Can molasses for rust removal do nany damage?

I jumped the gun and put straight molasses before reading up about it on the H.A.M.B. The rust on the c-pillar so I can't soak it. I wirebrushed all I could, then cut out the little holes that have rotted through. I put some molasses on there and left it, figuring it'll be clean before I continued with the bodywork.

Is the molasses going to cause damage?
Should I get the molasses of right away?

 

I left a pair of valve covers submerged in a molasses bath for 3 months... Didn't do any damage to the metal.

 

The ants might like it.

 

I left a flat head engine soaking in it for all winter and all it did was clean it enough to see the cracks.

 

i think molases work best for something you can submere. from your description, it sounds like molasses are going to drip into the trunk and make a bigger mess.

 

My mollasses bath works great if given time. No damage. I too believe it needs submerged, though. It did take the galvanization off my cattle tank, though.

Dan

 

The only negative thing I've read about was a guy that claimed the molasses caused pitting in the deck surface on his flathead. He post really good closeup pics too, and it did indeed have pits, but it seems odd the molasses actually caused it. Hard telling, I guess.

 

Left a block in for over a year. Did damage.

 

I took it off in the middle of the night cuz I was afraid I'd wake up to a giant hole. I could only see by flashlight, but in just a few hours, it seemed to clean it quite a bit. Looking forward to getting a good look after work today. Thank you gentlemen.

 

Don't leave cast iron parts (brake drums, engine parts) in more than 1 week. I've had problems with spring steel also if left in too long. 3 weeks is average for most steel parts.

 

"Can molasses for rust removal do nany damage? "

I smeared molasses all over a Nanny once didn't hurt her a bit. I probably wouldn't have done it if she were diabetic.

I do have a question, if you cut out the rust before you smeared it molasses how are you going to get it out of the insdie of the body. If it will eat rust wich is just iron oxide what it to keep it from eventually eating the metal?

Just a queation here, I am not saying that it will eat the metal.

 

The interior will be coming out as well. I should be able to get to the inside the holes.
Thanks again!

 

Not sure if it would damage your nany or not

 

I wouldn't use it on machined cast iron surfaces. I soaked a couple of Ford FE heads in it and they came out pitted on the machined surfaces.

 

My nanny won't stand fer ya puttin lasses on her, i can tell ya that! She'll leave pits in yer decks, fer shure.....

 

I have to agree with this .

I have used it on all sorts of bits. On body panels I have noticed that the pitting referred to above occurs. As I understand it this is because the acid is not selective. Once it get pasts the rust then it is open slather on the steel or iron below. The pitting is the action of the acid on the carbon in the iron or the steel. That is, it is disolving it. This makes the material brittle. Body panels can end up like they have been through a fire. Brittle and hard to work with.

Other things like rusty engine parts need care too. I had a friend who is into antique motorbikes relate to me how a fellow had retrieved an old crank and flywheel by derusting with molasses. On rebuilding the engine and running the newly completed engine the flywheel disintegrated. Not nice. He and I now both swear by electolysis for rust removal.It is selctive and self regulating . Once the rust has gone then the reaction stops and the plant shuts down.

Basically you have to watch the item you are derusting as you can leave it in too long. Condition and strength of the molasses will dictate the speed at which it acts. Only leave it as long as it needs to get the rust off and protect bare but unrusted metal from contact with the molasses.

 

Why would you not use a portable sand blaster or Naval Jelly the jelly will turn the Iron oxide Hard and black then wash with baking soda??? Yes I see the PUN for the Nanny

 

Bringing this back. I saw something about "sulfered" molasses, is feed store molasses "sulfered", does it even matter?

 

"Hey, I was just a skinny lad, never knew no good from bad
But I knew life before I left my nursery
Left alone with big fat fannys, she was such a naughty nanny
Heap big woman you made a bad boy out of me"

 

Submerged a flathead for about 3 weeks. Block had so many pits on the deck surface the block was junk. The good thing was there were no cracks in the block

 

we buy feed grade molsses in steel drums and the empty non rinsed drums rust out in a very short time, hence I was surprised to see claims of rust removal, - still not game enough to try it.

 

Ospho gets the nod here...

http://www.ospho.com/

 

+1 Make mine Ospho...

 

If the part is not submersed conpletely the gases will CAUSE rust. That is probably what you were seeing.

 

No harm to body panels. The only harm is removing actual rust you didn't see before you tanked the item. We have done numerous mechanical and body panels . Left some too long in our old chest freezer filled with 7. To 1 mix and once pressure washed came our great.
Just needed to dry quickly and smother with rust inhibitor.
Dry again quickly and paint with epoxy primer.

 

Ospho is not 20 cents a gallon. Molasses +10 gal of water is.

 

Im about to go buy some and try it. Ive been told to dilute it 4 to 1 with water. Is this correct?

 

When the molasses has eaten all ther rust it WILL start on iron. I was trying to clean a Model A carb and it ate it up. It works great but don't let the part stay in it when the rust is gone.

 

I just pulled a load of parts out of a fresh seven to one mix after ten days. I then treated it with phosphoric acid (etch). I've been using it for three years. No problems!! It will eat the body number tags and pot metal parts you don't remove. Norm

 

I was also told to take parts out, after 5 days, wash and scrub with water, then put parts back in, repeat till rust gone. Ive just got back from town with a few litres. Kean to get into it.