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Old 08-03-2011, 12:09 PM   #7
patman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bkgoodman View Post
Yes, I think it was the rodent urine. The head looks fine, just the top of the piston, and inside of one of the cylinders.

Just to be absolutely clear: I am to use only one of these, or a combination? How long should I soak it? Should I flush it out with oil afterwards? Will I damage the (good) metal if I leave it too long? Which one is best?
Only one of those should be done. They all work at different speeds, and with different degrees of hazard. You definitely need to rinse it off afterwards, and yes, there is definitely a possibility of damaging good metal if you leave it too long. How much overshoot you have depends on how long the method takes to begin with.

Molasses - few days to a few weeks, not very caustic
Vinegar - a day to a couple of weeks, mildly caustic
Oxalic Acid (wood bleach) - minutes to hours, very caustic

But...as mentioned above...even assuming you have all the parts, and they're pristine and ready to go back together, are you up for the challenge?

Edit:
Here's some before/after of 12 days in vinegar (warning...language):

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...73&postcount=1
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...&postcount=179
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