Molasses is a thick syrup produced in refining raw sugar. It is commonly used by horse people as an additive in food.



I had heard that it can be used to remove rust from steel - so I decided to test it.

I mixed four litres with water with a ratio of 3 parts water to one part molasses. There is a heap of info on google about this. You can get faster results with no water but I wanted a good quantity so decided to dilute.

The crank was in the mix for 4 days. The block sat half in for 6 days. I can say that the results speak for themselves.

Crank Before


Crank After


The Block Top Half Done



Andy

wow!! and after you've de-rusted your parts, you can feed the horse, it'll give it more iron in it's diet too!!

do you reckon we could fill our sills with molasses to stop them rusting - might have the added benefit of lowering the centre of gravity cos it's pretty heavy

nice work Andy

so you pulled them out of the mixture like that? or did you have to do a bit of scrubbing?

Where can I get the stuff?

No scrubbing, promise!
You hose off the syrup (not as bad as you may think) and a light (no scrubbing) go over with a wire brush.

Oil the part asap because it will rust up again if left exposed.

Molasses can be bought at any stockfeed place or ag co-op. We have about half a dozen about 15 minutes radius from my house but I imagine Sydney might be a little bit harder hahahaha, City: 9954321 Country: 2

I paid $6 for four litres but could have paid $1/litre if I wanted more than 15L

This is cheap, environmentally friendly and tasty stuff (if you like licorice)

Vinegar is also good for removing rust (and is easier to get!)
Get some very rusty bits and drop them into a plastic tub of vinegar (Ice cream tub is good) and leave them overnight, the next day you pull them out and hose them off and no more rust....... But you have to coat them with WD40 straight away or they will start to rust very quickly.

WOW...that is BIZZARE!!!!

Very interesting!!!!

So where do you find a plastic tub big enough for a mini?

Maybe a swimming pool?

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

yeah its good stuff...but Danger Will Robinson....it will completly disolve alloy bits and needs to be thoroughly rinsed off/cleaned to prevent it continuing to attack the metal

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"Show me the Mini!"

WOW!
With posts like these Ausmini will be rating higher than Myth Busters!
This is right up there with Brown Mini's handy hint using Glad Wrap to aid in stripping back panels.

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Thicktorians are a witty, clever lot...so I've been told...anyway

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"Show me the Mini!"

Certainly interesting considering the molasis mix was 3 parts water, which caused the problem in the first place.

Now I've been putting the HCL acid on stuff before I paint it, will this (or the vinegar) work as a replacment to the fumy and eat-through-anything stuff?

hey that is so cool and the best part is that i live near cane fields

cap bugga the molasis get into the bundy laquir (sp??)
more ya drink of that the closser you get to not careing
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

What are you people doing dont you know

They need that stuff to make Bundy Rum and if everyone starts dipping rusty parts in it NO MORE RUM

priorities please