Technical Derusting panels

Well I got a 25 kg bag of citric for $187 delivered. I wanted to do a test run so found a sturdy plastic tub. 5 cups of citric acid powder. And probably 5 gallons of water and chucked 50 odd salvaged bits that were heavily rusted 53 Eldo, in a car fire 40 years ago. The results in 24 hours are remarkable.
I pulled them out for a quick look. The majority of heavy scale just wiped off. The remaining rust can soak for another day.
I’m extremely impressed so far.

 

My wife will thank you for this.

 

It's the cat's ass !!!!

 

Without the smell if you use a bit of bleach.

 

Citric acid.... I use that shit on everything!

 

You mean metal, right?

 

I use citric acid myself also, does wonders and I'm done with it, I store it in empty plastic kitty litter containers and can cap it off and seal it until the next time I need it.

 

Seat mounting brackets.
Before & After.
Soaked a few days and rinsed with hose and soft brush.

 

I just thought I’d keep you abreast of progress. Got dash and conv bows and battery tray and anything that is rusty that will fit in a plastic drum. 7 cups in a 3/4 full drum. Less potent solution but it’s done a great job in two days. I just turned everything over in the barrel and only a wipe with a rag so far.

 

What grade are you using? Powdered BP seems to be more cost effective. Where do you purchase it from?

 

Anhydrous citric acid, used by food and winery companies, I buy it from the local farm supply company. It lasts such a long time, I don't find any need to try anything else.

 

I have soaked a pair of very crusty hood hinges in vinegar and they came out clean, useable & loosened up. A friend has used an old crock pot with a heater on small parts, came out clean in little time.

 

One warning about citric acid - depending on your mixture and duration it can be destructive at some level. Make sure your pieces are fully submerged or risk an etch line across your part where it is only partially submerged.

And given enough time and density it will definitely go through paint.

 

He`s right about the etch line. But that part was in my tank for 3 months. The water froze during the wintertime.

 

Good info on the etch line.. Ive never had an issue but I'll keep that in mind on exterior body panels ect. Citric Acid has been my favorite method of cheap easy de rusting for years now. Did a tech on here a few years back, glad to see others using this stuff. That big ol vat of molasses was a nasty mess. Once my brother turned me on to CA ive never looked back.

 

I like a breast, but 2 are better!

 

I understand about the possibility of the etch line having had a hood professionally stripped years ago with that result.
In the fairly mild solution I have going presently (7 cups to close to 200 litres of water) and with twice daily rotation I haven’t found an issue. I guess if you left it for a considerable period there is a chance. I’ve got a third tank going now. Seat frames are immersed and soon I’ll be getting next doors high pressure washer to blast any residual off.

 

I keep a plastic air brake line with a weight on it on or near the bottom of my tank. Connected to My compressor via a small adjustable shutoff valve, with just enough air coming into the tank to keep everything churned up and moving around. Don’t know if it helps, but I’m sure it doesn’t hurt anything.

 

I've never heard of using citric acid until now. I'm definitely filing this away for future use..

 

I turned a crusty rusty $100 long block into a rebuildable one using white vinegar but it's a stinky mess. Gonna have to give CA a try.

Before looked totally wasted


During was encouraging. Effective enough to ask if those were hone marks in the #3 cylinder. We will see what she looks like after a citric acid bath.

 

I got to thinking the other day ( I know dangerous...) I have an
Eastwood 18 lb Vibratory Tumbler, wonder how citric acid would play out in it ?

 

I'm reading this and glancing at the rusty '30-'31 firewall under the desk ...

 

I think it’d work fine, but depending on what you put into it, it may wear into the tumbler.
I recently used CA in a 2/2.5 gallon laundry soap bucket. I just stirred things up once a day.

 

I recommend caution soaking any high carbon steel such as seat springs for an extended length of time.
When I've put any spring type metal in citric acid I can see a reaction (bubbles).
It's not violent like an Alka Seltzer or anything but a reaction none the less.
Some time back a guy posted he ruined a set of head liner bows by leaving them in the solution too long.
How long was too long I don't know.

 

It'll be small parts and the body of the tumbler is plastic/nylon so the only thing that might happened to it is it may get stained by the residue which is no big deal.