Rust dip success stories?

Her's a post I made on January 4th to a thread here on the forum entitled, "Vinegar or Molasses to make cast iron look foundry fresh?"


I've used Electrolysis, Farm Grade Molasses & Water, but the best way if you're only doing one block is to just take it to a shop. Much easier and cheaper in the long run.

Now if you intend to do other parts and like fooling around with stuff at home I would highly recommend what my AMC friend Rick Jones does using Citric Acid.

Here's the link to the AMC forum article where Rick posted a detailed write up with lots of photos.

Derusting an engine block

In my opinion the first thing one should do in cleaning a block is to pour the water jackets full of vinegar for a few weeks to let it eat away and loosen the lime buildup that settles in

the bottom of the water jackets. Then a trip to the car wash or use a power washer in all the holes you can get it in to help flush the lime out. After that process you can use any other

method to deal with rust and oil buildup you like.


I should also note that using the Farm Grade Molasses and Water method only eats the oxide (rust) and does nothing to eat on the other surfaces like acids do and does not need

anything other than a simply rise of water when finished with the process unlike using an acid that requires a Baking Soda rinse to neutralise the acid. However it will not attack oil like

an acid will. Another FYI with using Baking Soda is it must be cleaned off really well or it will cause puck marks in the paint every place a particle is left behind. I learned that one the

hard way.

Tom