Electrolysis rust removal

[AndyPen]

Tell us more, did you get a kit or something??

[cpr1]

There are a few videos on youtube how to do this.

[Spider]

I've not tried this method, but I have heard that it's on;y 'line of sight' ie rust around corners or inside it doesn't work on.

How have you found this aspect ?

[smithyrc30]

I've not tried this method, but I have heard that it's on;y 'line of sight' ie rust around corners or inside it doesn't work on.

How have you found this aspect ?

Yes it is line of sight only. Distance from the part to be cleaned to the electrode is also a factor.

If the anode is round, you get circular cleaning rings (like ripples from a stone in a pond) so the piece of the part that is closest gets more cleaning than the rest.

Multiple anodes is the best solution.

Watch the current, too much will dissolve your part if you leave it too long.

Power supply with a clean DC output produces the best results. Battery charges tend to be slightly 'dirty' to help break up sulfates on the plates. Intelligent or maintenance chargers don't work, the resistance in the circuit is too high.

[dodge44]

I used a storage box, battery charger and soda crystals bought from Home Bargains on a heater box last year. Still needed to wire brush in a few areas afterwards but the process certainly lifted off the worst of the rust.

[ricardo]

I did my block that way and after a few retries with the anodes in different positions it worked well.
But surface rust quickly started to develop once the block was removed from the water/solution (sodium carbonate). What's your suggestions to prevent this?

I heard of rinsing the part in a bath with baking soda to neutralize it but it didn't work.

[dodge44]

I did my block that way and after a few retries with the anodes in different positions it worked well.
But surface rust quickly started to develop once the block was removed from the water/solution (sodium carbonate). What's your suggestions to prevent this?

I heard of rinsing the part in baking soda to neutralize it but it didn't work.

I washed it with water then marine clean before a slosh over with POR15 Metal Prep ('Metal ready') afterwards. This is essentially phosphoric acid so will keep out any new rust for a while until you can get round to painting.

[GraemeC]

I have a metal 25 litre bucket/paint tin - I wonder if it would work well in that (obviously need to be careful how to suspend the part being cleaned so it doesn't touch the sides)?

[dklawson]

Interesting timing. Just this past week I was using electrolysis to clean some lawn mower parts and I was also helping a friend collect the items he needed to use electrolysis on some VW parts.

Yes, it is "line of sight" like a plating operation. What I have done to address this is use smaller sacrificial electrodes which I bend into custom shapes and cover with braided plastic loom cover so it will not short circuit to the part being cleaned.

The electrolyte is "sodium carbonate" (not bicarb). In the U.S. it is sold as "washing soda". You can find it in the bright yellow Arm & Hammer box in the laundry soap section of Walmart. If you cannot find it, buy baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and bake the bicarb in a 400 oF oven for a half hour or so until it looks and feels different.

You can acid wash the cleaned part with phosphoric acid as mentioned above. However, the flash rust isn't that big a problem. I suggest blowing the part dry immediately after brushing off and rinsing with clean water.

The other thing I would like to bring up is the power supply. I use an old transformer type battery charger. It works great. I have been told that modern, electronic battery chargers will not work. Supposedly the electronic charger cannot detect the load and therefore does not allow the current to flow. You'll know if your power supply is sufficient or not. If the current isn't flowing there is no generation of bubbles.

[cpr1]

I've not tried this method, but I have heard that it's on;y 'line of sight' ie rust around corners or inside it doesn't work on.

How have you found this aspect ?

When I did mine the cylinder walls water passage side did clean up very well , what you need to take care is the part to be cleaned should be fully submerged in the solution and not touching the sacrificial rod/material, left for more than two days to clean properly .

To avoid the block from rusting again, I then submerged it in some used engine oil and left it for a couple of hours, been done for almost a year and it is still on the bench without any signs of rust.

[Van13]

Out of curiosity I put my heavily corroded parts in a vat of white vinegar and left for a week I was really shocked at how well it removed the corrosion

[Beatie]

Found this thread from a year ago as I think it’s worth adding to .
I’ve had a little play myself with electrolysis this weekend and cannot recommend it highly enough.
I started with some old rotten front hi/lo adjusters and am impressed with what’s turned out for very little effort or cost .
Defo worth a go with a multitude of stuff as it’s so simple .
For anyone who had a 12v PSU of me then they are also great for this application.( think I’ve still got 2 going spare )

[Polarsilver]

Would Electrolysis using a big plastic bucket & Washing Soda clean out the waterways of a 12G202 Cylinder Head .. any experiences or advice please?

[coopersean]

Would Electrolysis using a big plastic bucket & Washing Soda clean out the waterways of a 12G202 Cylinder Head .. any experiences or advice please?

This video suggests it would, but sure others can provide further input.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpQ969Y6Pkc

[nickacb]

Well, I had some issues with my fuel tank. IT was very rusted from the inside so It kept clogging my carb. I tried diffrent methods to clean it but nothing to my satisfaction so I look over yourube and I found several videos in which people compare products and homemade solutions.

Many people recommended evaporust so I bought a bucket and it actually worked, after leaving my tank overnight it really show a diffrence so if anyone finds it useful I think this product is a good one for rust.

[Homersimpson]

I've had good results using citric acid in water, I bought a big tub of it off e-bay and i've done a lot of parts with it.

It works better if you use warm water but even with cold water that has been in the bucket for weeks it still does a good job if left for a day or two. It helps to pull it out and then brush/sand off the bits that come loose and put it back in.

[Exminiman]

Believe it or not Molasses works with electrolysis as well (Molasses also works on its own....)- a few threads on the A35 site about it, here is one here https://forum.austina30a35ownersclub.co ... 2729#p2729