aluminum removal 1/2 hour ago. I'll post when I have two squeaky clean holes.<br /><br />-W

 

[dilligafda]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

2.5 hours, not too bad there Clams! I take it the cylinders are within spec for roundness and all that happy crap, right?

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

Ya, they were fine except for the aluminum transfer, in fact, better than some "runners" I've seen. There were a couple light marks that dissapeard after the dingleberries went through. It was a lucky little block. <br /><br />I really thought it was gonna take longer. I used the soaked paper towel methid suggested here (thanks!), coupled with Q-tips and a dental pick.<br /><br />Great part is this was a free powerhead. I was visiting a guy from Scream & Fly and he asked me to "get it out of his shop". Looked like about a decade of dust on it. <br /><br />I wish they were all that lucky.<br /><br />-W

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Aluminum on walls.

persistance breaks resistance CC... good one for<br />the archives 4 sure <br />hope I never need to go back and search for it