Cleaning Bare Aluminum Under Hood?

Anyone have advice on cleaning the bare aluminum underhood.    With my mechanical fan removed the water pump and alternator/mounts really show up now, and all are dull and discolored.   My intake could also use some shine....

I tried using a toothbrush and Gunk Engine Brite last night, but it didn't help.   Still look dull and old.

I'm hoping someone has a magic potion here to share, before I pull out the spray paint.    

Little Help?

-Mike

Remind me not to park next to your car in VA. I'll make it look awful   

Use a wheel cleaner (Eagle 1 aluminum wheel wash for example, or most any wire wheel cleaner) that is phosphoric acid based. You'll know you got the right stuff when it turns white and foams once it hits the aluminum.
 
Apply when the engine is cool and dry. Scrub with a soft brush and rinse with the hose before the acid mixture dries on.
 
Two things:
 
Once you've rinsed it off, resist the urge to go after it again until the aluminum is completely dry, like a couple hours later, otherwise the acid won't be effective and you'll just be wasting product.
 
If the mixture dries on, it can leave stains, so try not to let that happen so you don't have to keep redoing the process to get them off.
 
It will probably take several applications to get everything back to new looking.
 
If you want to coat the clean parts for protection, this would be the time as the etched surface will readily accept the coat of clear.
 
Try to do it within a couple hours of the final wash as the surface conductivity falls off pretty rapidly and the paint won't adhere as well.
 
- J

Thanks Jay! Great tips!

I'm heading to Autozone at lunch and will get the Eagle 1 product if they have it.

Projects!

-Mike

Look for this or similar:
 
https://www.eagleone.com/etching-mag-wheel-cleaner
 
Also, be careful around plastic parts like the fuel rail covers until you know it won't stain them. I've never had any issues with the pre-packaged wheel cleaners, but there's always a first.
 
While your in detail mode, pick up a hose coupler while you're out and rework your PS air injection hose to get it off the valve cover:
 

 
That is still the factory hose, just cut, spliced & inverted.
 
- J

Thanks again for the tips!

Nice valve covers on yours. 4rd-Gen Corvette Tuned-Port? Didn't know those would fit an LT1...thought you had to use the plastic ones.

-Mike

81X11 wrote:

Thanks again for the tips!

Nice valve covers on yours.   4rd-Gen Corvette Tuned-Port?    Didn't know those would fit an LT1...thought you had to use the plastic ones.  

-Mike

 
Yep, C4 TPI covers on the Impala.
 
Unlike most everything else, they fit as-is w/o interfering with the alternator. You'll have to do something with the unused PCV port on the DS cover, I used a baby K&N filter to fill the hole, but it could be capped off just as well.
 
I'm not a fan of the plastic valve covers, they're not additionally functional enough to justify using them from a performance standpoint, and don't look nearly as good as the magnesium covers.
 
THE ones to have are the '92 (only) C4 LT1 covers. The PS is the same as the L98 cover, but the DS cover is plain, like the steel ones are. They also don't have the recess for the Corvette emblem, which looks more factory when they aren't actually installed on a 'Vette
 
As seen on the prototype Impala SS:
 

 
And on the wagon:
 

 
Those are a true bolt on in every way - if you can find them - but the DS cover has been discontinued for quite awhile now.
 
- J

NICE! Good tip!

I can't believe that there are people that care about detailing that still have air pump tubing!

jayoldschool wrote:

I can't believe that there are people that care about detailing that still have air pump tubing!

I can't believe it's not butter!

Shut up