PO painted mine black and i hate it, what's best way to get it back to its original bare finish without screwing it up? Chemical strip, bead blast,..???
CK5
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Aluminum intake
- Thread starter nvrenuf
- Start date
I plugged the holes on mine, blasted it, blew out the inside really well to make sure nothing was left.
I have the same thing the PO painted it orange so he doesn't show it's aftermarket, I am going to blast it with Aluminum oxide, it's usually very gentle, I will report back once I am done.
I like to use soda blasting on an intake, once you rinse it off there is no worry of trapped glass bead finding it's way back into the engine.
I have sandblasted a few of them, makes them look like new. Just make sure to wash it real good with soap and water and a garden hose so there is no sand left anywhere.
Also put a clear coat on otherwise it will oxidize with the bare aluminum.
Stomis
Professional Amateur
Its really a toss up. Aluminum sucks to paint. Clear will eventually peel or yellow unless you buy bare metal specific clear with a hardener from a place like eastwood.
As for getting it back to bare. Use Tal-Strip Aircraft stripper and then media/abrasive blast it. If theres engine paint on it believe me you'll want to strip it first.
Bead blast will clean it up nicely (make sure you blow it out with an air-jet nozle to get all the glass beads out). I always paint my aluminum intake manifolds with Aluminum high temp paint because it keeps the manifold looking clean, and protects it from coolant and gasoline stains.
The clear coat sucks I think, it always turns yellow with the heat and fuel fumes, etc. I prefer raw aluminum, then if it gets dirty a shot of carb cleaner and it looks relatively clean again.
bensk5
Registered Member
When I drop my new 350 in I will be spraying my edelbrock intake a Hi-Temp bright silver, to mimmic the way it looks when it come out of the box, just glossy.
Jester1
1/2 ton status
There's a new process that was starting to look promising. Blasting with dry ice it just melts or evaporates or whatever. They say it's easier on the stuff that gets blasted.
As far as a clear coat I am looking into powder coating. The shop we take a bunch of steel jobs to does a bunch of parts for cars, planes and bikes. They said its like $50 for an intake becuse thats the min. If I bring a bunch of parts in at once then its more like $30.
As far as a clear coat I am looking into powder coating. The shop we take a bunch of steel jobs to does a bunch of parts for cars, planes and bikes. They said its like $50 for an intake becuse thats the min. If I bring a bunch of parts in at once then its more like $30.
When I had my shop I would bead blast intakes all day long until they looked new. I would also suggest you have it powder coated clear if you don't want it looking nasty again and you don't want it to turn yellow over time from any fuel that leks past the throttle shafts or elsewhere.
