Hello, just signed up here,
I picked up an 87 spotry 883 and it has the "fungus" for lack of better words on the aluminum parts. (rocker boxes, primary cover, cam cover).
What's the best way to get rid of it? Do I have to sand and polish completely, or is there another way?

Thanks,

Jeremy

Hello Foxman, and welcome aboard.

Have you tried the Never Dull stuff that comes from the autoparts store. It's technically the same thing as brasso, but it comes in a can with a coiled up chunk of cotton material that you tear off for use as a scrubber, and it aids in really taking pretty much all unwanted spots and gunk off. I've found that it shines the aluminum parts on my bike and makes them look very close to the chromed items. It might work on the "fungus."

If your up for it the best thing would be to pull the affected parts of the bike and blast them with some glass bead. Just had my motor rebuilt and I blasted both halves of the engine case. The bikes a 94 and the motor now looks brand new. The guy who blasted it, said it will look like that for years.

It depends on what kind of fungus you have. If it's just a black or dark grey residue on the part, then never-dull is the way to go. It will take it right off and polish it to an almost-chrome shimmer, as BonRu said. If it's the heavier, chalky, chunky white stuff, there are a number of cleaner out there, but I have never used them so I'm not the one to ask. However, in my experience, if it's bad enough it can leave pitting behind, but what's done is done.

Welcome to the forum Foxman! Everyone here is a huge help. With that being said I was wondering the same thing. I started to get that corrosion on my rear wheel within the first year I had my bike. I took it to the dealer and they wouldn't fix it even though it was still under warranty. I've tried every type of cleaner and there are still marks in the aluminum wheel. I even tried polishing it with my dremel tool, and the marks are still there. I've come to live with it, but it still sucks...

I think what you have is corrosion under the clear coating that the MoCo sprays its polished aluminum parts.

This is common occurance when the bike is run during the winter months and the salt starts doing its nasty stuff. The salt starts attacking thru all the microscopic scratches and nicks from rocks, gravel and sand.

Topical polishes and cleaners will not eliminate your problem. You have to strip the clear coating and re-polish the parts with the correct Rouge and buffers. You can do this yourself with the correct materials and lots of sweat equaty.

Or like most guys do, especially when modifying or customizing/rebuilding their bikes over....send the affected parts out to the chrome platers and have it 'POLISHED' only. Once you get them back you can clean and spray a couple coats of clear enamel on them.

I prefer to leave them uncleared and periodically polish them with Semi-Chrome or Mothers' Aliuminum Polish.

Check this site out for everything you wanted to know about Polishing Aluminum www.englishcustompolishing.com Then Click onto 'United States'

Check out the 'Polishing Tips' and 'Polishing Myths' catagories

Another product you may care to try seeing as you already have a dremel tool, providing you are using a good quality buffing wheel. I have just finished polishing the entire motor & all related aluminum parts with great results ( 1990 883 Hugger ) Kays Red Rouge for moderate grime ( use white if you have heavy corrosion - then Red for finish )...may also try Auto-sol...in my opinion the absolute best polish i have yet to use...and i have tried most others only to come back to these.

I've heard that paint remover will take that clear coat right off. Then you just polish with never dull or whatever.

Actually, I did my cam cover with just real hot water and a sos pad. That junk came right off. The only downfall is that you'll hafta keep em poished/waxed or they'll turn to shit in no time.

:welcome aboard. Lotta good people here.

Until you take the clear coat off those parts you can smear whatever you want on it. Take it to the polisher and have it done right. After that you can use 1 of a hundred dif. products.

Quickest and easiest thing to do is when you pull them off to polish them, just send them to the Powder Coater!!!! Then all you have to do is wash'em down with Windex, they'll look great!!!! :D

thanks for all these tips!

Can't wait to get the ole rag out and go to town.

Would be nice if it were above freezing here in MI, then I'd probably have it half appart and polished by now!


Jeremy

Jeremy, let us know what you ended up doing, and how it worked. Be good to know later. :D

Thanks,
Bonnie