As you have already seen there are a few rust spots on Maverick. Some are through the metal while others are simply surface related and others are a mix of surface and heavy pits. Working on the brakes I have been under the truck and have been surprised at the general rust free condition I see. I thought that perhaps it was just hiding under the layers of dirt and grease, but when I cleaned the suspension components the metal seemed fairly good.
Some of the areas I would like to clean then paint are the hubcaps, rims, bumpers and GMC badges. These mostly have surface rust on them and could be mechanically cleaned to a point. I'm also currently trying to unfreeze the parking brake cable. A new one seems to be either $30 or $60 depending on the vendor.
So this got me to thinking about rust removal.
As best I can tell there are as many thoughts on rust removal as there are in politics. They range from store bought products like Kroil and Liquid Wrench to kitchen remedies like straight vinegar or ATF fluid mixed with either acetone, diesel, or mineral spirits. And of course the old mechanical methods of grinding or blasting with sand or soda. The other consideration is just rust removal or do you also want the paint removed on parts which have them such as my hubcaps. Many of my underbody frame, engine, brake and suspension parts are not painted so the method I use for those areas are simply focused on rust removal.
I do not have the funds to try anything and everything available nor do I have the time. So I needed to come up with a plan of attack. I came up with three rust conditions which would point me in a possible solution. Of course I might need to use all methods for some parts but in general here are my thoughts.
1. Things that need to be loosened because of rust - think bolts
2. Things that need to be cleaned to work again from rust - think brake adjuster
3. Things that need to be cleaned from rust for painting/protection - think body panels and bumpers.
So it is fairly obvious that using a sand blaster to remove a rusty bolt is not going to work. Neither is using WD40 to clean a part for painting.
The next consideration is what specific method from the group of remedies will I use based on my situation mentioned above. I decided that cost was probably the driving factor. Otherwise I would just hire it all out. So the manual labor, or time intensive vs immediate result methods would be the first to look at. Also I have a strange quirk in that I always like finding the method that works wonders that is fairly unheard of. However I also try to balance this with both long-term and short-term needs. In other words I will not do something that was cheap to do but will cost me time and money later because it was not done right the first time. A good example is proper surface preparation for paint. Its easy to just want a clean layer of paint on a part as quickly as possible, but multiple layers plus the proper surface treatment is so critical to success.
The following is a list of rust solutions I have heard about and or tried.
Sand/soda/glass blasting - Use for cosmetic cleaning paint removal and some rough rust spots to a point. Consider the dust, mess and capital expense plus the ongoing media expense. when using this solution. I have borrowed a friend's blaster (Thanks Dr.) mostly to remove the paint and surface rust from some components that I plan on repainting. This limits my costs, but not the mess. A bag of coal slag at Harbor Freight is only $15 in my area, with a 25% coupon its only $11.25 for a 50lb bag.
Replacement - When there is no metal left or the rust has made the part inoperable because the metal is missing, think of a bolt that no longer has usable threads, its time to cut it out and patch or simply replace once removed. Cost is low for removal but the expense comes in at the repair or replacement parts. For example my parking brake cable appears to still be intact and the outside cosmetic looks great, all I need is the cable to slide inside the metal sheath. The obvious choice would be to simply replace it and move on....however this is where managing the project is critical. Each time I had a difficult part and simply replaced it I would be spending more money than I have time. So removal is not my first choice but the last one. In some ways it allows me to be more daring because I have nothing to lose but the cost of replacement.
Wire brush or wheel/putty knife/screwdriver - This has been my primary so far. Cost is low and the physical part is not to bad. Of course this does not remove parts and in the case of the brake cable it only cleaned the outside not the inside where I need it. I also find that it does not remove the harder solid layers of surface rust as well as I would like. For example on the rims there is bubbling rust patches which are rough enough that the wire brush can't smooth it out or get into the deeper pits. It has worked great on the brake and suspension areas which cleaned them up from the dirt, grease and oils, and I have no intention to paint these areas so wire brush and other scrapers were great.
