How to remove stains from side cover?

[Mailman]

I am in the middle of a restoration , and I won't go into the whole story, that's on another thread. My question is this. When I first got my bike about a month ago gas had been just pouring out of the left carb and left petcock and it left brownish looking streaks and stains on the left sidecase. Today I took a swing on cleaning that up and I didn't think it would be all that hard. I tried polishing compound, no good. I tried electrical contact cleaner, also no good. Any ideas? Eventually I plan to polish the cases, but right now I just wanted to clean them up. Here's a couple pics.

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

Is that in the clear coat?

 

[gggGary]

Looks like it to me. Simplest is strip off the clearcoat. Once it's yellowed from gas it ain't turning back to clear.

 

[TimeMachine]

My fav chinese fortune. "Stop procrastinating , starting tomorrow"" polish it now ?

 

[angus67]

Paint stripper to ger the clear off, and polish it up, re clear

 

[Mailman]

Well I took another swing at it today. First I used this stripper on it.

Here it is after stripping the clear coat and sanding it with 400 grit wet sand paper.

Looking better, cleaner. Now I'll hit it with some 800 grit.

It really needs some 1500 grit at this point but I don't have any. So I ran it under the buffer for a few minutes. 100% better than what I started with but I can still see sanding scuffs. It'll have to do for now but I'm seeing daylight here.

 

[Paul Sutton]

Wow, that's a huge improvement - wait till the 1500 and polish get to it! You may already be aware that there is a recent thread called "Painting recessed lettering on side covers". Might be of interest? It contains some fabulous detailed work!

 

[5twins]

When you buffed it, did you use any compound? In a pinch, automotive rubbing compound works pretty good. That's what I used to use (and still do sometimes) before I got the actual buffing compound sticks.

 

[gggGary]

Word; buy a 4" blue dico wheel. best money I have ever spent on MC refurb.
( I ain't no restorer, I refurbish rubbish)

 

[xjwmx]

That Citrusstrip is the pits but it will work on some things. For future reference the kind next to it that burns your hands like molecular acid is the kind you want to remove gaskets. No doubt it would melt the plastic bottle.

 

[MaxPete]

That Citrusstrip is the pits but it will work on some things. For future reference the kind next to it that burns your hands like molecular acid is the kind you want to remove gaskets. No doubt it would melt the plastic bottle.

...and what is the nasty molecular acid stuff called?

I recently got a tank for my '76 and at some point, somebody did a POR15 clean and re-seal on it (which is excellent) but they got some of the grey sealer stuff on the underside of the tank and I'd like to try to get it off.

Any suggestions?

 

[Mailman]

That Citrusstrip is the pits but it will work on some things. For future reference the kind next to it that burns your hands like molecular acid is the kind you want to remove gaskets. No doubt it would melt the plastic bottle.

I bought that specifically because it is low fumes. I have asthma and have to be careful around chemicals. You should see the ridiculous three stage respirator I use just to clean my carburetors. It's hell getting old. Haha!
That Citrus stuff worked pretty well on the clear coat. It's a gel and I just brushed it on and since it was a cold day ( well for Phoenix anyway) I set it in the sun for an hour and when I came back all the clear was soft and wrinkled ( insert your own joke here).

 

[Mailman]

Wow, that's a huge improvement - wait till the 1500 and polish get to it! You may already be aware that there is a recent thread called "Painting recessed lettering on side covers". Might be of interest? It contains some fabulous detailed work!

Thanks, and I will check that out that thread about painting the letters.

When you buffed it, did you use any compound? In a pinch, automotive rubbing compound works pretty good. That's what I used to use (and still do sometimes) before I got the actual buffing compound sticks.

I did use compound, but it was some ancient old harbor freight stuff I've had for ten years. I'm due for a couple of new wheels and some better compound.

Word; buy a 4" blue dico wheel. best money I have ever spent on MC refurb.
( I ain't no restorer, I refurbish rubbish)

I will definitely have a look at that. Being 4" , is that a wheel for going in a drill?

 

[xjwmx]

I bought that specifically because it is low fumes. I have asthma and have to be careful around chemicals. You should see the ridiculous three stage respirator I use just to clean my carburetors. It's hell getting old. Haha!
That Citrus stuff worked pretty well on the clear coat. It's a gel and I just brushed it on and since it was a cold day ( well for Phoenix anyway) I set it in the sun for an hour and when I came back all the clear was soft and wrinkled ( insert your own joke here).

Actually I used it on my cases too and it was fine, if a little slow. But when I tried it on gaskets, just not aggressive enough. When I was doing a little painting that I needed a respirator for, I worked outside holding my breath. When I need to breathe I would walk a few steps upwind.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

...and what is the nasty molecular acid stuff called?

Good ol' Methylene Chloride ...

 

[gggGary]

Yes chucks in a 1/4 drill, works best with a VSR corded drill. Wear eye and dust protection. For me stripper, this, black compound on a sisal wheel, and white on cotton buffs, done for all but a show bike. Blue Magic on a rag a time or two a year no need for clear coat.

PS you can do the RH cover on the bike, remove foot peg, brake pedal, and maybe starter, have at it.

 

[Mailman]

That Dico wheel won't leave scratches? It looks so rough.

 

[weekendrider]

It is 240 grit.

 

[gggGary]

Blue is 240 grit, the grit is embedded in the nylon brushes IMHO it's about equivalent to 400 wet or dry. Hands down the best way to work contoured parts. They also come in gray 80 and orange 120 grit. But leave those for really pitted aluminum or rust removal. They don't work well to remove clear coat. Acetone works fairly well but MEK, well you know...
I have a 14" 320 grit nylox wheel but still haven't assembled the big 1.5 HP VSD buffer to run it with enough power at the right RPM.
One more hint; use a bit of mineral spirits on paper towel, wipe the part down between buffing compounds.

 

[weekendrider]

gggGary do you also find applied downward pressure will determine the depth of the "scratching" with the blue wheel?