Aluminum Preservation

This may be a stupid approach but I've been thinking on how to get long term preservation of aluminum parts. What I'm considering is cleaning, anodizing with one of the commercial anodizers, and then painting with some kind of high temperature aluminum paint. Good idea, all right idea, stupidest thing you've ever heard? Looking for comments.

Low temp.powder coat

If you anodize then there should be no need for paint. However, anodizing can be an issue if you were trying to preserve the finish on something like a set of heads. The other issue is getting the original "as cast" finish on an old part before anodizing. That can be a challenge as aluminum corrosion actually "stains" the part so the overall finish is not consistent. Also, some things, like alternators, do not come apart easily and to be anodized the part(s) must be free of any foreign metal other than aluminum, so all seals, bearings, screws, etc must be removed.

Personally I've given up on trying to preserve aluminum, I just paint everything with "as cast aluminum" paint. It ain't perfect but my car isn't a resto anyway.

Do a search for "Alodine 1201".

John, I looked at a number of this type of anodizing agent and the common denominator was: "After precleaning with BONDERITE C-IC 33 AERO, rinse with water. Apply without dilution by brushing or swabbing with sponge. Rinse with water and surface is ready for paint. This is a visible coating which leaves the surface with a golden coloration. The alodized surface provides protection against weather and firmly bonds paint." They all sound like primers. The "golden coloration" isn't what I'm looking for either.

Do you have an example of what you are using for "as cast aluminum paint"?

Vapor and/or bead blast clean and then 2 part clear coat paint maybe? Clear from a rattle can tends to turn gold eventually and then you have an ugly mess. A urethane clear with a hardener may hold up a lot better?

There is this stuff...

https://www.cerakote.com/shop/cerakote-coating


ECS has metal sealants, but if we are talking engine parts then they may not hold up to the heat?

https://ecsauto.com/collections/rust-prevention

Try using 1001, no golden color but it will darken the surface ever so slightly. Same great protection, and to be clear, this is not anodizing
Good luck

Thanks to everyone for their comments.

Alodine 1001 and 1500 are designed for skin quality, unpainted aluminum skin, and don't change color.

https://www.chemical-supermarket.com/product.php?printable=Y&productid=541