Quick cleanup of oxidation

Yes, a REALLY bad idea.

Toronto area, just for giggles I’d try (safely) raising the rear, removing some of the plastic panels (you’ll likely snap a few bolt heads), the rear wheels, and see how the rear suspension and body’s faring. Another time, repeat for the front.

what’s worked for me is a lot of labour-intensive, area-by-area accessing, rough cleaning followed by brushed-on boiled linseed oil.

what’s the miles btw?

 

I would Google this:

will white vinegar and baking soda react with aluminum

Addendum: just judging from the condition showing in your pic, I would fugedabout the engine bay, that ship has long since sailed. Concentrate on the serious stuff, suspension/body rust, especially the rear, where all the road salt gets kicked up.

Again, pressure washing the engine bay can cause LOTS of (expensive) problems. AC compressor failure (thanks to it's 12 volt connector that could double as a rain gauge) is common.

Here's ours, a pic while I was doing a voltage check this morning:



You're never going to restores yours once it's set in like that. The most I'd do is a bit of brushing, then hit it with comressed-air. Even a leaf blower or shop vac on blow can do this too, sans compressor.

 

To make it look like brand new laser cleaning or dry ice blasting are two professional methods that you can hire someone with the expensive equipment to do it. Also gunk degreaser rinsed with high water pressure does impressive things to aluminum, so if you can think of something similar to that without causing water damage.

I disagree with @Mendel Leisk that its too far gone to make look nice again...

Also I just asked AI and a couple additional suggestions it had was 1) trying electrical contact cleaner on it and 2) 99% isopropyl alcohol, which I've never seen in that high of a concentration.

 

I always used to get 99%, then was reading up: apparently 70% is more effective, at least for sterilizing, the extra water keeps it from evaporating too quick.

Ok, if OP's going to persevere:

Take it one component at a time. It's probably timely to remove intake manifold (lift throttle body off with coolant lines still attached, and clean the intake manifold interior, plus the throttle body. Clean the exterior too, make it look pretty. And before reinstalling the air box and snorket, clean them up as well.

My go-to's for general engine bay are paint brushes (just for dusting), damp rags, tooth brushes, duster boa and leaf blower.

Still, this is rearranging deck chairs on the titanic compared to suspension rust.

Then there's the EGR...