Sanding/Steel Wool - For a few areas where the wire brush was only taking surface rust the course sand paper was actually removing the buildup of rust. I would not use this for large areas but for the occasional small rust "chunks" it works great, followed up with the wire brush and or steel wool. When I cleaned my vacuum and fuel lines I used a combination of sandpaper and wire brush to clean them followed up with a 000 steel wool to polish them up. Fine steel wool is also wonderful on chrome parts. Pitting will remain but the rust will be mostly gone.
Acid Bath Dip - This is expensive from what I have been told. Again not real useful if the part is still attached to the truck but may be great for items you want to reach that are unreachable. Not really an option for the home mechanic wanting to remove rust themselves, but certainly for those that are wanting a fully clean part. This method does not exclude rubber parts but attacks everything, so consideration is important.
Electrolysis - I'm real interested in this as a rust remover for my brake cable. Will it take care of the rust inside the sheath? I have all the equipment and the cost is next to nothing. Obviously this would not work on a part still attached to the truck nor would it work on large objects because of logistics, such as a bumper. But for many small items this would work well from what I see. No issues with rubber components so it is very targeted.
Home Recipes (Molasses/Soda/Vinegar) - This section never ends and quite frankly exhausts me with the pros and cons of each method. I've seen the YouTube videos on each one and read the blogs and reviews. All very interesting and seems to have truth but then I hear quite the opposite in the rebuttals. For now, soda and vinegar are super cheap and could easily be used for soaking parts, but not removing parts unless you can soak them. I suspect that for some this will work but with limited use or commitment. I was going to try the soda and vinegar options on the cable next, however 4 days of soaking in fuel plus bending the cable to "crack" some of the stiff areas plus some brute force has finally freed the cable.
Heat - The old blow torch has its place. I tried it on the brake cable to no success. Does that mean it doesn't work? No just not for that application. Other areas that I had a rusted bolt it was also surrounded with paint which I did not want to ruin. So again limited applications and the surrounding parts should be considered. Do I use the blow torch to remove a stuck bolt on my gas tank? Probably not.
Re-purposed Chemicals (ATF/Acetone/Diesel/Mineral Spirits/ wood bleach) - I was really excited when I found these solutions. Again each one has a discussion along with it on the internet. The ATF mixture seemed plausible as that stuff is toxic! I just assumed that ATF fluid would devour anything in its path not actually metal. Diesel is also interesting as that also is a corrosive chemical. Then there was wood bleach known as oxalic acid. This was also interesting to me because of the cost and potential to really work. I recently purchased some and will give it a try on the hubcaps. If I can soak the hubcaps and it removes the rust then it will save me time on the sand blaster, also its a great test to see if it works. I might also use it on the steps of the truck. I've been told that I could also soak a rag and lay it on the area to remove rust.
Liquid Sprays (WD40, Kroil, Liquid Wrench, etc) - I suppose this is not really rust removal but to loosen rusted parts. I grew up with WD40 so that is what I use. Often I'll squirt the area that needs loosening and go work on another project before I'm ready so as to keep ahead of the time curve. Obviously not to be used for objects you want to paint but good in getting them off if stuck. The ATF mixture was often mentioned as a better chemical than the high priced sprays, but again not sure if the hype is accurate. Plus ATF is nasty stuff, so WD40 smells reasonable and works for my jobs.
Hammer - Similar to the liquid sprays a hammer does not remove rust but helps loosen the stuck rusted part. I have found this to be the best and works best on screws. Normally I try to unscrew with a counterclockwise motion. But if the screw is stuck I then insert my screw driver and bang a few times with a hammer. 90% of the time I find I can easily unscrew the stuck screw, or at least get a few turns to expose the head more for vise-grips.
