Cleaned valve cover in safety-kleen, inside changed color. Oxidization?

desolatax · 02-12-2015, 02:37 PM

I'm doing my metal (Aluminum? magnesium?) valve cover gasket on my 2006 330xi, and I cleaned it at a shop with a Safety kleen solvent based cleaner bin, then hosed it down with water and let it dry in a heated room overnight.
The next morning I looked at the cover and it changed color from what it was after I had cleaned it.
Since it changed color, does it matter? Is it oxidization? Did I ruin my cover with using the solvent?
The part was closer to what the edge looks like on the second pic here.

View post on imgur.com

Taskmaster · 02-12-2015, 03:31 PM

Probably.

hassmaschine · 02-12-2015, 06:02 PM

it's magnesium, it's highly corrosive and reactive.

avocet · 02-12-2015, 08:24 PM

Magnesium usually has a chemically induced oxidation layer to prevent further oxidation. This layer is quite pourous and when degreased with a heavy degreaser or chemicals it will turn whitish.

02-12-2015, 09:30 PM

Don't worry about it, it looks fine, just wipe it down with brake cleaner on the mating surfaces and install it.

Its just oxidation.

02-12-2015, 02:37 PM	#1
desolatax Enlisted Member 9 Rep 46 Posts Drives: '14 328d xdrive Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Cleaned valve cover in safety-kleen, inside changed color. Oxidization? I'm doing my metal (Aluminum? magnesium?) valve cover gasket on my 2006 330xi, and I cleaned it at a shop with a Safety kleen solvent based cleaner bin, then hosed it down with water and let it dry in a heated room overnight. The next morning I looked at the cover and it changed color from what it was after I had cleaned it. Since it changed color, does it matter? Is it oxidization? Did I ruin my cover with using the solvent? The part was closer to what the edge looks like on the second pic here. View post on imgur.com
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02-12-2015, 03:31 PM	#2
Taskmaster Banned 2465 Rep 9,004 Posts Drives: M235i 6MT / E92 328 Msport 6MT Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Florida iTrader: (6)	Probably.
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02-12-2015, 06:02 PM	#3
hassmaschine Major General 3973 Rep 7,215 Posts Drives: "NBO" 330i Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: earth iTrader: (0)	it's magnesium, it's highly corrosive and reactive.
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02-12-2015, 08:24 PM	#4
avocet Major 252 Rep 1,157 Posts Drives: 2007 328i 2011 X5d Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Vancouver bc iTrader: (0)	Magnesium usually has a chemically induced oxidation layer to prevent further oxidation. This layer is quite pourous and when degreased with a heavy degreaser or chemicals it will turn whitish. Last edited by avocet; 02-12-2015 at 09:37 PM..
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02-12-2015, 09:30 PM	#5
RemovedUser Guest 0 Rep n/a Posts Drives:	Don't worry about it, it looks fine, just wipe it down with brake cleaner on the mating surfaces and install it. Its just oxidation.
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