anyone try this to clean oxydation on anodized aluminum trim? - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Billybob · #46 04-04-2002, 10:46 PM

Hey Dave, Thanks again. Well its been raining here for 6 out of the last seven days so I only fooled around a little bit. I'm happy with what I have seen! I have done a couple of test spots on the various trim on my SDL. On the chrome it is an excellent product for sure, really cleans the star up nice. On aluminum trim around the doors and windows I have only used it by hand on a rag but that worked pretty darn good too, it appeared to easily remove the surface oxidation on the aluminum, I haven't yet tried it with a dremel tool but I anticipate results similar to what you posted as I'm sure the tool with add the dimension of mild abrasiveness/buffing that will remove the microscopic pitting of the aluminum itself and the full treatment ought to result in a mirror finish. Now you've got to find something to prevent corrosion/pitting!!! Do you put something on the aluminum after the buffing? Polish? Wax? Sealer?

The first test for me took place while it was raining when I had to suffer the humiliation of my wife and family who came home early and caught me out in the rain with an umbrella the day after I got it. After smelling it, and feeling it, I couldn't find anything in the house or garage to try it on, so I grabbed an umbrella and a couple of towels and went outside to my car. I looked around and decided the rear bumper was the test subject, so in the rain under my umbrella, I quickly wiped the bumper almost dry and put a half-dollar size squirt of Green Magic on an old terry sock and started rubbing a 3" dia. circle on the top surface of the bumper.I could feel through the cloth that something was going on. Well I'm not anal but I try to keep up on the exterior of this car and one area that demands regular attention is this rear area because of the sooty diesel exhaust. Most of it comes clean pretty easy but the chrome bumper has been a problem. I have never been able to get it shiny and it seemed like it was corroded or pitted as you could feel the rough surface texture especially on the drivers side. Well my rain soaked experience was pure joy! Apparently the bumper was covered by some type of carbon deposits on the chrome rather than in it. Within half a minute the surface I was polishing with the "Magic" was getting smoother to the touch and when I lifted the rag there was the bright shiny smooth clean bumper, and the rag was black with all that had been removed! Well needless to say I immediately went back into the house and got enough towels to dry the rest of the bumper and proceeded to do the whole job. About 5 minutes later the family arrives to find my squatting in the rain working near the center of the bumper by then. So after everyone got their digs in and had a great laugh at me "petting my car in the rain" I was forced to admit that I didn't give a damn and I was in for the duration so I went back to work on the remaining passenger side of the bumper. About 10 minutes and I was done and back inside soaking wet and I haven't hear the last of it yet! The bumper that I had been anticipating eventually replacing if I ever ran across a better one, is looking mighty fine and even better now that the sun has come out! So overall a great product and with some practice and experimentation looks in the future to be even better! Thanks for the tip and my family thanks you for the entertainment value!

RSRobbins · #47 04-06-2002, 12:38 PM

Hi Dave and all...
Received my Green Magic (thanks D for your efforts!!) and like any other obssessive/compulsive Benz junkie had to try it right away. Got out the Dremel tool and started on the aluminum trim around the windows. Had varied results. Worked really well (similar to the pics you posted) on the trim below the windows but on trim around the rest of the windows and the rain gutter I did not get the same results. I was crushed!! Don't you hate it when your expectations are sooooo high??? So I tried all kinds of applications methods and it still has not improved all that much. In any event, thanks so much for your offer and follow through...I really, really, appreciated it!!!
Ralph

dpetryk · #48 04-07-2002, 09:36 AM

Sorry your results were not as good as mine. The only place where the results were not good was the trim on the front windshield. There was a lot of abrasion and pitting presumably from sand and dirt. But the resultes everywhere else were impressive.

The stuff does settle out rather quickly. You must keep it agitated to get the green stuff in suspension. There is a penny in the container to help mix it up. Did you use a hard felt buffer on the demel tool? Maybe you trim is pitted?

Anyway, Im sorry it didnt work well for you.

For those of you who do have some, try it on the bottom of a soda can. It turns it into a mirror. I dont know that the trim needs to be sealed after being polished. I just plan to polish it whenever it needs it.

#49 04-07-2002, 11:04 AM

I have heard from an old Body Man . that there is a product Called BMX, probably obtained from the air base here in Canada . A liquid that has to be kept in a plastic bottle (reacts with glass).
Simply wipe in aluminum trim and wipe off. Restores trim like new . Apparently made especially for this purpose. Anyone heard of this? I will try to get closer to the source and will post whatever I find ASAP. Also I tried that suggestion of using AUTOSOL. Don't waste your time . The result was looking worse than before I started.

Robert W. Roe · #50 04-07-2002, 11:15 AM

One of the guys at work who is into his SLP Camaro suggested 4/0 or 5/0 steel wool. He told me he has used it to polish aluminum valve covers, intake manifolds, and the like. Has anyone here tried this stuff on our aluminum trim?

deuce · #51 04-07-2002, 01:56 PM

I have the bronze trim on my E300 and was wondering if the green stuff would work on that or not.

What do you think, Dave? If not, has anyone found something that does work on it?

Munsey

dpetryk · #52 04-08-2002, 09:19 AM

Munsey, you say you have bronze trim. Is that true bronze metal or is it anodized aluminum with bronze color? Either way this stuff should work. However, I make no promises. Maybe some more of the users of Green Magic will write in and tell us their results.

It works well on silver, brass, stainless and best on pure aluminum. I have not tried it on any other metals. The anodize layer on aluminum is very hard and resistant to chemical reactions and presents a tuff problem as we all know. Its worth a try.

That BMX stuff sounds interesting. Im sure somebody on the planet has some stuff that works like the BMX. The problem is finding them.

deuce · #53 04-08-2002, 09:35 AM

My guess it's anodized trim. It's whatever comes stock on a 95 E-Class.

#54 04-09-2002, 10:11 AM

Dave: suggestion for your windshield trim. Take 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper and wet sand a small area to remove pitting. Then try the green stuff. If you get the trim to the clean aluminum with the sandpaper - the magic green should give you the mirror finish
Maurice

#55 04-09-2002, 10:55 AM

If you use sandpaper or steel wool, won't this take off the anodized coating and result in a worse problem. Unless you apply some sort of protective finish,not polish, the aluminum would tarnish as fast as you look at it . But my experience is only around aluminum boats. your hands turn black just touching raw aluminum.

#56 04-09-2002, 11:30 AM

No because after you polish it - you put a protective coating of wax on it - or if you really don't like polishing and waxing - clear coat it.

TClanton · #57 04-10-2002, 11:40 PM

Dave,

Do you have any of the Green Magic left? Will there be another flea market run?

Thanks,
Terry

dpetryk · #58 04-11-2002, 09:14 AM

I have one bottle boxed and ready to ship. Then I need to make another run to the flea market. The interest seems to fallen off so not sure how many I will get.

BigMikeT57 · #59 04-11-2002, 04:45 PM

Dave,

I'll take a bottle, if you can get more.
Is $24 still the going rate? Thanks for all your work on this!

Mike

dpetryk · #60 04-12-2002, 09:41 AM

Yea nothing has changed.

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