Keeping Aluminum Looking New

[ArdWrknTrk]

The easiest, cheapest, fastest, is to just buy a new one.
The plasticizers haven't been broken down by ozone and UV.
It will last longer.

https://youtu.be/86F2M7M-dgA

That guy is using OxyClean in the first step and 'blonde in a bottle' for the second step.
Both are peroxides.

There's no denying that it* was effective in his case.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Also you will see many videos about 'restoring' vintage video games, keyboards, etc ....
I forget what that stuff is called but it does destroy yellowing.

[Gary Lewis]

New Bullnose reservoirs run $80 and up and are rare.  So if they are in good shape and can be cleaned then a lot of folks will want to go that way.

Your link goes to the same video I posted, but you are saying the first thing he put in, after the rice, is OxyClean?  I couldn't catch that.  Thanks.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yes, it is a link back to your imbedded video.
Those of us on Android can't get the same imbed code.

"powdered bleach"
I don't know where this guy lives, but I'm going to assume that it is similar to Oxiclean bleach.

You can get a 250/350 bore MC on U-techcenter for a lot less than $80.
And if you figure you have $30-40 in bleach and stuff, plus a couple of hours of your time to just end up with a degraded and pourus reservoir it makes sense to buy a new one (if you can)

[ArdWrknTrk]

So we went from "Keeping Aluminum Looking New" to painting it so it looks like aluminum, to reviving scungy plastic.
Where is this thread headed now?  

[Gary Lewis]

My $80 was for a Bullnose coolant recovery/windshield washer reservoir.

Yes, this thread has morphed.  But, don't many of our threads?  We just discussed COVID vaccinations on Big Blue's Transformation thread.  

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'm not saying it shouldn't, I'm asking what tangent it's going to take.  

[Rembrant]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

The easiest, cheapest, fastest, is to just buy a new one.

That applies to a lot of things Jim, like my beautiful little blue Flareside that currently has a street value of about 2/3rds of what it cost me to build it...lol.

I had a master cylinder and the time to clean it, so I'm going to give it a whirl...whats the worst that can happen;).

Sorry if I steered this thread way off the trail...

[ArdWrknTrk]

No, we're all good Cory!

If you're like me and have more time than money, cleaning something up is the answer.
But it's still 35+ years old, so you better temper your expectations.

"I think we're parked, maaaaan"

[Dan Crowley]

Buying new is great.  I have spent a ton of money on e-Bay buying NOS parts but my truck is a diesel and sense 1995 I have yet to find a NOS radiator reservoir for my truck, so I am going to have to try and clean it.  Dan

[Gary Lewis]

Dan - Please let us know what you use and how it worked.  We may need to document this as lots of folks have grungy looking reservoirs.

[ArdWrknTrk]

https://www.amazon.com/Retro-Brite-Sole-Sauce-Restores-Yellowed/dp/B08668347P

https://youtu.be/qZYbchvSUDY

https://www.retr0bright.com/

https://www.instructables.com/DIY-Retrobright-Whitening-solution/

https://hackaday.com/2020/03/13/plastic-cleanup-via-retrobrighting/

[Dan Crowley]

Hi Gary, Will do.  I did use some Soft Scrub that which my wife uses to clean pots and pans that did a pretty good job on the outside but I need to clean the inside of the tank.  Dan

[Gary Lewis]

Jim - I'm working my way through your links.

#1, the Retro-Brite-Sole-Sauce appears to be the stuff that #3 mentions at the bottom.  And while it may work well, getting to the inside of some of the reservoirs may not be easy.

#2 has a neat shot of its results.  But note that the "40% peroxide" was later said to be 12%.




#3 has this statement: The problem was finally cracked in late July 2008 with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, a small amount of an "Oxy" laundry booster as a catalyst and a UV lamp; we believed that this could do the job in hours instead of days. Proof of this concept was demonstrated on EAB by Tonyyeb from Hull, UK, Chiark from Leeds, UK and myself. The original test I did as proof of concept took two hours, as opposed to up to the five days it took for the original tests at CBM and a1k.org. We were on to something!!

#4 says Hydrogen Peroxide – 3% & OXI Clean + UV light.  And only a little bit of OXI Clean.

#5 used Hydrogen Peroxide @ 12% and UV light from a string of LED's wrapped around the clear container, with aluminum foil reflecting the light back in.  And, it got warm, although not hot.

So, it looks like hydrogen peroxide and OXI Clean with UV light and heat is the "hot" ticket.  Filling up a reservoir with the combo and sitting it in the sun, plus rotating it from time to time, should work.  Thanks!

[Dan Crowley]

Thanks, that is some great information on Retro-bright plastic cleaning.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yeah, 'blonde in a bottle' + heat seems best, but the UV helps (obviously)

Heat is just pushing the reaction (like any chemistry) so you don't have to leave it slathered for days.

But strong peroxides are on the precursor watch list.
You can boil down a couple of gallons of 3% and not attract unwanted attention.

[Gary Lewis]

Good point about the peroxides.  I'll stay with 3%.

[Machspeed]

Okay gang, how did we go from preserving aluminum finish to cleaning overflow reservoirs??? GARY!!!  

And btw, Big Blue's thread is already crapped out......

[ArdWrknTrk]

If you have a hotplate or electric wok you can bring it right up to the azeotrope just a few hours.

It will work quickly when concentrated.  

[Gary Lewis]

Big Blue's thread hasn't "crapped out".  It is just a bit old and slow, like me.  But, why worry maaaaaannnn, we are paaaarked!

As for cleaning overflow reservoirs, it was a natural extension of the discussion re how to clean a brake master cylinder reservoir.