[SEL] Re: Fun with acid and old engines (cast iron fuel tank cleaning).

John Culp johnculp at chartertn.net
Mon Jul 3 15:32:38 PDT 2006


> Hope this is useful information. Has anyone else tried this method? 
> What were your results?

I've cleaned rusty cast iron stuff in a bucket of diluted muriatic acid 
with good results. You must do it outside! Even momentarily opening a 
bottle of muriatic acid in your shop will cause all your tools to turn 
brown. (As will using acid core soldering flux indoors, even once.) 
Don't ask me how I know. I also learned never to pour out the solution 
with iron salts on a concrete driveway. It'll leave a lovely permanent 
rust stain on the concrete.

The acid etching the surface of the cast iron will leave free graphite 
in the bottom of the vessel.

John Culp
Bristol, Tennessee, USA



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