Cast Aluminium

[FUBAR]

Firstly I don't want to polish anything (cos then i'll have to do all the TPI stuff too)

but is there a way to make the cast ally stuff stay looking new & will keep it from getting those white tarnished bits on it?

(i'm thinking alternator, while its off.)

[FUBAR]

Also another side question... is it ok to paint the outside of the "middle bit" of the alternator black rather than it being bare steel?

if so can I use normal aerosol stuff or will it need special paint?

what i'm aiming for here is a tidy, presentable, but stock looking alt :tart:

[Gator]

the white ally oxide i tend to remove a dremel with a wire brush attached

dunno about the alt got a pic ?

[F Body]

As G man says wire brush and then I'd paint using smooth silver hammerite

[Gator]

if you use hammerite make sure you prime it 1st with ally primer

[Rocky]

Frost sell an alloy cleaner its the only way to clean cast alloy without marking it up or polishing it,

[FUBAR]

Link dump:

http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8784&frostProductName=Frost%20Ali-Clean%20(1%20Litre)&catID=&frostCat=&frostSubCat=&subCatID=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8784&frostProductName=Frost%20Ali-Clean%20(1%20Litre)&catID=&frostCat=&frostSubCat=&subCatID=

[Jamieg285]

Quoting: FUBAR

Also another side question... is it ok to paint the outside of the "middle bit" of the alternator black rather than it being bare steel?

Oddly, that bit is bare metal on my PowerMaster alt, on which the body is powder coated black from the factory.

I'd be wondering if it's that way for a reason...

[FUBAR]

i've seen them painted black before though, i'm sure I have.

[Roadkill]

Quoting: FUBAR

Also another side question... is it ok to paint the outside of the "middle bit" of the alternator black rather than it being bare steel?

I'd have said it'd be fine to paint as long as it remained conductive on the edges that met the casing.

[FUBAR]

ok, that makes sense.