Aluminum on crank

[ez go go]

Hey guys, just making sure I had this right. Didn't I read a post here sayin' you could use muriatic acid to clean aluminum off the crankshaft. I gotta 295 I'm building and the rod has left some deposits on the crank I need to get off.

[roady89]

You can drop the crank with the aluminum in some muriatic acid and let it sit a few hours and the acid will dissolve every bit of the aluminum and leave the steel of the crankshaft untouched and looking like a brand new one.The acid will dissolve aluminum but not steel.

Personally never tried it. Be careful and use protection.

[ez go go]

Originally Posted by roady89

Personally never tried it. Be careful and use protection.

Me neither Roady.... I wasn't sure bout takin a wire brush to it. I was not sure if the finish on the crank would be damaged.

Thanks

[bokeasmowl]

don't take a wire brush to it whatever you do, use the muriatic acid (with rubber gloves on) and a green scotch brite pad and it'll take off the aluminum. I've done it several times to banshee cranks....promise. It may take a few times, if you still see black on the crank journals, it's aluminum. Watch your eyes too.

[Dave Box]

Muriatic acid is the ancient name for Hydrochloric acid one of the most vicious acids. Normally produced at a maximum strength of 38% . A major use of HCl is "pickling" steel which is the process of immersing rusting steel and using the acid to remove the ferrous oxide. In this case the solution used is 18%. You would need to determine the correct solution to disolve aluminum and dilute your acid accordingly. As any chemistry high schooler knows, pouring water into acid is a recipe for a nasty reaction.

It's your world but I would steer clear of anything that brought me close to Hydrochloric. I think maybe a light scrub with some 1000 grade steel wool or maybe a pan scrubber perhaps.

Just another $0.02

[rokcrlr]

Muratic axid is only about a 5 or 10% solution. Brick masons have used it for years to clean bricks after laying them. Bokes is right, BUT BE CARFULL wear safety glasses , rubber gloves , and a face mask. We use to wash our hands with muratic acid to get grout and cement off, Sure stings any open cuts, but makes your hand squeaky clean, BUT DO NOT TRY THIS OUT HOME, WASH DONE BY TRAINED MORONS, err masons.
2cycle races also use it to clean cylinders after seazing pistons.

[bowtieboy]

Muriatic is weak HCL but still can create problems so wear you PPE when using it.

[ez go go]

Thanks guys... I have used it to remove rust inside of a gas tank on many atv's. I appreciate the concern with all the safety precautions and I thank you all for the info. on the problem. I'm gonna try it today.

[big mule]

Originally Posted by ez go go

Hey guys, just making sure I had this right. Didn't I read a post here sayin' you could use muriatic acid to clean aluminum off the crankshaft. I gotta 295 I'm building and the rod has left some deposits on the crank I need to get off.

Hey ez,is that a "local" 295 you're working on

[ez go go]

You could say that MULE!!!! Long time no see, good to hear from ya brother!!