De-Ruster

pseftoncomcastnet

On other forums I've seen a ton of discussions about using a crock pot to de-rust fasteners and other small parts. People recommend everything from molasses to anti-freeze as a solution, but what really works best? I think someone here suggested a 50-50 solution of Metal Rescue and water... or is this incorrect?

Peter Sefton

Browniepetersen

The best way to derust is to purchase new stuff. For those parts that can not be replaced I use a good wire brush and finish up with an epoxy paint.

mdwhit

Evapo-Rust works great for me. It is sold in many places. Harbor Freight has it for $28.00 a gallon. It worked great for de-rusting some A-frames for me. It is also biodegradable. If you "Google" it, the lowest price I saw was $22.00, but then you have to pay shipping.

PAULARGETYPE

I DON'T KNOW OF MANY PRODUCTS THAT DO AS GOOD A JOB AS POR 15 IT HAS WORKED GOOD FOR ME I HAVE ALSO USED A RUSTOLEUM PRODUCT THAT WORKS LIKE POR 15 I HAVE USED IT ALSO WITH SUCCESS BUT IT DEPENDS WHAT YOUR DOING AND WHAT YOUR USING IT FOR AND HOW BIG THE PART OR THE JOB ON MY SONS 68 BARACUDA FRONT FENDERS WE USED THE RUSTOLEUM PRODUCT TO COAT THE UNDER SIDE OF THE FENDERS BEFORE THEY WERE INSTALLED AND AFTER THE NEW REAR FENDERS WERE INSTALLED THE FRONT FENDERS WE COATED BEFORE WE PUT THE FENDERS ON ON

MY 50 PACEMAKER I COATED EVERY THING WITH POR 15 AFTER ALL THE FRAME AND UNDER BODY REPAIRS WERE DONE I SPRAYED WATER ON IT TO GET A BIT OF RUST FIRTS THEN WENT AT IT WITH THE POR 15 I ALSO USED A PRODUCT THAT WAS RUBBERIZER/ SOUND DEADNER I COATED EVERY THING WITH IT UNDER SIDE AND TOP SIDE OF FLOORS ,FRAME TRUNK REAR WHEEL WELLS INNER FENDERS (REAR) THE CAR IS REAL QUIET WITH NO SQUEEKS OR RATTLES AT ALL I EVER COATED THE INSIDES OF THEDOORS BEFOR INSTALLING DURAMAT THE DOORS CLOSE WITH A REAL SOLID THUMP

lostmind

Cleaning vinegar, under $3.00 a gallon. I've soaked rusted ,frozen adjustable wrenches for 2/3 days and after a light wire brushing ,they clean up shiny.
" Bar keepers friend" [oxalic acid] works great also.

pseftoncomcastnet

These are great tips, which I appreciate!

I've been a POR-15 fan for some years, and use it on surfaces like frame rails, floors, and the insides of fenders with great success. Evaporust is new to me, but I want to experiment with all these methods.

I have been reading that Evaporust works faster if its heated to about 100-125 degrees. Youtube videos like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNY14scDUm0 show this being done in a heated parts washer. I was thinking of trying an old crock pot. Anybody have experience with this method?

Peter S.

Frankvintagefullflowcom

I've used Oxalic to clean rust-stained glass lenses with great results. I had some '50 S/C park light lenses that had been left in a steel can, outdoors. The frosted inside surface was quite bad but the Oxalic acid made them look like new. It requires elevating the temp (not necessary to boil) and it doesn't affect the glass that I could detect. (my research-chemist Dad said it wouldn't)
The acid crystals were commonly available as Prestones' two-part cooling system cleaner but I don't find that any more. It must have worked too well. I suppose it's commercially available somewhere.
F

12BoltTom

My vote is for Molasses. It would be for large parts and hard to get at areas. At my local feed mill, liquid molasses is 14 cents per pound. Cheap. Mixture is 7 parts water 1 part molasses. Let part soak for 3 weeks and wash with power washer. Removes all rust. Be sure to treat with a rust preventative treatment immediately.

The boy and I are going to do our Big Boy after this summer using this method.

TwinH

Frank, Oxalic acid:
ebay.com/itm/140708160065?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I used oxalic acid on the coolant passages of my Clifford head that was full of rusty junk. Looked like a fresh casting afterward.

Frankvintagefullflowcom

TNX
F

pseftoncomcastnet

I wanted to thank everyone for their advice.

My first Evaporust experiment has confirmed the wisdom of the group. Soaking for 36 hours completely cleaned an AC fuel pump bowl that had rough, scaly flakes on the outside and powdery, fine rust on the inner surface. I'm now doing a comparative test with a randomly-separated group of bolts, one set of which is in a container of evaporust at room temperature and the other ion a crockpot heated to about 120 degrees.

Peter S.

mdwhit

FYI - part of the instructions for EvapoRust state to not cover the container you are using in the derusting process. It must have air to work properly.

MikeWA

Molasses sounds good to me- I'm assuming it does nothing to paint?

Frankvintagefullflowcom

But Mike.....do you realize how many moles it takes to make a jar of that stuff? PETA will be banging on your door in no time.
F

MikeWA

And I don't even want to think about neat's-foot oil. . .

And my grandma's little brother coined a phrase in his callow youth that lives on in the family a hundred years later. They lived in the Ozarks in SE Missouri, and molasses was a common commodity. When his mother asked him if he wanted some molasses, he famously replied "How can I have mo-lasses? I ain't had no-lasses, yet."

I guess you had to be there. . .

jjbubaboy

So, could I fill the radiator up with the Oxalic Acid mix and run it to clean out the whole system?
Thanks,
Jeff

dlydonmn7fav

this work
http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

MikeWA

I bought a rubber cattle water trough to try electrolysis- have a very rusty tractor hood, so needed a fairly large container. But as cheap as molasses is, and mixing it 7 to 1 will make a decent volume at low cost, so am going to try that first, before the electrolysis. Not much to lose, and sure less monkey business.

Frankvintagefullflowcom

The Prestone brand of Oxalic acid cooling system cleaner has either been discontinued or I just can't find it, but my new favorite is Permatex 80030. It does warn against use with Aluminum radiators but I don't know if that warning also applies to Aluminum heads. Certainly the effect is the same but it may not be of significance with more massive components like a head in the short time of exposure. The MSDS indicates that contact with certain metals (Al & Mg as examples) will generate Hydrogen gas. I don't know if that degrades the Aluminum part or if it just constitutes an explosion hazard.
I've used it several times with good results and keep some on-hand.....I'm afraid they'll quit selling it, which seems to happen with so many things that actually work.
Frank