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Cleaning aluminium castings and carbs on Honda CB500/4

Q. Hi
My name is Ray and I live in quake ravaged Christchurch New Zealand.

I am restoring a 1971 Honda CB500/4 that is in a real bad condition as it was left outside and the diecast aluminium casings and carburetors appear to be badly oxidised.
Some of the parts are very intricate and difficult to clean with conventional brushes/buffs, etc.
I wondered if a dip in a weak solution of sulfuric acid may restore the surface appearance to the original diecast look?

Ray Whiting
Design engineer - New Zealand
January 10, 2012

A. If corroded to any significant depth you probably can't make then look very good. Best option would be to completely disassemble and have them blasted with very fine glass bead, plastic media or walnut shell media [on eBay or Amazon] .

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina

adv.
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