Rust Removal Chemicals - EvapoRust and Por15 are the two I have heard about the most. But the cost keeps me from buying yet. Not sure how Por15 works but it supposedly cleans up the rust and then you coat it so it can't return. I would not use this on say my brake cable or fuel lines, but for the inside step in the truck. Starting with a wire wheel and cleaning/removing as mush rust as I can get to, then using the Por15 process. EvapoRust is not like Por15 in that EvapoRust is suppose to remove rust, not coat it so it can 't return later. I'm also interested in EvapoRust but again the cost is keeping me from trying. If the oxalic acid works then I'll probably keep using that before exploring EvapoRust. Further research seems to show that it is a chelating agent. It is non-toxic and easy on disposal. Apparently it is owned by one company and marketed in a variety of products, including bulk to automotive companies. Per one source I found the product is made up of 3 things. Phosphoric Acid (found in Coke), a reducing agent, corrosion inhibitor and a surfactant all designed to be non-toxic but effective. So the bottom line is that any product that is non-toxic and easy to dip and remove is probably based on a similar formula... which may be why all of these "miracle" solutions are all priced about the same because its all the same stuff or close to it....so find the cheapest.
Again this is not an a complete list of rust removal items but I also don't need to regurgitate all the chatter online. Google "rust removal" and have a blast. Remember that my purpose is to focus on cleaning up and enjoying this old truck, not to win awards or enter car/truck shows. The rust issue has both an immediate issue as well as long-term. I do wonder what rust issues will be a concern 30 years from now, but perhaps then I'll want to tear her down to the frame. Today I just want to get her running and operating so I can teach the boys to drive a stick, go to the dump or have a cruise around town.
Well true to form what I think I might be able to do and can do are always different. I planned on replacing all four wheel cylinders, brakes and hoses in a single Saturday. Last weekend was to be BRAKE Saturday. By the end of Saturday only a single front wheel was mostly complete. Its amazing the amount of grease, dirt, clay, etc that builds up over time.
Several hours of scraping, wiping, brushing later I have a fairly clean environment and a good looking front brake area. Dad has a grinding wheel with a wire wheel attached which I use a lot to remove rust and other dirt off various components, this has allowed me to clean quickly.
Much of the time was spent removing something called a banjo bolt. It attaches to a brass block, similar to a tee junction. The banjo bolt screws into the brake hose and allows the hydraulic fluid to pass to the wheel cylinder. Needless to say it was bear to remove because of gunk and corrosion.
The drums are fairly clean and don't appear to need turning or additional work. Don't get me wrong there are some rust deposits and rough patches but not enough to stress about. Bearings and other components also appear to be in good shape. I repacked the bearings and cleaned all the components. After inspecting the rims I am confident that a quick bead blast will remove all the rust sites and a nice layer of dover white paint could restore the look. Even the hubcaps are so far reasonable for cleaning and painting. The after pictures show the clean brakes all ready to roll.
Well it took another weekend to get two more brakes mostly done. I have the system down enough to know mostly what I'm doing. Kinda like being mostly dead.
This Saturday I worked from 9 in the morning till about 7 at night. A few things were redone and a few more hurdles were presented. First, I discovered that the manual is a bit vague. The image shows that the shorter brake shoe is to be placed to the right of the adjuster wheel. This "primary" or short shoe when working on the left side or drivers side of the truck would be facing toward the rear. However when you work on the passenger or right side of the truck the "primary" shoe would be facing the front of the truck. Is this right? Might need to change them.
The last problem this weekend was the parking brake. Seems as though it is frozen. It took forever to get it off the truck. I cleaned, sprayed and soaked it over night in fuel. It still will not budge. I will try a few more things prior to buying a new one. The downside to all this is that I can't put the rear brake together until this is resolved.
Also in the back of my head is the thought that when I am all ready to fill the master cylinder with fluid it might be leaking at some of the connectors. That would be a hassle at that point because of the fluid now in the lines. So when will the brakes be done? Hopefully in 1-2 more weeks. In the mean time I'll work on the visors and other odds and ends.
I can't wait to drive this truck!
Several weeks ago when my dad and I picked up the truck it was a rough running truck with no brakes. I was thrilled because brakes are easy to fix, eventually. Engines are more complex and expensive. From my earlier posts you can see some of the work I have put into fixing and cleaning her, specifically the fuel pump and lines to the carburetor. After some initial issues we were able move the truck to another place on the property. Then I replaced much of the ignition system. This is where the trouble started. We could get the truck to start and run for about 10 seconds with only a full choke on. Then she would die. No gasp or sputter or backfire, just a simple death. This was repeatable and very frustrating.
