Quote from: axiom-r on February 21, 2026, 04:24:02 PMTroyskie - Once this process has started can it be terminated? If so, how? I have some rare old two-stroke carbs that are definitely trying to regrow the oxide layer...  I tired a baking soda bath and I keep them wet with WD40 to abate the process but when they dry it begins again. There is no significant pitting or damage that is concerning (yet) but they sure won't clean up for use.  Are they garbage now?  What do you do??

G'day mate, the hydrolysing or alkaline attack, ends immediately once oxygen is introduced, i.e. some fresh water.

I wouldn't use baking soda as that itself is pretty alkaline, 8+ google just told me.

I just checked the SDS of WD40, it has a pH of 9.5 - 11.5, so steer clear of that.

I don't think the casting is anodised, so it only has a thin passive layer.
Aluminium grows about a 7 micron thick passive layer pretty quickly when exposed to air/oxygen.

A fix could be ultrasonic cleaning with just water (and possibly a few drops of hydrogen peroxide) to prep the surface of these carbies and stop any white powder (excess aluminium oxide) forming. I'd use distilled water if your tap water is 'hard' as that is pretty alkaline as well.
If you want to give them a light coating afterwards, I'd suggest a light mineral oil as this doesn't have any water and thus has no pH.

If I was to do the same thing I'd do the distilled water + hydrogen peroxide in the u/s cleaner, then blow them out and coat with mineral oil (I prefer the Singer mineral oil brand), and then blow them out again to force the mineral oil into the crevices but leave only a very thin layer that can be removed later with the u/s cleaner when you're ready to service/use them.
An alternative oil I use for long storage is Lanox, not sure if you have it in the US, it is a lanolin based spray wax I use on some old muzzle loaders that rarely get used. This stuff is easily removed and very long lasting. I think the longest they were stored was about 40-50 years and they came out good as new once cleaned.

From memory there have been comments about hydrogen peroxide and u/s cleaners, so I might be wrong about this bit.

Troyskie

My exterior doors took 8 months to get.   The guy that was pouring my foundation uses a pumper truck. It broke during the pour. This was Friday he said it would be up and running by Monday. Took 2 months to get parts. I got my knees replace in the middle of building my house. Couldn't wait any longer. Got it done in December. So when I could finally get around in February. I descided to go check on my house. Had to park on the street. Snow in my driveway was past my knees. Took a long time but using my walker. I made it into my house. I used a lazer thermometer and checked the slab in the farthest corner. Was still 34°f. Hadn't had any heat in the house since before I got my knees replace. And only used a small oscillating 1500watt electric heater to heat all 3400sqft. And it had been in the negative teens and twenties for a week before I checked it. Due to super insulation. And 2" of foam both inside and outside the frost wall. Isolating the slab from the frost wall. As well as beneath the slab. So I didn't use any antifreeze in my heated floors.  Pure water does a better job of conveying heat than antifreeze. But the driveway definitely will need to be freeze proof to -20ies.  It has 2" of foam under the 5" of concrete.

Quote from: Waiex191 on February 17, 2026, 11:18:10 PMThis past Sunday it got up to 62 in northern Illinois.  I got both bikes out.

Sweet! Great picture!

If I get up that way I'll give you a heads up

https://maps.app.goo.gl/N1qLyvktAbcj6tWp9

Quote from: MarioR on February 18, 2026, 09:38:36 AMHi Guys,

So long story short, Robert recommended to use Chem Crest 235. In my area, this solution is not available.

I know.... could be order overseas but exploring options to be cost efficient if possible.

What other alternative you guys use with factory effect?

I used many different green solution that are "safe for aluminum"  but I was not happy with the results.

Always darken carbs and dull. Used aluminum brighter to clean residue.....and looks okay but should be better.

What to use to make them as a factory shinny aluminum ?

Cheers  

Hey Mario - I had been having the same problems with my ultra sonic cleaning solutions.  Tried several without satisfactory results.

After the Chem-Crest 235 was suggested by Robert, I bought some. It is pretty expensive and I could only locate a 4 gallon purchase (smallest). BUT - I am very happy with the results - best results I have ever achieved and perfect sheen / finish. I can't use all that I have so if you are interested I would sell a gallon. I paid $375 for the 4 gallons so $90 USD plus shipping.

I think I could send it to you person to person without issue.

Let me know.

Tim

Quote from: Troyskie on February 18, 2026, 03:58:31 PMRed is right.
Just checked the SDS for the Simple Green Pro HD, purple colour. It states the pH is 10-11.5.
Never allow pH greater than 8.5 anywhere near aluminium.

