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I JUST PURCHASED A USED INTAKE MANIFOLD GM #3885069(ALUMINUM)FOR MY CAR AND I PLAN ON CLEANING IT UP I WAS READING MY JUDGING MANUAL AND IT SAID POINTS DEDUCTED FOR SIGNS OF GLASS BEADING MY QUESTIONS ARE HOW SHOULD I CLEAN IT UP? SHOULD I JUST PAINT IT WITH HIGH HEAT ALUMINUM PAINT.AND I ALSO HAVE HIGH HEAT CLEAR THAT IS A MATT FINISH I WOULD LIKE TO SPRAY ON TO PROTECT FINISH FROM STAINING IS THIS A BAD THING TO DO AS ALWAYS THANKS FOR THE INPUT LARRY
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Re: ALUM INTAKE FINISH
HI LARRY:
DON'T SHOUT, IT'S UNNECESSARY. Also painting your intake with anything will produce a non original finish that most will not be happy with. there are many cleaners that may clean your stained intake with varying results depending on how severely stained the intake is to begin with. Simple mag wheel cleaner is a good place to start. I used a company named Corvette Craft to "reskin" my intake. This process restores the as new appearance and is virtually permanent. Weather Corvette Craft is still in business or not I can't say but maybe someone has an alternate source for this service.
Best of Luck
jer -
Re: ALUM INTAKE FINISH
Larry - I have always taken mine to the local machine shop and had them jet-spray clean in solvent. They come out clean, but sometimes still stained. I then use my bead blast cabinet, with the pressure reduced to about 40psi and carefully bead blast the rough cast areas, staying off of the machined surfaces which show signs of blasting. Frankly, the appearance after this is in my opinion just like a fresh cast piece. I always go the extra distance to blow out all passages with high pressure air (100 psi or so) and get into the heat crossover area well. By the way, make sure you remove the tin heat shield before all the cleaning. Finally, after the air treatment, I go back to the machine shop and have them pass the manifold through the jet spray cabinet one more time. Make sure their solvent is not really dirty though, as it will leave a yellowed appearance. Clean solvent leaves the aluminum perfect. Never use a machine shop that uses a tank cleaner - the solvent eats aluminum. I think most modern day shops use the jet spray since there are so many aluminum parts in the auto world today. Good luck!....CraigComment
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Re: ALUM INTAKE FINISH
For "re-skinning" of aluminum intakes, try Jerry MacNeish at (410) 781-0418 in Eldersburg, Maryland; he uses the same process ALS used to use when they were in business in Nevada.Comment
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Beadblasting and judging
keep in mind that if NCRS is your target beadblasting is unacceptable and once blasted, no matter how fine the media, it will stain easily, reskinning will not.
just a thought
jerComment
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Re: Beadblasting and judging
I've read several post's here, the past few months, that advised against any sort of abrasive measures to clean/refinish aluminum manifolds. This apparently will dull the natural sand cast finish and tend to take off any casting flash.
I was advised to strip the clear coat (I didn't do it) that was on my manifold with paint stripper and then clean with aluminum jelly. Turned out very nice, and I didn't paint it at all, since that is somewhat of an ambiguous area in the judging manual. PatrickComment
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Re: Beadblasting and judging
Would pressure washing, say 3000 PSI using a surfactant in the stream, be an option?Comment
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Re: ALUM INTAKE FINISH
I have never heard the term reskinning would you elaborate please.Comment
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Re: ALUM INTAKE FINISH
Larry -
I don't know anything about the "re-skinning" process (perhaps others on the Board are more familiar with it) - apparently one of those closely-held secrets like how the Egyptians prepared a mummy But the results are excellent and the manifold looks like it did originally.Comment
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Re: ALUM INTAKE FINISH
I had my intake plastic media blasted a number of years ago based on some samples I was shown by a vendor at a car show. I was very pleased with the results. I have never heard a comment about the finish not being right and that includes being judged (NCRS) back in June.Comment
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