Keeping your shiny bits shiny

Not the bodywork but the mechanicals…

I fitted new TTR driveshafts last summer and now despite hardly any milleage I’m noticing small specs of orange rust developing on the machined parts. I gave them a good spray with WD40 after I installed them but it doesn’t last obviously.

What do others use for protection :confused: ?

Am I the only one who is bothered by this, if so I’ll get my coat…

As the drive shafts are unprotected steel they will quickly start to surface corrode so the last ones I bought I striped them down and had them nickel plated at a local platers. Previous drive shafts I painted them with Hammerite Smooth black paint

Robbie,

I wish mine just had spots of rust. They are covered in a fine layer of rust all over. I found WD40 equally ineffective. God knows how that stuff kept rust at bay from the space shuttle’s booster rockets.

It looks unsightly but I don’t think it does any harm. I’ll probably paint them with Hammerite when I can be arsed taking them off to do the job properly. I’m in the middle of renovating my wheels just now so the excess paint will come in handy.

Hamish.

Robbie and Hamish,

for machined parts, chromed parts, parts that you just can’t or can’t be ar&%d to dismantle but need help in fighting corrosion in a wet and saliferous SCOTTISH climate, you need a proper corrosion inhibitor (liquid phase). I use Cortec VpCI-325. If you’re stuck trying to buy some, I could probably help you out.

Regards

Gerry

Hi Gerry,

I am down in Dundee, do you have a local supplier for the Cortec VpCI-325 ? I am also suffering rust problems and the elan is not yet even on the road?

Thanks

Ian
(Elan S4 SE and elise S1)

Ian,

see attached photo of Cortec VpCI (473 ml in trigger spray pack)

tel me on 01224 861315, I’m just up the road in Aberdeen

Gerry

Rust never sleeps. Am I correct in thinking it creates it’s own oxygen after being painted over?

Gerry,

Same question as Ian except I’m in Linlithgow near Edinburgh. Take it this stuff can be had from a engineering supplies place?

Hamish.

I bought a Carcoon about 10 years ago and they sent a free can of spray which I used to spray on the Ferrari Boxer triple barreled webbers and the drive shafts.
This kept them pristine and even freshly polished look every spring / early summer when it was brought out. see the pic of the engine / carbs below for what I mean this has NOT been cleaned for about 4 years when this was taken

Teh spray is available separately for 4-70 a can see

carcoon.co.uk/csp%20fluid.htm

I recon I still have about 1/2 can left afer all this time !!

Well I found this but it’s a bit expensive:

http://www.enginewise.co.uk/acatalog/metal-protection.html

Peter’s carcoon stuff looks like a good buy.

Gerry, Is this VpCI stuff avaialble to the public, where from and how much is it?

I would let it all go rusty and then spray it in situ with Hammerite.

Brian Clarke
(1972 Sprint)

Ian, Robbie, Hamish,

the VpCI products are for industrial and military applications, but the products that are safe for consumer use (ie the ecoline vegetable oil base, sulfonate actives) can be bought from the UK importer Hitek Electronics www.hitek-ltd.co.uk

Regards Gerry

I use ACF-50 which works very well on just about everything. I use it on the Elan and my mountain bike. This stuff is popular with bikers, so I get mine from the local bike dealer.

You can spray it on or wipe it on with a rag. You don’t need much.