Advice on cleaning rusty flywheel?

[GSF]

Hey guys,

So I'm in the process of gutting the electrical system on my SR500 and the flywheel is pretty rusty.

It has magnets epoxied into the inside, plus an ignition timing pickup on the outside. Would it be safe to go at it with a wire wheel or brush?
I was planning on starting with a non-metallic nylon potscrubber and some kero to begin with.

Has anyone ever tried vapour/media blasting to restore a flywheel?

 

[Barnburner]

Very glad you posted this as I'm dealing with a rusty SR500 flywheel right now as well. Mine has some simple surface rust but I obviously don't want to leave it unchecked. I previously wire-wheeled it with a small dremel attachment but it came back while sitting over the winter. Blasting sounds like a good option but I'm guessing you'd need to stay away from the magnets.

 

[GSF]

Yeah, blasting would be ideal. The only thing I'm worried about is anything that could de-magnetise something (totally boned then) or chemicals that could affect the now 34 year-old expoy holding the permanent magnets in place.

 

[spotty]

maybe use soda to blast with (not too abrasive and won't hit hard enough to damage the magnets) though you could also just use brush on rust convertor (ferric acid i think) that will neutralise the rust and turn it black then keep the flywheel coated in oil to stop the rust coming back, you could use engine assembly lube which will stay stuck until the motor gets started and fresh oil hits the parts then the assembly lube is flushed/absorbed by the engine oil

 

[xb33bsa]

they all do that and the rust is causing no harm, just knock off the loose stuff and hit with some rusty metal primer or do nothing it took 40 years to get a lil rust

 

[Tune-A-Fish]

+1 just clean up the loose stuff and shootit "lightly with Permatex rust extend

 

[xb33bsa]

Very glad you posted this as I'm dealing with a rusty SR500 flywheel right now as well. Mine has some simple surface rust but I obviously don't want to leave it unchecked. I previously wire-wheeled it with a small dremel attachment but it came back while sitting over the winter. Blasting sounds like a good option but I'm guessing you'd need to stay away from the magnets.

that flywheel actually looks almost pristine ,it is very rare to find one that rust free on any 40 year old bike
with a dry stator

 

[spotty]

with a dry stator

aha, dry stator.....in that case disregard everything i said after 'ferric acid', brushing that on will kill the rust but like folk have said, its not hurting anything, bolt the cover back on and don't tell anyone

 

[Barnburner]

Thanks for the great replies everyone.