Aluminium is stable in pH ranges from about 4-8.5. Greater than 8.5 and aluminium is susceptible to alkaline attack.

Essentially the outer passive aluminium oxide layer, or anodic (anodised) aluminium oxide layer is stripped.

As aluminium is highly reactive (conductive), it tries to re-grow the oxide layer immediately, thus accelerating surface pitting.

If, as in the very warm ultrasonic cleaning environment, there is a lack of oxygen in the solution near the aluminium it becomes self sustaining (autocatalytic), a process known as hydrolysing (possibly where the maker mentions hydrogen embrittlement).

Overall, aluminium is tough, but incredibly reactive to alkaline attack. If there is any salt/chlorides/chlorines etc, and free oxygen is taken up by other processes, in a solution that has pH higher than 8.5 the cleaning solution will be very aggressive and damage the surface.

Troyskie

Troyskie - Once this process has started can it be terminated? If so, how? I have some rare old two-stroke carbs that are definitely trying to regrow the oxide layer...  I tired a baking soda bath and I keep them wet with WD40 to abate the process but when they dry it begins again. There is no significant pitting or damage that is concerning (yet) but they sure won't clean up for use.  Are they garbage now?  What do you do??

So, since i know this, i took apart the turning switch casing but was hesitant to pull apart the turn signal switch itself/use serious force on it.

The wiring diagram is not precise enough(?) so indicate WHICH 3 (?) wires are coming from the turn signal switch..

Does anyone have a clue or better information source?

No, Not any more? I got this bike about a year ago... I am not sure what has been altered before.
It has now a 2-pin flasher relay.

Would auto windshield washer fluid be an acceptable alternative?  That's what I put in the tractor tire tubes as a weight (better than calcium).

Quote from: giantkiller on February 20, 2026, 05:22:49 PMIs your house all done Pat? I assume you had someone build it.  I instead of being dumb like me and doing it all yourself.

Yes, it's been done for a couple of years. I retired from my job and moved from Palm Desert, Calif to Sedona, Arizona, and I didn't know any of the good local subcontractors, so I hired a general but had several line item exceptions on the contract for me to do my own work, mainly radiant floor and finish items. My house was built durning the time of Covid so it took 8 months longer than I expected, about 20 months total.  As an example, I waited 5 months for plan check and 6 months for a bathtub. My lumber bill went up $14k in one week...

Oh my, poor me....I needed to keep it in perspective, it was the time of Covid and folks were dying. I lost 2 friends to Covid, a sad time for sure....makes complaining about waiting for a bath tub seem selfish and trivial. I was lucky the subs showed up to work.

On the anti freeze needed for your driveway, will it be a 50/50 mix or straight glycol?
You need 100 gallons to fill your 2 water heater tanks, then more for the driveway pex tubes.
Let's see... 231 cubic inches per gallon, 12" of 3/4 Pex = 5.3 cubic inches x 8,000 = 42,400 cubic inches / 231 = 184 gallons for the pex....add in the 2 tanks, that's 284  gallons total needed for straight glycol....or 142 gallons needed for a 50/50 mix.
Yea, that shit can get real expensive....

I love my radiant floors. Well worth the money and effort.

Cheers lad, stay warm.

Quote from: Pat Conlon on February 20, 2026, 09:22:29 AM

Quote from: giantkiller on February 20, 2026, 12:57:37 AMYah if I could just get my but in gear. Maybe I could get mine done. I've got an ape block. To go with the turbo. That's might be a little fun.I just keep getting distracted. Too many other projects.

Did you get your heated driveway on line Dan?

 I see the cold snap you folks are having and wondered. Burrrr

I finally got all the solar panels up. 24 390watt. Got the 2 50 gallon water heaters mounted the 3 15watt panels up for the 3 solar powered water pumps. One per loop. Got it all wired up and plumbed. But ran out of time and money for the antifreeze (2 50gallon water heaters and 8000ft of 3/4" pex) so still not done.
 Adding another 24 panels to the roof of the house. That'll make solar for the house 19,200watts. Just short of the 20,000watt limit for the state of Wisconsin that would turn my house into a utility. 2 new inverters 36kw. And 6 batteries. 85.8kwh. Will run grid tied for a year. To make sure I can run my entire 3400 sq ft house without any compromising. Then I'll cut the cord. And go off grid. I also have 6500watt onan generator just in case. Going to bury 1000galon lp tank. And 2 more years of OT. And I'll have my house build loan paid off.
Then I can think about retiring. No payments, no bills. Just sewer water taxes and insurance.

Is your house all done Pat? I assume you had someone build it.  I instead of being dumb like me and doing it all yourself.