cleaning aluminium

[neptune8]

I want to clean up the cylinder barrel on my 2002 CG 125. I have scrubbed it with water and detergent, but it still looks dirty with light surface corrosion. Can anyone suggest an aluminium cleaner that I can apply with a paint brush? It will run down onto the crankcase side covers which are painted, so it must not damage paint.
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Enjoy yourself, its later than you think

[stinkwheel]

There are many engine cleaners/degreasers out there.

Gunk and jizer spring to mind.

However, I have been riding motorcycles for over 20 years now and have never felt the need to wash an engine to that degree. Spend your money on fuel and your time riding. Washing an engine of anything but surface dirt is out of the same box as washing the outside of mess tins or ironing tea towels in my oppinion.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[stevo as b4]

Alloy wheel cleaner can work well on bare aluminium, as do brass wire brushes. You could try anything acidic like coke for example, or try strong oven cleaner foam. But anything that's acidic is unlikely to be friendly to paint.

I'd be tempted to use wire brushes and brake cleaner as much as possible in this situation.

[Alpineandy]

I don't really understand why you'd want to, but you could try this stuff; https://www.frost.co.uk/car-care-cleaning-detailing-styling/car-care-tools/frost-ali-clean-alloy-aluminium-castings-cleaner.html
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The above comment isn't necessarily the truth and anyone that says it is, is only correct if it's the truth or they're bigger than me.

[Pete.]

Not much (if anything) is actually bare ally on a bike. It will have a coating on it and it's this coating that yellows over time.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[neptune8]

I am the OP. Iam 72 this year. I am a full time carer for my wife who has agraphobia, so if I am lucky, I get out for a ride twice a week for about 90 minutes. I do my own maintainance, and spend lots of time cleaning my bike. To me it is a form of recreation.
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Enjoy yourself, its later than you think

[c_dug]

Aluminium has many perks as a material, but corrosion resistance isn't one of them. It'll grow white lumpy corrosion on contact with winter roads, and if you go as far as polishing it up it'll dull again in a matter of weeks just from the air.

I'd be tempted to clean it up as best as you can and then paint it black. If done well it'll look better for longer and be much less of a headache to maintain than plain aluminium.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Alpineandy]

[Pete.]

I would go over it with a small wire brush and then use silver paint. It'll look nice and be easy to keep clean. Sure, you could attack it with an aluminium cleaner but since they work by etching off a layer all you're doing it providing g a good key for the next load of dirt to cling to.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[MCN]

Aluminium stops 'rusting' eventually. The bare surface oxidises fairly rapidly in contact with the atmosphere.

You can only remove any shit, paint and the oxidised surface by abrading or some sort of harsh chemical.

The surface must then be very quickly protected from the atmosphere or all the elbow grease and angst-ing will be for nought.

Polishing is primarily removing the surface of something.
Aluminium Polish is not 'simple' metal polish like Brasso (Chalk and white spirits).
It has larger particles which resist clogging by the metal one rubs off.

If you want to polish.

It is entirely personal how far you want to go.

But polished shiny shit can look cool.

I do not iron our dish cloths.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.