So here I was with a old truck that ran before I touched it and even if I finished the brakes anytime soon she would not have enough energy to go for a "drive". I racked my brain, posted on the Old GMC forums, reviewed original operators brochure, asked friends and consulted with my dad. These puzzles can be fun IF you are confident that the problem is easy to solve, however when the puzzle seems to have so many variables it can be daunting.
Lets take it from the top. Would changing plugs, wires and a distributor cap cause this condition? No. Could I have disrupted any other electrical components? Possible, but again the stalling was so repeatable that an erratic or permanent electrical problem was ruled out. Next comes the fuel system. Did we have a bad new fuel pump? Possible, but not probable. Are the fuel filters clogged or leaking? Again possible but I just cleaned them. Is the carburetor clogged? Possible but that means the filters are not working or I dislodged some gunk in the process. I also touched the vacuum lines to the carb but that is an easy check and probably not the issue. So far the problem points to the fuel system, which I touched. Arrrg.
The next thought was how to diagnose the problem the cheapest and quickest way possible. Since we had visually seen fuel squirt out into the glass bowl fuel filter, a bad pump was ruled out, but it was possible that it was not high enough pressure. I checked some specifications on the pump and discovered that the test involves installing a tee junction at the fuel filter and having a hose drain into a bucket while idling the truck. The spec says that at idle 1 pint of fuel should be collected in 45-60 seconds. This translates into 2 cups a minute or in 8 minutes 1 gallon of fuel, at idle! This is a test only and real world driving does not reflect these numbers. I assume that when the carburetor float shuts off the intake of fuel the system does not force more fuel into the carburetor. Therefore you can't make an assumption of fuel consumption from this test. We could not do this test cause we didn't have an idling truck. Moving on to the carburetor, we did not touch that part and it seemed to be working before so that is an option but could be a $30-$125 fix. Moving on from there we considered the glass bowl filter. This filter is actually a large ceramic or porcelain thimble. A gasket on top seals it inside the glass bowl and all things seemed to be normal. It could be that the ceramic is suddenly clogged or the gasket is blocking fuel. The options to eliminate this filter would be to simply take it off and use a hose to bypass. At this point there wasn't any smoking guns in the puzzle.The cheapest and quickest to look at were the vacuum line and glass bowl filter.
Now lets consider when the last time it worked and what did I do different. Well it seems that I moved the truck from one spot to another and that was all I did. Though prior to the move I had removed, cleaned and reinstalled the fuel system. We tried to start her and noticed a leaking fuel filter next to the pump. That was easily fixed. After that fix we could not still seem to get the truck started. Our assumption was that the fuel line had air in the system and so we decided to "prime" it by removing the glass bowl and topping it off with more fuel. That's when I also discovered that the steel line to the glass bowl filter was not installed correctly. Sure enough it started up and we were able to move the truck to the new location.
One of the puzzles inside the puzzle was how that glass bowl fuel filter worked. It was always at half full except for the time we topped it off to "prime" the system. I even reviewed some early photos of the truck when it was sitting on my father-in-laws property and it was also half full. So last night dad decided that the easiest and cheapest route would be to remove the ceramic filter. Throwing my hands into some rubber gloves and a quick turn of the retaining screw I pulled off the glass bowl. We pulled the ceramic filter and reinstalled the glass bowl without adding more fuel.
As before, I pulled the choke stepped on the starter and prayed. After three attempts, one being the starter not engaging, it started up. The next few seconds would be critical. Normally the truck would begin to die and not a single choke adjustment or throttle feathering could keep it alive. This time it started to gasp and I slowly pushed in the choke and to my surprise and relief it smoothed out. I sat dumbfounded as the engine purred with the choke completely off and was able to rev the engine as I wanted.
Ever had that relief that is so overwhelming it makes you smile and feel light as a feather for hours afterward? Well last night it started and I still feel great.
