How to clean an intake

[Imran]

Hey everyone,

My intake manifold looks like garbage, and is really killing the look of the engine bay. What options do I have to get it looking nice and shiny? It's an Edel. Performer intake. I'm willing to put out some money to make it shiny, or best would be if I could do it myself.



Thanks

Imran - 74 Convt

 

[69MyWay]

To really make it look nice, it will have to come off the car.

The best way to finish it is to get it bead blasted, then clear powder coated. It will look clean and shinny for a very long time.


Next best is to get a fine grade wire wheel kit for your drill, and clean/polish it with the wire wheel on the end of the drill, then scotch brite pad the edges, then clear coat with high temp engine paint after having sprayed it down really well with brake cleaner. That will draw out all the oil and moisture for a good clean bite with the paint.

You can also wire wheel it, then get some polishing wheels for your drill, grinder, and by hand, and polish the aluminum until it looks like chrome, and then you have to keep it polished, or clear coat it at that time.

For the best non powder coated clear coat, see if you can take it to a paint and body shop and get them to spray a couple of coats of clear on it (maybe while they are painting a complete car to save you on the $$$$). Let it dry for a few days, then install.

Over time the clear coat my yellow a bit, but it will be easy to wash off and clean in the future.

Have fun!

 

[Imran]

Chris,

Thanks! I was planning on taking it off the car anyway so I could replace the gasket. With the cost of a new manifold already polished at around $200, how much do you think having it blasted and powdercoated will end up costing?

 

[69MyWay]

Chris,

Thanks! I was planning on taking it off the car anyway so I could replace the gasket. With the cost of a new manifold already polished at around $200, how much do you think having it blasted and powdercoated will end up costing?

The blasting and coating will push $200 easy. You may be able to sell yours to another Vetter for $75-$100, then pop for a new polished one.

 

[JohnZ]

Or, you could send it to Jerry MacNeish (www.z28camaro.com) and have it re-skinned for $100-$125; it will come back looking just like new, and it won't yellow with heat. Here's a sample of his work on my '69 Z/28 intake and valve covers:

 

[maxrevs85]

Chris, are you sure about that powder coating cost? A friend of mine had his complete race car frame coated for only $350...I think PC is alot more reasonable then polishing too....I 'm going to be checking in to that for all my tpi parts , I'll find out.

 

[69MyWay]

Chris, are you sure about that powder coating cost? A friend of mine had his complete race car frame coated for only $350...I think PC is alot more reasonable then polishing too....I 'm going to be checking in to that for all my tpi parts , I'll find out.

I agree, but I figure by the time they bead blast it, clean it, clear coat it, and bake it, they will have to have some pretty decent labor and cost involved.

Maybe they could do it for only $75, but it would be hard to justify the slim profit margin if it was my shop.

 

[maxrevs85]

I agree....I thought the complete frame cost was reasonable too.

 

[Imran]

I looked into a couple of places online, and they seem quite reasonable. The price ranged from $75 to $175. The $75 was just a powder coat, he wanted the items already cleaned, and the higher end ones were like, 20 step processes that the part went through!

A lot of the places had bulk discounts as well... maybe it's time for a group buy?

Isn't there a website that's made just for group buys?

I'm sure there are quite a few people that would get parts powder coated if the price was right and everyone was doing it!


What do you think?

Imran - 74 Convt