Series 2 Cocking about with molasses - de-rusting - will it work?

G'day folks,

I came across the idea of using molasses as a de-rusting medium when I started this thread =>

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/de-rusting-series-safari-roof-vents.300458/

In that thread I've been playing about with a commercial product called Rustyco. It kinda works alright but at 30 euros a bottle it will bite into my project budget for all of the de-rusting that's need on my 1965 series 2a station wagon.

I got a large jerry can of molasses for free from the local farm. They use it for making silage. So I reckon if this stuff is just as slow as the Rustyco then I'm a few euros better off!

Pictures of the crankshaft balancer assembly (off a 2.25 diesel - 3 bearing engine) before treatment





Now here's the science bit. Stick it in a plastic box with a lid =>



Cover it with molasses

After a few days (of listening to the land lady asking "is it working? is it working?") I got it out for a quick clean up and look





I've got a feeling it might actually be doing something!

Well stone the crows!

It seems to do "something" more on the cast iron rather than the pressed steel pulley. I don't know - it is has now been wire brushed a bit - washed and dried - and bunged back in under the molasses.

I'll have another look in a few days and see if there's any change / improvement

Hp sauce would probably be effective too!!!!

freelance said:

Hp sauce would probably be effective too!!!!

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We used to put old pennies in HP to clean them and at this very moment I have a dog tag in it that I found behind the dash on mi trattor. cant read it yet though.

Molasses is all very well but that parts of a 1981 Ford Escort................

freelance said:

Hp sauce would probably be effective too!!!!

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Bobsticle said:

We used to put old pennies in HP to clean them and at this very moment I have a dog tag in it that I found behind the dash on mi trattor. cant read it yet though.

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I might also give vinegar a go but HP sauce is going to work out more expensive. The molasses has cost me nothing - the HP sauce will be about 2 euros a bottle over here and I'll need something like 100 bottles of the stuff to submerge stuff!

Bobsticle said:

Molasses is all very well but that parts of a 1981 Ford Escort................

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Seriously?

It does indeed look different to the picture in the parts catalogue

Stretch said:

After a few days (of listening to the land lady asking "is it working? is it working?") I got it out for a quick clean up and look.

I've got a feeling it might actually be doing something!

Well stone the crows!

It seems to do "something" more on the cast iron rather than the pressed steel pulley. I don't know - it is has now been wire brushed a bit - washed and dried - and bunged back in under the molasses.

I'll have another look in a few days and see if there's any change / improvement

Click to expand...

Um, I don't want to seem dim but have you put the right pictures up? It doesn't look that much better or do you have to see it in real life.

SpringDon said:

Um, I don't want to seem dim but have you put the right pictures up? It doesn't look that much better or do you have to see it in real life.

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Maybe should have wire brushed it first ?

SpringDon said:

Um, I don't want to seem dim but have you put the right pictures up? It doesn't look that much better or do you have to see it in real life.

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Dippypud said:

Maybe should have wire brushed it first ?

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I think you can clearly see from the expert photography that there's light brown rust on the surface before the wonder treatment (cures all ills guaranteed) - and afterwards the cast iron surface is black.

It is truly amazing.

"Something" has happened.

(I now need to go and lie down)

It does work if a little slowly. Make sure you get a coat of rust eater and paint on it as soon as its done coz the oxidization starts almost immediately. Even before the part is dry.
Oh and it wont work on oily parts. The oil stops the acid working.

I tried cider vinegar and recommend it for light corrosion on sheet steel parts.
I have also used the electrolysis method with a battery charger and a soda water solution and that really works.
Google for loads of how to's. Both methods are so cost effective after a bit of set up time.

David

It's an interesting experiment but not not sure I would park the idea in the successful camp.
Perhaps I'm just impatient though.

I suppose it could be handy to have a tank of it to throw old bolts and stuff you may reuse at some point in the future

It does work, but be aware that it will cause the same embrittlement as any other acid/alkali conditioning Hydrogen. In other words, no high tensile stuff should be treated with it. I'll revive that thread when I've done some tests.

I use it at full strength and love the way that it comes off things as you lift it out, very strange. I also like the smell, but apparently some people don't. The only thing that it doesn't do is remove the black stain that corrosion seems to leave. I think that wire brushing off as much as you can is sensible because the effectiveness of the molasses must be finite, although I didn't bother with my first play with it, just wanting to see what it would do.

Cheap coca cola, also works, I've been using it to de rust model railway wheels, leave it in too long and it does turn the steel black. You do need to coat the steel immediately afterwards or it will rust again very rapidly. Tescos sugar free is only 17 p for 2 litres.
So I think a few bottles and a wire brush would be easier than getting sticky molasses off.

cola doesn't do very much..in dutch we call it a 'monkey-sandwhich'
http://www.oldtimerautosite.nl/cola_ontroesten_metaal_test.htm
Here are tests with several different products;
http://www.oldtimerautosite.nl/alles_over_roest1.htm

hydrochloric acid seems to work best and pretty fast. Also not very expensive

Raytheman said:

cola doesn't do very much..in dutch we call it a 'monkey-sandwhich'
http://www.oldtimerautosite.nl/cola_ontroesten_metaal_test.htm
Here are tests with several different products;
http://www.oldtimerautosite.nl/alles_over_roest1.htm

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Bedankt Ray - ik ben vergeten dat die site bestond!

Bobsticle said:

Molasses is all very well but that parts of a 1981 Ford Escort................

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Series 2 club folks think it might be original after all

Raytheman said:

hydrochloric acid seems to work best and pretty fast. Also not very expensive

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The platers that I went to use Hydrochloric at 35%, which is £25 for 25 litres on eBay.

TheQ said:

So I think a few bottles and a wire brush would be easier than getting sticky molasses off.

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Actually the molasses runs off completely if you leave it hanging for a minute or two, so no mess.