Melling 20-IS2 oil pump screen no fit!

[mtocrs1]

After waiting 4 days to receive this pos it doesn't fit. My old pickup tube has managed to collect rust while waiting to go back together. Is there any way to clean the rust out of the pickup tube thoroughly?
I think k got a bad part as I know others have used them. I swear god himself does not want this engine back together.

 

[black-is-back]

just got this same oil pickup from autozone last week...fit beautifully..

 

[mtocrs1]

I must have got a bad one. With stock pick up installed no problems bolting down the pan. The melling hits the drain plug bung just enough....

 

[ek02]

My old pickup tube has managed to collect rust while waiting to go back together. Is there any way to clean the rust out of the pickup tube thoroughly?


Dip the old screen in muratic acid used for swimming pools and then rinse with water. Don't get it on concrete because it will eat it up. It will clean rust from cast iron also.

 

[earlbrown]

Don't use muratic acid. It's a watered down version of HCL and will leave chlorine atoms in the microscopic pores of the metal and it will continue rusting from the inside out forever. In real life that chemistry might not matter, but I know I wouldn't want trace amounts of chlorine in my oil.

If you want to chemically strip rust use phosphoric acid (naval jelly) or oxalic acid (wood bleach or bar keepers friend). And you're feeling all 'mad scientist' I like stripping using electrolysis with baking soda and a battery charger

If you don't feel like going shopping for chemicals, throw it in a jar of apple cider vinegar. That'll clean it up too.

....or you could just take the new pickup back and get another one. It sounds like you have the right box and the wrong part.

 

[mtocrs1]

Don't use muratic acid. It's a watered down version of HCL and will leave chlorine atoms in the microscopic pores of the metal and it will continue rusting from the inside out forever. In real life that chemistry might not matter, but I know I wouldn't want trace amounts of chlorine in my oil.

If you want to chemically strip rust use phosphoric acid (naval jelly) or oxalic acid (wood bleach or bar keepers helper). And you're feeling all 'mad scientist' I like stripping using electrolysis with baking soda and a battery charger

If you don't feel like going shopping for chemicals, throw it in a jar of apple cider vinegar. That'll clean it up too.

....or you could just take the new pickup back and get another one. It sounds like you have the right box and the wrong part.

Oh boy.... Already used the muratic acid. Worked well and now I see this post. Damn Internet.

 

[Mike T]

I had a new old stock GM pickup that had surface rusted on the inside while still in the box. I did as Earl suggested but used regular white vinegar and it worked fine (almost had a gun metal bluing look when it was finished soaking). I then flushed it with lots of water, blew it out with air, baked it in the oven until dry then submerged it in oil until I was ready to install it.

 

[ek02]

Oh boy.... Already used the muratic acid. Worked well and now I see this post. Damn Internet.

Earl's suggestions sound better than the acid, but I used it on the inside of a motorcycle tank 30 years ago and it is still ok. I did the coolant passages on 2 blocks that are still running ok with no return of rust, however, now knowing about the chlorine atoms in the pores, I probably will not do it again. I knew I should have taken Chemistry. I wonder if rinsing with a nutralizer like baking soda would stop any reaction?

 

[earlbrown]

Honestly, the chlorine problem probably isn't as big of a problem with what we'd be using it for with our Buicks. I'm not a chemist either but the 'C' in 'HCL' is 'chloric'. I learned about the chlorine no-no researching rust removal on an old car restoration site. When you drag a 20s, 30's 40's rust bucket out of the woods and restore it, muriatic acid is a big no-no on body panels since they paint over what they strip with expensive paint jobs.

There are so many household items that can strip rust there's no reason to break out the nasty nasties with little parts. Two weeks ago I threw a RUSTY scaly nasty bolt into a jar of apple cider vinegar just to see what would happen..... A week or so later I noticed the pickle jar and the bolt could have been put right into service with no wire brushing or anything.

My new favorite (other than electrolysis) is oxalic acid. It's the main ingredient in wood bleach deck cleaner and $1/can Bar Keepers Friend. I mixed up some BKF on a 5 gallon bucket (didn't even get the BKF to dissolve) and it still cleaned the hell out of a BBC head. The vintage bicycle and old can collectors use that stuff as it doesn't harm paint, chrome or stickers. Its actually pretty wild to see a part completely covered in rust come out 70% painted.

In fact I'm going to try BKF in a few hours with a battery charger hooked to it with a oxalic acid/electrolysis double whammy (with a small agitator) on the other BBC head and see what that does. I fell it'll either work great, or take out the southeastern united states. Either way, it'll be a result

 

[Pronto]

Do you mean Bar Keeper's Friend?

 

[earlbrown]

Yep. I poured about $.50 worth in a 5 gallon bucket. 3/4 of it settled out and it still cleaned the hell out of a rusty BBC head in a few hours. I think the trick is to put it in hot hot water and stir the crap out of it. When I did it, I just poured some in a bucket, gave it a stir and let it fly. The result was instant settling.


Not sure what the difference is between BKF and straight up oxalic acid. I'll have to find a local source or order some from ebay next time I'm derusting water jackets and do a Pespi challenge.

 

[mtocrs1]

Well I ordered and received another pickup. Although better it still was not right. It was close enough that the pan would have bolted up but it would have been cocked a bit once tightened down. I gotta wonder I'd this isn't why there are so many leaky pan gaskets around here.
I have had enough so the chlorine pored one is back in