Secondary Clutch Clean Up?

[Roadrunner]

I would like to clean up the secondary off my 95 VMax-4 but I have seen some things wrote that I should not use a cleaner or polish? What is the best way to clean it to look good again? I guess polishing it is out of the question or is it okay to do without getting cleaner on the insides?
Thanks for any help on this.
Doug

[racer7x]

Doug, I think you can polish all of the exterior stuff, just not the faces of the sheeves. You'll want to scuff them with a scotchbrite pad.

[Roadrunner]

Thanks Dean. I sort of thought that but I just wasn't to sure. I had a lot of time today to do that but I just am not into polishing aluminum. LOL
Thanks,
Doug

[vmax4rules]

Does the secondary have windage plates, if not get a set and that will save you some work.

[Roadrunner]

rules- Yes, they have the plates!!
What can you spray on the secondary to get all the junk off of it? Is carb cleaner safe to spray all over it?
Thanks again for the help.
Doug

[Master of Faster]

You can use just about anything as long as its safe for aluminum which most things are, just make sure you scuff the sheave faces good after you're done cleaning, and a shot with some brake clean wouldn't hurt to get any residue off.

[RedWhiteandBlue]

Disassemble and put all in the dishwasher, my wife swears by it!...Blue

[sandmanmike72]

I use acetone to clean my sheaves and then scuff with a scotchbrite pad. Also make sure you wash new belts with warm soapy water to remove the protective coating from the belt. If you don't it will glaze your sheaves and cause some belt slippage. You may have known that but alot of others don't.

[3ft]

I'm a true believer in the dishwaher method as well. Works wounders....And as blue said...or well, My wife swears at me......The best part, slip them in their when she is not looking...then when she is so impressed that you are helping with the dishes, open it up and let her see whats inside. The look you get is priceless!

[Skinner]

I use a dremel with different profile wire wheels. That allows you to get in all the nicks and crannies. I hav'nt found any solution to getting the baked belt dust off without all the extra effort. This is the only way I found that will truly clean the clutchs. IMO, its very important to make sure they are clean, clean or the build-up throws the clutches out of balance.

[Roadrunner]

Well, I feel I got it the best that I could!!

[Skinner]

SOOOOO, WHADJADOOOO??? Dishwaher method, elbow grease, put it in the crock pot,,,what? Fun lookin like tar baby after thats all over,,,,ehy Doug?????

[Roadrunner]

Skinner - Crock Pot!!! No, I used the dremel and elbow grease. It is looks good enough for me!!
Doug

[jeff242424]

thats funny, nice to see that your parts are more important than your coat. lol i am the same way.

rick

[AL P]

not bad doug, but I`ve seen better..




JUST KIDDING!! LOL. looks great man..keep up the good work!!

[Ken]

Doug,

With all the polishing that you do you should get yourself some proper polishing equipment for Christmas. Buffing wheels for a bench grinder and polishing compounds.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=436&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=433&iSubCat=436

Just think of the time you will save for doing other things like watching videos!!

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=844&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=844

Ken

[JERSEYJOE]

I disabbemble mine and glass bead them

[Roadrunner]

Ken,
Thanks for the links. I have thought a lot about getting the wheels and compound but just never did it. I would like to try it that way one time and see how it comes out. Maybe after this 95 is done and before I would find another one to do, I will invest in those things.

Jersey - I heard of glass beading but don't know what exactly what it is?

Thnaks guys,
Doug

[AL P]

doug, its basicaly just sand blasting, but using crushed fine glass instead of sand..

[Skinner]

doug, its basicaly just sand blasting, but using crushed fine glass instead of sand..

They use all kinds of different media, anything ffrom baking soda, to nutshells, to plastic beads, sand, glass,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[BUBS SRX]

I saw a product on one of the TV hotrod shows that is used on the bling bling of the whatever you can use it on.In the show they used it on a set of tubbed wheels that were all aluminum,Once you have the shine you are looking for you start a process with there product that cleans the surface then a second step like a polish was applied they let it dry to a haze then buffed off for a lasting shine that only needed minimal maintainence(Basicaly hoseing off).BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CAN NOT REMEMBER WHAT ITS CALLED OR WHAT SHOW I SAW THIS ON.It appeard to be a great product if the longevity of their claims was true.I think I saw it on POWER BLOCK with that guy Stacie something or other.Anyway it may be worth the trouble of looking it up somewhere,Sorry I dont have a name for it.:cussing:

[JERSEYJOE]

Yea it's fine glass balls. I use it to do aluminum since it DOES NOT change the surface texture. It does not product a highly polished surface, and if you glass bead a smooth polished surface it will dull it, but you can then polish it using progressively finer abrasive products until you reach a point that you can use a power buffer. I have done some aluminum pieces that ended up looking like chrome. I sometimes do my primary clutch cover this way. In fact I just sent a clutch to Mirco Belmont for balancing, and when I get it back I might do the cover this way.

