Is there a way to age cadmium plating?

[Gary H.]

A friend of mine had an extra set of original smog check valves that he had cleaned and cadmium plated. He just handed them to me and told me he didnt need them anymore.

My car is very much a survivor, and while I would like the look of freshly plated check valves on the car, I dont want them to look out of place with an unrestored engine compartment.

Is there a way to age the look of the fresh cad plating to tone it down a bit?

Gary

[Dan H.]

Re: Is there a way to age cadmium plating?

Try some lemon juice.

[Michael G.]

Re: Is there a way to age cadmium plating?

Real cadmium is very resistant to corrosion, better than anything else on your old Corvette (well, maybe not chrome or stainless steel). As it ages, it first begins to dull a bit, then takes on a grey appearance as whitish corrosion products form in discrete areas of the surface. These easily absorb oil and often look dark brown or black. Eventually spots of red rust appear. How far it has gone into this process depends on its historic exposure to corrosive atmospheres.

Cadmium would have degraded very, very slowly in a closed environment like your engine compartment, so in an original Corvette 60s vintage car that's still in good shape (i.e.: whose engine compartment is not total red rust everywhere else), it is very possible that a cadmium plated part might not have gone past the dull silver look.

If you deliberately dip the part into acid (lemon juice or vinegar for instance) you will make it look old fast, but will greatly diminish its resistance to further corrosion. Additionally, if its not really cadmium plating (very possible in these days when cad plating is very hard to get) it may degrade to red rust almost immediately. I'd suggest first trying to coat it with several layers of flat clear paint. It'll look old enough to not appear out of place, yet you won't destroy the finish...

[Don H.]

Re: Is there a way to age cadmium plating?

Try some lemon juice.

should he drink it straight or add Grey Goose?

[Michael G.]

Re: Is there a way to age cadmium plating?

Straight ethanol. Better in your stomach than your car...

[John D.]

Re: Is there a way to age cadmium plating?

Easy Off Oven cleaner will age the plating. Some carb cleaners will age it. Mild solution of black phosphate solution will age it.

PA roads in the winter time will destroy it. JD

[Loren L.]

Re: Is there a way to age cadmium plating?

Have them redone in Zinc.