So the red herring in all of this was that when we "primed" the glass bowl we unknowingly caused a full fuel condition and masked the gasket/filter problem. The timing of me turning the truck off after moving it was probably pretty close to it gasping for more fuel anyway. So the fuel filter has a bad gasket.
The only other problem is a slight fuel leak between the carb and the filter and the gasket between the top and bottom half of the carb. Easily fixed.
I will now replace the fuel filter gasket and or ceramic filter. Napa has what I need for about $4. It is a NAPA Gold Filter part number FIL 3943. Comes with the paper type filter and two gaskets. The gasket on the right is the one that should work.
Saturday
This weekend was the first I was able to get my hands dirty. I decided to tackle the fuel pump first. After wrestling the pump and attached metal bowl fuel filter I was able to finally inspect the old pump. Good news is that it was not bad which means no fuel leaking into the crankcase. I decided to also clean the entire fuel system, glass bowl filter next to the carburetor as well as the lines. Using a wire brush, rough sandpaper, steel wool and some gasoline I was able to unearth the components to some sort of newness.
After everything was reassembled I was eager to start Maverick back up. Things did not go as planned. Found a leaking metal bowl gasket. The bad part is that it is buried at the most difficult place. So I pulled off the fuel pump, disconnected the fuel lines and removed the fuel filter. I discovered a cork gasket sitting on top of a rubber one. I pulled the rubber gasket off as it looked a bit swollen. After reassembly the leak was gone.
So again we tried to start the truck up and found we could get it started for a few minutes then it would die, as though starving of fuel. My dad and I looked at all the components I had touched and were not able to find anything wrong. We pulled off the fuel line next to the glass bowl filter and verified the pump was working. So our assumption lead us to believe that the glass bowl filter was the culprit. I'm still not sure how this filter operates. I see fuel moving into the glass bowl and a level that seems to stay at half.
But I have no idea how the fuel goes up inside to reach the carburetor. I took the filter off and poured fuel inside to fill it up. When I reattached the lines I noticed that the fuel line coming in was not fitting very well. After a gentle bend and massage the line and nut fit nicely. This got me thinking that the first time I put it on the nut seemed to be tight from the beginning. Not so tight that I had cross threaded it but more just a tight fit.
Fingers crossed we started it up and behold it held. In fact we managed to drive it enough to park it behind the garage for its permanent spot.
As the daylight was waning I pressure washed the engine and exterior to remove as much grease, moss, and dirt as I could.
Sunday
With limited time after church I jumped into replace the spark plugs, distributor cap and wires. I had to call several locations before I found anybody who had the cap and wires. Not too bad at $15 for the wires and $16 for the cap. Why not the rotor and other parts you ask? Well I was not prepared to get more involved and when I looked at the old cap and wires we had some serious issues. The contacts on the cap were pretty bad and the wires as you can see are actually corroded, broken and frankly it is a miracle that the truck started at all! There were also 6 plugs in the back of the truck that were brand new so I put them in.
I also decided to clean the air cleaner and repaint it black. That was an easy job. I am
missing a wing nut on top but will buy one later. I noticed that the rubber boot for the starter was missing and again used a new one I found in the back of the truck to install. Now the critters will stay out. Moving on from the rubber boot I used some fine steel wool to clean the chrome ashtray and horn. I think I was stalling on having to crawl underneath the truck to replace the master cylinder.
Well I did not have too much problem with the master, but it did require some love and cleaning to get it out. Surprise surprise there was not a drop of fluid leaking
out. Bone dry. That was nice as it allows me to work on the system without leaking fluid everywhere.
I will look at the rest of the system next. Pulling off each wheel and inspecting the parts, cleaning and replacing as needed. Again I have 4 wheel cylinders in the back of the truck and a set of shoes as well.
As you have already seen there are a few rust spots on Maverick. Some are through the metal while others are simply surface related and others are a mix of surface and heavy pits. Working on the brakes I have been under the truck and have been surprised at the general rust free condition I see. I thought that perhaps it was just hiding under the layers of dirt and grease, but when I cleaned the suspension components the metal seemed fairly good.