Glass beading if fun the first time you do it. When I got mine I glass beaded everything in sight for the first month. Then it got old and now I just do what needs to be done. It's one of the best ways to clean carbon build up off intake and exhaust valves, great on pistons too.

[AL P]

You got it joe..glass works really nice.
sand makes everything grey, and more porus (porus..LOL) but..if your gonna be painting whatever it is, sand really works good to give the surface some tooth for the paint to adhere to.

AL

[racerrob]

So, while we are discussing aluminum cleanup-polishing, what is the general experience-recomendations for getting the fine scratches out of the tunnel when you are trying to polish it??

Am stripping the paint & decals to go to the "au natural" & polished look.

Almost have one side done, but in order to get the paint that is under the rivets which are put in after painting, I have used a fine scotch brite pad to get the paint off after using aircraft paint remover, which by the way is killer stuff for removing paint!!! Just keep it off of exposed skin!!!:3speechle

The scotch brite pads have left some very minor scratches that are not "buffing out" during the final polishing.

Am using Wizards metal restore which seems to work better than Mothers Polish I have used in the past.

Anyhow, for the minor scratches, would ya go to a 1000 grit paper & wet sand or ??? :2dontknow

[Roadrunner]

racerrob,
I am no expert by far but to get the scratches out, I wet sand using 600, 1000, 1500 then 2000. I know there are easier ways but this just the way I have been doing it but will go to an easier way after this sled, if I do another one.
Doug

[Master of Faster]

Doug, I do alot of aluminum parts and the glass bead blasters work very nice, I bought a small blasting cabinet from Harbor Freight, the whole setup + glass bead cost about $125 and really helps to clean up aluminum parts that are nasty/corroded. Just something to think about, might be a nice addition to your garage.

[mark the shark]

Doug - We've seen your work. I'd say you ARE an expert!:rockon:

Shark

[AL P]

:agree:


Do wanna say one thing right quick...if you happen to decide to use silica sand for whatever reason...You MUST where a REAL GOOD mask...the dust from it cause silicosis (spellings wrong I`m sure, but..) anyway, you should wear a good mask anyway when blasting out side a cabinant even with other media, but...I`d highley recomend wearing one even when useing a blasting cab, if your gonna use silica sand..when you open the cab to get your part out or whatever, you`ll be exposed to the tiny particals in the air...Not good..

[racerrob]

Hey Doug:
Thanks for the tip, will go that direction, figured that the wet sand method would work. Will start with the 1000 1st & see if that gets me in the right direction.

Have a great Christmas.:xmas-smil

[JERSEYJOE]

GUYS: POLISHING IS POLISHING AND IT DOES NOT MATTER IF IT'S PAINT, ALUMINUM , STEEL OR ANYTHING YOU APPROACH IT THE SAME WAY. DECREASING SIZE OF GRIT. FOR A TUNNEL I WOULD START AROUND 240 OR 360 ON NASTY STUFF AND WORK MY UP TO 1000. IT WOULD NOT BE WORTH IT TO BEGIN BUFFING WITH COMPOUND OR LIQUID BEFORE YOU COMPLETE THE 1000 GRIT SANDING. REALLY, SANDING AND POLISHING ARE THE SAME JUST THE ABRASIVE MEDIA IS FINER.

REMEMBER IF YOU BUY A GLASS BEAD MACHINE, UNLESS IT IS BRAND NEW IT WILL LEAK A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF DUST.

YOU MUST COVER ANY OPEN ENGINE OR COMPONENTS IN YOUR SHOP FIRST.


IF NOT YOU WILL GET FINE PARTICLES IN THEM WITH DESTRUCTIVE RESULTS.

[Roadrunner]

Thanks for all the replies!! I wish I would of brought this up sooner, so I could of ask for this for Christmas!! Sounds like blasting would be good and just polsih after the blasting. I will have to try the glass bead way and the polishing wheel, which I know will give me a better job and a lot quicker.
Thanks again and I appreciate all the advice on trying to make it easier and faster.
Doug

[racerrob]

Yep, Jerseyjoe, you are correct in how to get the "polishing done"

Just got back from my local auto body supplies store & got me some super fine (I think 0000 rating?) scotch brite for removing the nasty paint under rivets, then sanding media for wet sanding in 800-1000-1500 grit where after, I then will use some new 3" dia. polishing pads with the Wizards metal renew. Looks to me like this will polish up pretty darn nice. Will post the before & after pics when done in a few weeks I hope.

HOHOHO, lookin for snow!!!!

:xmas-smil

[JERSEYJOE]

Doug: If you have time and are willing to ship it, I will be happy to glass bead it for you

[JERSEYJOE]

ttt