MartinandNicole

I would like to clean up my original #3739653 2x4 intake manifold as well as my aluminum cylinder head covers.

The dirt is old and over the years kind of burnt into the aluminum surface.
I thought about glas beed blasting (I am not sure this is correct english)
This might be good for the manifold but I am not so sure about the cylinder head covers.
I am not looking forward to a shining surface, I like the natural gray aluminum finish the covers have normally.

With what did you make the best experience?

Martin

waynec

I would try to soak the manifold in brake cleaner for an extended period, scrubbing with a parts brush occasionally. It's possible to have manifolds (and valve covers) "reskinned", but that's an expensive process.

I have had success cleaning aluminum valve covers by:

1. degrease them (brake cleaner)
2. use an aluminum cleaner with very fine
steel wool (000 ?) to scrub them clean
but that leaves them rather shiney, so
3. leave the valve covers outdoors exposed to
the weather for an extended period (rain,
snow, whatever), checking them now & then
for a patina that pleases you

BrettG

I sent mine to Jerry MacNeish (should get it back today), from my understanding he is one of the best around.
He charges in the vicinity of $ 100.00 to "reskin" the intake.

BarryK

I glass beaded both my intake and the valve covers. They came out looking great.
Niehter came out "shiney". They all have a very natural finish to them.

The key is to use as little pressure while glass beading them as you can and still clean them up.
On the intake I think the pressure was around 25psi, and on a couple of stubbon spot had to crank the pressure up to maybe 30psi.

On the valve covers I lowered the pressure even more, down to about 15-20psi if I remember correctly.
The glass beading won't give you a shiney finish, that comes from polishing, but where you want to be careful on the valve covers is using too much pressure or else they will start to get a frosted look.

chris ritchie

Try to wash them with a scrub brush and your choice of cleaner. Try one of those citrus based degreasers. Try mineral spirits. A phosphoric acid based aluminum cleaner will work well too. Naval Jelly is the most commonly available. When you finish, try to live with your results. They won't be perfect, but they'll be pretty good.

If you want them really good looking, you're going to have to use mechanical methods. Abrasive blasting or tumbling will make them beautiful. But those 2 methods also have the danger of changing the surface. They can change the surface to make it look too shiney. Or, can change the rough surface to make it look un-natural. There are ways to do this. I've heard of using low air pressure and walnut shells. You'll have a hard time finding a tumbler big enough to fit vlave covers or intake manifolds.

66since71

I had mine done this way by an aircraft maintenance shop. They came out great. Looked like they were new from the factory, nice natural finish.

67-427ci

Jerry is the man to do it. His quality is superb. Had mine done last year.

Here is a before & after picture.
Roy

66since71

One more thought, that might apply, if the mainfold has a heat riser with an oil splash shield: Be sure to pull the shield before whatever cleaning you choose to have done. There will be a lot of crystaline crud in there from the oil getting cooked by the exhaust heat. Any cleaning will loosen it up, and I'd want to be sure I got it all out... (I found new drive pins to re-install the shield, at local nut and bolt specialty house.)

Tom454

For some strange reason, this is something I really enjoy doing. I've done several for local Vette owner for *FREE*.

Need to get my head(s) examined.

Always, always, always remove the splash shield for this job.

Harps

Nay, you just need to lay off those ether shots.

w1ctc

I scrubbed it good and put in the dish washer. Wife is not happy.

gonefishn

Apply Alodine to the aluminum after the cleaning. Similar to anodizing is that it stabilizes the aluminum from the air and moisture. Stains also will clean up. Keep the manifold and valve covers looking cast appearance.

Agree with BarryK and Tom454 on a very very (did I say very?) light glass or walnut beading. Prior to beading clean well with a brush and citric type of cleaner and rinse (I'm not a dentist).

See your in Switzerland. Would be great to see your car with scenery backgrounds similar to your avitar.

John

C64BOB

I use paint remover (the heavy paste/gel stuff). It'll remove all the discoloration but may take 2 or 3 applications. I wouldn't bead blast as this changes the surface in a way you really can't undo (fine pits).

toddalin

See this month's Car Craft Magazine for a new spray on, no touch, aluminum cleaning product.

66jack

aluminum paint....hehhehe

jack

toddalin

Not quite. Follow the link to a cleaner manifold.

http://orisonmarketing.com/corrosion...luminator.html

MartinandNicole

Throw nuts at aluminum parts to make them look like new.
I would never have gotten this idea by myself. But I like the idea of low air pressure and walnut shells. Never heard this before, but it sounds interesting and I can imagine, that due to the difference in the hardness of glass beeds and walnut shells, this solution could damage the surface less.
I got to ask the guy that doas glass beed blasting whether he has ever heard about this in Switzerland.

Thank you all for the different cleaning methods.
Martin

woolooloo

Schweeeet!

Tom454

Have to say this isn't true... a wives tale. Assume you probably read that somewhere, or heard it at a NCRS meet.

Been blasting them for 35 years and never had any such issues.
I also use cheap, fine grade sand... filtered.

I do big end stuff like BB TriPower setups as well.
Everybody loves the final result.

I have (own) original GM manifolds that have never been blasted.
You cannot tell the difference between one that I have refinished, and an original.

Any pits you find after blasting were just corroded aluminum spots that you could not see due to the crud that was already on the manifold. If you use golf ball sized media, or too high pressure, or poor technique, well then yes.... you will make a mess out of it.

Re-skinning is simply tumbling the manifold in a big drum full of aluminum pellets.... no rocket science there.

There are a lot of myths floating around that I hear all of the time.
Since I actually do the work as opposed to having somebody else do it, my opinions are based on actual results and experience.

I can see how people get confused when the "experts" are wrong.

LOL

I do intakes, carburetors, and various other "delicate" emotionally attached items... with no damage.

I even sandblasted the corroded super, super fine motor winding attachment wires on an original 1968 windshield wiper motor so I could re-solder it back where it belonged. (for MELVIN).

The trick is in media grit selection, pressure adjustment, avoidance of delicate/machined surfaces, and learned technique.... not out of a book.

If the man lived near me, I would do his manifold for free.... and have him post the results.

MartinandNicole

Thank you for your advice Tom, I also think I should remove the shield, but this shield is held in place by pressed bolts.

My questions are:

1. how do I remove them the best way (would you drill them out or can I hold them with a tool and pull them out?)

2. how do I fix the splash shield back in place? 66since71 wrote, that he found new drive pins to re-install the shield, I worry that I due to engine vibrations those pins could come of again. Would you glue the pins in with an extra strong heat resistent two component glue?