Quote Originally Posted by T.Jackson View Post
Gotta make you wonder -- maybe the long debated claim of electrical rust prevention isn't all that 'hocus-pocus' after all...
I've got an upper control arm for a '74 Chevy Malibu sitting out in the garage right now, in a plastic tub full of water with a little bit of 'Arm & Hammer' washing soda mixed in. The negative clamp of a 12v/10amp battery charger is connected to the control arm, the positive clamp of the charger is connected to a steel rod (standard concrete rebar) in the water.
The rust is 'boiling' off the part as I type. Another day or so and it should be rust free and ready for paint.
I've already done this to the both lower control arms, the other upper control arm, the car's original battery tray (which after de-rusting had to be throw out...not enough solid metal left!), upper and lower radiator supports, and numerous other bolts, nuts, pieces/parts throughout the vehicle.
It's not rust prevention...but it sure as heck is rust removal...

And...to add a bit onto this (only because a bunch of other people I've told about this think it's the wonder cure for rust)...
...NO...it does NOT replace the metal with brand new metal
...NO...it does NOT convert the rust to usable metal
All it does is cause the rust (the actual iron oxide) to liberate from the steel connected to the negative terminal to migrate to the steel connected to the positive terminal.The rebar gets rusted by the process and I have to scrape it off every once in awhile, clean it up, or throw it out. But it's rebar and it's cheap.