if the coke trick works I will use it on my 383 which is stuck

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Nothing beats a slant six
1987 D150

vinegar works wonders as well. we use it all the time to de rust tools and parts. plain white vinegar works best, also takes off the galvanized coating from steel pipe

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1975 Plymouth Duster,225/6 2bbl. and duels, 904, 7 1/4
1986 Dodge Charger Shelby, 2.2 Turbo I, A525

Rock,

Not flexible option for many people including where I am. Vintage blocks had to be saved regardless because pistons can be sourced new or used.
Rings are made all the time in all sizes, even custom sizes, same with rods.
Odd cams can be made even original doesn't exist for certain engines.

Secondly, not all yards have plenty of cars with certain engines. For example: 3.2, 3.5 and 3.8 are not common in yards. Slant ditto. 2.4L ditto, but I see plenty of 2.0L, and 2.2, 2.5 but some are way up in miles means cylinder wear and any abuse is too great in concern.

Cheers, Wizard

I was reading about this on the Stovebolt. They say that Baking Soda works fine too. (Sodium Bicarbonate.) Since that's what I had available, that's what I'm using.
I started off a small part this afternoon. A couple of days, then move it around? It's already making a mess of the water, but they say just keep on using it till you can't stand it anymore. Apparenty it doesn't get used up. You can just pour more water in as it evaporates without adding more washing or baking soda.

Sound right?

I'm gong to see how it does at freeing up a rusty, busted-off bolt.

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Baking soda (sodium hydrogen carbonate, NaHCO3) will work, but washing soda (sodium carbonate, Na2CO3) works better, and also helps degrease the surfaces. The chemical in solution only acts as an ion carrier, and doesn't chemically react with the rust. The brown scum is rust particles suspended on bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen. If you disconnect power for a while, the bubbles dissipate and the rust sinks to the bottom. Take a look at "Geoff's Science Garage" on
http://www.moparmailinglist.com/page.php?page=Videos

Reposition the anode once or twice a day. Scrape or wire-brush the crud from the anode. Remember to keep the positive lead and clip out of the water. Be patient. In a few days, all of the rust will fall off. The rust in crevices e.g. piston rings will take longer than exposed surfaces.

Small parts can be derusted in a few hours.

Ken

Good to know!

I'll go out and turn the part over. My anode is iron, and is pretty nasty. I'll clean it up on the wheel and go back at it.

When I'm in town I'll see if I can find the correct materials to work with. I have some lye, which was suggested to work well, but don't want an open container of the stuff laying around. I'm running the process outside.

Thanks Ken!

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Wow!

After cleaning up the rebar anode, I got much greater activity. There was no grease present, but the paint that was on the part wiped off with a rag after just a couple hours in the solution.
The tracks are half a block away, so I'll go snag half a dozen RR spikes that are lying around. They should work just fine for future anodes! The process works pretty fast! I turned the part over and will leave it over night.

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Don't make much fuss with cleaning the anode. Just scrape the loose crud off.

Don't use lye (sodium hydroxide). It will cause chemical burns on your skin, and can blind you if you splash it in your eyes.

The sodium carbonate is a weak base, so the derusted part will not corrode if you leave it in the liquid without power applied. This is not the case with acids (hydrochloric/muriatic HCl, sulfuric H2SO4, phosphoric H3PO4). If you use phosphoric acid to do the final cleaning of the part to remove the black rust layer, submerge the part completely. If you leave it partially submerged, the atmospheric oxygen that dissolves into the surface of the liquid will create an etched line at the air/water interface. Final rinse with hot water and dry the part with a heat gun or hair dryer. Flash rust will quickly form if the part is not protected with oil or paint.

Avoid using hydrochloric acid, as any residual chloride ion will cause continuing chloride corrosion of ferrous metals. The best example of this is car bodies where roads are salted in winter. Also, HCl gas will escape and dissolve into any condensation on surfaces in your garage, creating chloride corrosion of tools, machines, car parts, etc.

Ken

I used to use the lye for making Bio-Diesel. I know what you mean! I decided I didn't need any more hobbies, so gave up on it and sold my Bio reactor. meth-oxide is nasty stuff!

The Baking soda is making short work of the small part. When I go after the bigger/nastier parts, I'll try the washing soda.

Thanks for the tip!

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing