leigh1322

Anyone use Eastwood Exo-Armour or any other type of clear protectant on aluminum intake manifolds or cylinder heads?

Experience or recommendations good or bad?

l82vett

As with any painting prep is the key. Solvent cleaning will not give you a good look. The intake will need to be removed, solvent cleaned then blasted [NOT WITH SAND ] Soda or glass will give you a smooth surface. The clear coat must be able to withstand engine temperature or it will turn yellow and peal off.

FINWOLF

this started out as a new intake I just used a hi temp clear coat. if your using one that was on a car you must clean it real good.

Kim72

VHT clear coat (high temp). Bead blast first. Clean well. Been on mine for a number of years without yellowing. Good stuff.

Rescue Rogers

I too used the VHT clear coat. It will give it a darker color than plain aluminum but it will clean up a lot easier and not stain with fluids.

maverickmk

Is it the lighting or does it really have a light copper tint to it? I like the copper "tint-age"

leigh1322

Thanks for the tip. Just picked some up. Brand new manifold & clean heads. Like to keep them that way.

cv67

once you spray it your intake will not look as bright, it will look darker almost like a paint. Still looks good (til you get gas on it lol)


If it were me Id leave it be should look nice for years if you keep up on it.

FINWOLF

it is just the lighting

leigh1322

My engine builder suggests a flat aluminum spray paint, and the trick is to wipe most of it off while it is still wet.
Seals the "pores" and prevents that humidity/aluminum corrosion bloom.

I've never seen that used either.
Anyone have experience with that?

stingr69

I have used series of light dry dusting coats of VHT silver rattle can but the newest stuff is hard to spray dry anymore. Good for the rough cast pieces.

The tumble refinishing is great where you can wipe off stains with a solvent soaked paper towel but you would have to send it out for that. I have a set of valve covers being redone right now. My intake is already done that way but it was a fairly smooth Winters casting.

l82vett

Just a thought, Depending on how much cleaning that will have to be done it might be cheaper to buy a new manifold. Blasting won't be cheap, and they won't put a oil contaminated part in their cabinet. You should check it out first.

leigh1322

How did that work out for you over time?
My intake is brand new and the heads are clean and not installed yet.

OldCarBum

How about a good bright silver powder coat?

540 vette

Clear will yellow after awhile.

ajrothm

All of those spray on clear coats will most definitely turn yellow over time....let alone gas stains on them. Just keep everything bare, clean it often with brake cleaner and a white rag....They'll stay nice a long time. Usually, after 4-5 years, I'll pull my intake and have it glass bead blasted and it looks great again. Then if I do get gas on it from jet changes or whatever, it always dries off clean...then some brake cleaner keeps it clean.

Painting them will flat silver will look "ok" for a while, until the first time gas hits it.

HeadsU.P.

No offense to members but in my opinion an Intake should never be shiny with one exception. Some of those chrome plated intakes look pretty good.

Cast aluminum has that special rough, dull gray look to it that can not be duplicated in a rattle can. Applying a gloss or a clear coat looks like someone is trying to make a cast iron intake look like a cast aluminum intake.

I did find a product that really has the aluminum look to it. I bought it from Eastwood and its called Aluma-Blast? something like that. Rattle can, two lite coats, flat finish.
Its for water pumps and alternators. I doubt it would hold up to dripping carb gas or oil stains thou.

FINWOLF

done in 05 silver paint and clear coat he hand sanded before

7T1vette

I would just use VHT flat aluminum high temp paint. I used that on my alternator housing about 10 years ago. It still looks exactly like it did the day it was painted.

Motorvation

https://www.eastwood.com/ew-aluminum...er-bottle.html
This is pricey but returns the original look of aluminum. Rinse off with water or towel off. It even cleaned up an intake that had acid wheel cleaner sprayed on it; ugly mess before. Smells like that old green colored metal prep/ rust neutralizer. Prolly not chemically acceptable in CA.

Steve O.