1. Things that need to be loosened because of rust - think bolts
Replacement - When there is no metal left or the rust has made the part inoperable because the metal is missing, think of a bolt that no longer has usable threads, its time to cut it out and patch or simply replace once removed. Cost is low for removal but the expense comes in at the repair or replacement parts. For example my parking brake cable appears to still be intact and the outside cosmetic looks great, all I need is the cable to slide inside the metal sheath. The obvious choice would be to simply replace it and move on....however this is where managing the project is critical. Each time I had a difficult part and simply replaced it I would be spending more money than I have time. So removal is not my first choice but the last one. In some ways it allows me to be more daring because I have nothing to lose but the cost of replacement.
Wire brush or wheel/putty knife/screwdriver - This has been my primary so far. Cost is low and the physical part is not to bad. Of course this does not remove parts and in the case of the brake cable it only cleaned the outside not the inside where I need it. I also find that it does not remove the harder solid layers of surface rust as well as I would like. For example on the rims there is bubbling rust patches which are rough enough that the wire brush can't smooth it out or get into the deeper pits. It has worked great on the brake and suspension areas which cleaned them up from the dirt, grease and oils, and I have no intention to paint these areas so wire brush and other scrapers were great.
Sanding/Steel Wool - For a few areas where the wire brush was only taking surface rust the course sand paper was actually removing the buildup of rust. I would not use this for large areas but for the occasional small rust "chunks" it works great, followed up with the wire brush and or steel wool. When I cleaned my vacuum and fuel lines I used a combination of sandpaper and wire brush to clean them followed up with a 000 steel wool to polish them up. Fine steel wool is also wonderful on chrome parts. Pitting will remain but the rust will be mostly gone.
Home Recipes (Molasses/Soda/Vinegar) - This section never ends and quite frankly exhausts me with the pros and cons of each method. I've seen the YouTube videos on each one and read the blogs and reviews. All very interesting and seems to have truth but then I hear quite the opposite in the rebuttals. For now, soda and vinegar are super cheap and could easily be used for soaking parts, but not removing parts unless you can soak them. I suspect that for some this will work but with limited use or commitment. I was going to try the soda and vinegar options on the cable next, however 4 days of soaking in fuel plus bending the cable to "crack" some of the stiff areas plus some brute force has finally freed the cable.
Rust Removal Chemicals - EvapoRust and Por15 are the two I have heard about the most. But the cost keeps me from buying yet. Not sure how Por15 works but it supposedly cleans up the rust and then you coat it so it can't return. I would not use this on say my brake cable or fuel lines, but for the inside step in the truck. Starting with a wire wheel and cleaning/removing as mush rust as I can get to, then using the Por15 process. EvapoRust is not like Por15 in that EvapoRust is suppose to remove rust, not coat it so it can 't return later. I'm also interested in EvapoRust but again the cost is keeping me from trying. If the oxalic acid works then I'll probably keep using that before exploring EvapoRust. Further research seems to show that it is a chelating agent. It is non-toxic and easy on disposal. Apparently it is owned by one company and marketed in a variety of products, including bulk to automotive companies. Per one source I found the product is made up of 3 things. Phosphoric Acid (found in Coke), a reducing agent, corrosion inhibitor and a surfactant all designed to be non-toxic but effective. So the bottom line is that any product that is non-toxic and easy to dip and remove is probably based on a similar formula... which may be why all of these "miracle" solutions are all priced about the same because its all the same stuff or close to it....so find the cheapest.
Again this is not an a complete list of rust removal items but I also don't need to regurgitate all the chatter online. Google "rust removal" and have a blast. Remember that my purpose is to focus on cleaning up and enjoying this old truck, not to win awards or enter car/truck shows. The rust issue has both an immediate issue as well as long-term. I do wonder what rust issues will be a concern 30 years from now, but perhaps then I'll want to tear her down to the frame. Today I just want to get her running and operating so I can teach the boys to drive a stick, go to the dump or have a cruise around town.
