White flakes?

[thunderpantz]

On the front of the engine block, what can only be described as 'white powery flakes' have started appearing. These just wipe off with a rag, but is annoying.  Any idea what it could be?

My initial thought was a pinhole leak in the back of the rad and the coolant drying on the block??

[His Dudeness]

Massage it into the block twice daily for a month and you'll be sorted

[thunderpantz]

[His Dudeness]

It's the aluminium oxidising under the paint. The only way you'll get rid of it is to sand down the engine and re-paint it.

[thunderpantz]

Surely it should do it all over and not just the front?

[His Dudeness]

The front takes most of the punishment from the weather and crap from the road. You could brush some VHT paint over it as a temporary fix but it'll just keep coming back through the paint.

[Chris]

As Mr dude says.

Needs a good wire brushing/sanding to get rid of it then a good coat of new paint to seal it all again.

Chris

[Skippernick]

Are you sure its not just road salt absorbing moisture and expanding.

[red98]

 ....+1for road salt.

[keno]

Road salt mate mines caked in it from using it all year round.Only way around it is to do what a lot of fazer owners do is to lock it away in the shed and take it out of said shed and polish it now and again...

[unfazed]

....+1for road salt.

   Road salt corrosion.

Wash it more often and treat it with WD40 or ACF50.

You could always try the Head and Shoulders as His Dudeness suggested if you don't have WD40 or ACF50 

[stevierst]

Wash it more often and treat it with WD40 or ACF50.

That's exactly what I do. Works a treat! (H&S foams up in the rain if you don't wash it all off!)

[His Dudeness]

Damn that's a lot of salt! You guys must salt your roads really heavily. You don't don't see that sort of build up from the roads in Ireland

[johna6968]

A ruddy great front mudflap should help.. Could always remove it come the less saltier weather as not the most stylish of extras 

[elbrownos]

Damn that's a lot of salt! You guys must salt your roads really heavily. You don't don't see that sort of build up from the roads in Ireland

Even when it's 10° and no snow forecast. I love it 

[unfazed]

Salt what salt, only salt I see up my way is on my dinner.