Clear Coating Polished Alluminum

I am fixing to polish my intake manifold and my timing cover.I was woundering if anyone has done clear over the polished allum? If it is ok to do what do you reckomend or is it to much trouble later on down the road.

thanks--sp1ke

 

They have some wipe on stuff like Shark Skin and I am sure there are others. I do know how it holds up to heat. Another choice might be clear powder coating. I think it will hold at least 400*. If you are a do it yourselfer, it is worth getting an old oven and buying the stuff you need for coating. Harbor Fgt sells a kit, but I cannot recommend or dis it. I bought the Eastwood kit. No problems yet. Do not use the kitchen oven.

 

I've powder coated my intakes with clear and had good results. I think if you use too much it will yellow. Don't know about other clears. They would have to be tough.

 

Polished surfaces don't offer much in the way of adhesion.
Make sure to clean the surface well no matter the coating, denatured alcohol werkz very well.

Powder coat clear yellowing is usually caused by over cure either via time, or temp.

 

I would just wax the surfaces after polishing. Getting anything to stick to aluminum is a pain. I wouldn't paint it. I've had really good luck with power coat but never tried clear. I would take it to someone who has some experience.

 

Most new model rims have a clear on them.

 

isn't zoops one of them??

 

After buff you need to clean real good to take all the black residue out of the pores. Laquer thinner, alcohol, till the wiper rags are clean. Then shoot with clear laquer. Eastwood useto sell NyLac. it was good. Most clear rattle cans are enamel, not so good.

Clear laquer around here is still availible for furniture and floor finishing. Thin and spray.


I did an alum valve cover and side cover for my 235 years ago and the clear is holding up better than the paint on the engine. I hate buffing aluminum. I just wipe them down with windex once a year.

I also did the intake about 4 years ago and because of gas spills, it hasn't done well. Gas turns the coating yellow and brown and the alcohol in the gas makes it soft. Most of the coating is still there, just discolored near the spills.

 

Zoop Seal co makes a product just for this, but I find it dulls back the shine some. Eastwood also has a spray on product, but to me it still dulls back the shine.

 

We use "Diamond Clear" from Eastwood with good results. They offer 3 different kinds. One is rated to 600 deg resists brake fluid, fuels, chemicals without staining or yellowing, we use that one for polished intake manifolds. We also use their standard clear on polished wheels with very good results. Some of the rims had been cleared several years ago and are still holding up well, even with going through North Dakota winters/salt!

 

I powder coated my aluminum intake,I didn`t like the look. It seemed to me to be plastic looking .

 

I've always wondered what the Japanese motorcycles used on their cases in the 60s. It was some tough stuff to get off if it did fail.

I'll just try some wax. I really don't want it to look too good. I think it looks phoney if it's too shiny JMO

 

after a great polish job on my intake i powder coated it clear. never again

 

Clear anodizing will work. I polished the edges of an eggcrate grille and had it clear anodized. Be sure to tell your coater not to beadblast or chemical treat it.

 

tommy, what a blast from the past, I remember how we would park our bikes and bench race and sit and chip the pieces away with our fingernails while we were telling our stories. Then you get that one big piece that gets caught under the nail and starts bleeding, you know what i'm talking about don't you

 

Saw an oil pan today that had been done by Performance Coatings, (kinda Jet Hot stuff), that was really shinny. In fact I asked if it was polished aluminum when I saw it. Don't know how it ages or reacts to fuel though.

 

..


...................Would that be the Performance Coatings, in Jonesboro, Ga., or another outfit by the same name?

 

just a good polish, clean and wax and it will look like a million bucks for awhile. if it gets dirty it always wipes right off with a bit of polishing compound or whatever and a rag. easy. fuel will be tuff on a clear coat, plus the clear isn't forever and eventually leaves ya a bit peeld later down the road.

 

I've clearcoated polished aluminum for years! I've also done it on things like my motorcycle swingarms, and rims. I've never had it yellow, and never had it chiop off. I love it; wash-n-wear so to speak!

 

We use RAINX , couple wet coats, then wipe off after it dries. Has worked good so far.