I removed my manifolds last weekend and was looking to clean the rust off the exhaust. I know it will rust back, but I would like to prolong the inevitable. I have access to a sand blaster, but am unsure if the cabinet is big enough.

A few days ago, I came across a method of removing rust using a sodium carbonate solution and passing a current through the parts to be cleaned. I have since collected the necessary hardware to try this method. The initial results were the surface layer of bubbles on the very thick layer of foam burst. The foam also became much thicker. I scooped much of the foam off the surface but have to be careful not to have the parts connected to the negative pole touch the rebar attached to the positive pole. My manifold isn't badly rusted, but it's rusted enough that I should be able to tell if this works.

Link to instructions.

As is noted in the instructions, this process produces hydrogen and oxygen gas. I suggest doing it outside. Also stainless steel cannot be used as it produces toxic chromium.

I'll update as to the progress of this method.

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The Old Goat '83 D150 225-2

AKA Ice Titan

I did that to some V8 manifolds and while it works, its a long, tedious process. It took about 3 days for each manifold and I had to change the sacrificial rod every 3 or 4 hours to keep it working at top speed. I also had to change solutions by the time I got to the 2nd manifold, as there was a half-inch of rusty residue on the bottom of the container.

I'm sure there will still be enough rust on the manifolds to make them shed the high-temp paint after a while, but they look good so far.

That works. Another good method is ordinary lye-type oven cleaner (e.g. "Easy Off". Make sure not to get the "no fume" variety, and make sure to wear gloves, long clothes and eye protection. Do it outdoors and stand upwind! Let the oven cleaner sit for awhile, scrub with a wire brush, then rins with hot water. Unless you apply some kind of high-temperature paint (there are many made specially for the purpose), the manifold will rust again in a matter of days.

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Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Carry it to a machine shop and pay them 15 dollars to bead blast them. Done deal good job and your back home. Thanks Ron Parker












It Aint Over Until I Win

Not everywhere. Here in Dallas, the absolute cheapest price I found to sandblast my manifold was $50 at a little hole-in-the-wall shop, and that was after I talked him down from $65. It's high enough that I've seriously considered buying my own sandblasting booth. I figure it would pay for itself fairly soon.

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vm

Well the end of the first day (24 hours), most of the foam left after I scooped out the rest had dissipated. I had to break some up and move it around with a wooden dowl so I could see into the tub. There does appear to be a good amount of sediment on the bottom. Some appears to be rust. Some looks like undisolved soap. I saw a few edges on the manifold that where a white solid had collected. I assume this to be some sodium compound. While there is a noticeable amount of rust collected at the bottom, there is plenty on the manifold still. I plan on leaving it set up for another 24 hours before I pull it out, mainly due to rainy weather coming.

I think I may go do more research to refine the process. As 64 Convert said he changed out the sacrificial rods, I question if I have enough in my set up. I would venture to guess that the anode and cathode surface areas being the same would be optimal. I also didn't do any calculations as to how much sodium carbonate to use. The source of power I am using is an old AT power supply run through a power strip so I have a switch. I am using the 12 volt 1.5 amp output lines. I am not sure if more is necessarily better. Gut instinct tells me it is as it adds more electrons. But I am not a chemist or physicist.

More to come.

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The Old Goat '83 D150 225-2

AKA Ice Titan

OK 15 small town Ga dollars is like 50 Dallas Dollars. I could go to 10 different places and say no joke bead blast this for me while im here and hand them a 20 dollar bill and i doint need a receipt and would be out in ten minutes. I could carry them to two places and get them done for free or another and do them my self for free. Might buy them a pizza for lunch for they were my former sponcer. Thanks Ron Parker








It Aint Over Until I Win

Today I turn off the circuit. I didn't feel I was getting the results I wanted with the old computer power supply. So, I borrowed a battery charger from my old boss and hooked it up. Right away, I saw bubbles forming. It became noticeably more reactive when the power was turned up each charge setting.

I decided to scale down the cell and clean one of the smaller parts in a bucket. When I detached it from the manifold, I noticed about half of it was already clean with a blackish iron residue remaining. At least I knew I had it all hooked up right. I figure by the time I get home tonight, it should be completely clean.

I plan on stopping off at walmart tonight, even though I try to never shop there. I haven't been able to find pure washing soda anywhere. I am currently using the next best thing, regular washing detergent which contains sodium carbonate plus a bunch of other chemicals. I am also going to look for high temp paint. I'd prefer to buy it at an automotive store, but given the time constraints and not wanting rust to reform...

Refinement of process:
1. Specifically use measured washing soda using its solubility. This is 30g/mL or 2.5lbs/gal. This seems like a lot to me given the instructions say 5 tablespoons for 5 gallons which comes out to about 0.4lbs to 5 gallons. I would assume this assertion that adding more is a waste possibly due to it not reducing resistance in th electrolyte anymore. I could test this I believe with a meter.
2. Increase the anode surface area by using plates of metal or forming a cage with rebar.
3. I have read some about magnetoelectrolysis. It is well beyond my capability to utilize this to direct the cleaning. I initially though about collecting the rust sediment with a magnet to be certain it was rust and not something unexpected. If I understand the ideas correctly, you can control the current flow in the electrolyte with magnets. The dissipation path would be perpendicular to the magnetic field plane. One example I saw showed that the magnetic field caused such turbulence that it formed waves in the cell. The page included pictures that were rather impressive.

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The Old Goat '83 D150 225-2

AKA Ice Titan

Both Lowes and Home Depot have what you need in the paint solvent department. I bought both tri-sodium phosphate and a substitute without the phosphate, and saw no difference in how they performed. It was in a square box that none of the employees knew existed. WalMart did not have it.

I knew I liked this guy!

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Im Creepy and Kooky and im fast and Spooky but im a part of The Slanted Family dooodt doooodt The Slanted Family












It Aint Over Until I Win

Rusty Chupacabra Update

The trip to Walmart never happened. I was lucky enough to start to leave work for dinner at Walmart and find the clutch pedal in my Honda on the floor. Blown seal on slave cylinder. I had replaced the master cylinder months ago and had bought both ends with the intention of fixing both before hand. I got lazy and only fixed the immediate problem. But I had the slave cylinder if I ever needed it. I borrowed a car from a coworker and bought two bottles of break fluid at a gas station. Luckily I had my tools and bled the system then sped home. The next day, I spent two and a half hours fixing my hydrolic clutch. Finished right as it began to rain.

Back to our regularly scheduled post.

After I borrowed a battery charger, I hooked it up to the exhaust stove in a bucket cell. Results were impressive. What wasn't covered still in paint shed it's rust layer and turned black with another form of iron oxide. The heat had done a number on this thin piece of metal. I'm half considering making a new one instead of cleaning it up and painting it. I'm not sure what good it does anyway as the vacuum hose that opens the flap on the airbox isn't hooked up to anything. I assume it stays closed regardless. Any suggestions on fixing this? (Points distributor, Carter BBD, Lean burn computer GONE)

I set the original tub cell back up with the exhaust manifold. Plenty of bubbles to start. Not even an hour later, the suds had rust and some hydrated copper (nice and blue) floating around. Battery charger is definately the way to go. I'm not even going to bother with proper washing soda. I may ad a magnet for S&G's.

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The Old Goat '83 D150 225-2

AKA Ice Titan