MTFCA Forum

I need some advice on the best way to clean an early aluminum hogshead. My 1910 T has the square hole aluminum hogshead and it's pretty dirty (oily and oxidation). Aside from taking the hogshead off, what are some recommended cleaning options? I'd be grateful for any advice!

If you have a transmission shop nearby, most of them have a hot tank/pressure washer.
They do an amazing job on aluminum. About half an hour in there and spotless !! Bring em a 12 pack and see what happens...
About the only thing I miss about the dealerships...well, and the pretty girls too

Take it to your local do it yourself car wash and use the pressure hose and soap.You might spray it with Gunk first.

Barkeeper's Friend. Available at Walmart and other grocers.

I just tossed my 15 hogs head in dish washer add soap and ran it through a cycle with soap
Job done

Solvent de-greased, blasted with fresh #6 glass bead, and followed up with fresh #13 glass bead.

Lacquer thinner, parts cleaning brush, lots of rags, and a bit of patience. Works for me. I don't have the availability of a way
to have it blasted, and probly am too cheap to spend the money on it anyway. Sooner or later even a nice clean hogshead is
gonna get all pigged up anyway. It's just the way a T is!

On the car, use Dawn dish washing liquid and an old toothbrush for the oil and grime. Not sure what if is strong enough to clean the oxidation to suit you, yet safe for everything else adjacent to the aluminum. The oxidation may not be pretty, but is it probably a protective layer.

I don't know if they still make it, but I used to have some "Aluminum Naval Jelly" I think it was made by Duro Co. that would clean up a degreased but stained hogshead I would think. Jim