Cleaning aluminum intake

How can I clean all the old crud off a old intake to make it look new?? I would like to restore the original look! I'm sure there's a trick, but I just don't know what it is!! Thanks for any help. Jimmy

 

glass beads

 

glass beads

if its off where you can clean it

 

Watch the glass. You must protect the inside. Beads will stick in the old crude inside the intake. They will come loose and get into the engine they can eat up your bearings. Saw a guy have to eat a rebuild because of this.

 

Yes... payed $20 at a shop to do mine looks good as new!

 

The secret is fresh beads. I'll clear the machine out, buy fresh media and do a batch of aluminum all at once. Looks bright as a remanned alternator from the local parts store.

 

Simple Green and some elbow grease worked for me.

 

Bad Daddy X-2. With the manifold on the engine, Simple Green and a tooth brush does a good job.

 

Bead blast or sand blast but you gotta make sure you get it clean inside before re-installing. HRP

 

I used a rotary wire brush on one and that cleaned it up enough it sold for me.


I should add I probably wouldn't do it on anything old, rare, or high dollar though. It was just an Edelbrock SBC intake.

 

Thanks for the tips!!! I'll try the simple green and a tooth brush! I've got the intake and a weiand super charger to clean up!! One great thing about the hamb , there are so many nice people, willing to help, with great ideas! Thanks again- jimmy

 

The other day I was trying to polish my tunnel ram and my paste polish turned the whole thing dark gray! Tried everything in the garage to clean it, and stumbled upon some Turtle Wax mag wheel cleaner. Sprayed it on and the crud started disolving! Underneath was the beautiful finish I had when it was new!
So I went and took my other car out of the garage, and sprayed it's dirty intake also. Brushed it again with the mag wheel brush and hosed it off. It also came out looking like new! Can't believe I've been fighting this all these years, and finally found something easy that doesn't require removing the intake to use!
I also found if I spray it on a rag I can clean all the dirt and oil off my valve covers, and then just wipe it with a damp rag afterwards!

 

look for someone in your area that shoots dry Ice it works well - Nothing left hanging around to come lose

 

find someone with a jet blast cabinet , or put it through the pots and pan cycle of your dishwasher

 

I wasn't even trying to clean mine at the time but spilled some gas on it and as I wiped it off it came out lookin brand spankin new! So I just wiped the rest of it down with some more. Honestly it wouldn't be my first choice but it worked. Brakleen is what I usually use and just wipe it. If you try to scrub it clean it will polish certain areas and the finish just won't look right.

 

Super clean - steam clean - blow dry - wheel cleaner acid - steam clean = like the day it was made.

 

$1 store oven cleaner is a great degreaser and works well. It will slightly etch aluminum, so if polished surface it will get dull. Regular cast surface no issues. It can loosen bad paint, it won't harm good paint beyond it can dull the gloss a bit.

 

I have used aluma-bright. It's an acid made to clean aluminum. Can be found at auto parts store. Try not to get it on your skin and rinse thoroughly.

 

In the marine industry we use a product called Aluma-Brite to clean aluminum trailers, wheels, parts etc. I suspect it is something like wheel cleaner, but it is spray on, hose off, and makes a five year old oxidized trailer look like brand new. (also works on pontoon boats!) I suspect it would be good for manifolds etc.

 

I guess Daddy-O and I were typing (and thinking) at the same time.

 

I say no on the glass beads. I was not interested in glass beading my OLD Thickstun and used a Zep (Home Depot) degreaser and a strong brush with water, it looks great and not abraded like media treatment. I believe the degreaser does a mild etching, leaves a nice "natural" finish...

 

I too have used the inexpensive oven cleaner with very good results. Plus some have a LEMON scent.

 

Glass beads, that's how I do those and pistons, just make sure if you do pistons put tape around where the rings go and don't shoot in that area.

 

Worn glass beads. Almost a powder.

 

This stuff works great on clean but oxidized or dull aluminum. If its oily or greasy you have to clean that off first. Dont let it dry or you'll have streaks and will have to do it over. If the aluminum is polished it will dull the finish. I use it on old motorcycles and you would be surprised how good it will clean up old aluminum. This stuff also removes rust streaks from chrome. Spray it on, a quick scrub with a brush and hose it off. It's just a mild acid so if you get it on your skin it will start to burn but not too bad. Ive also seen guy's use baking soda as a blast media, it cleans but does nothing to the original surface like glass or sand does.

 

How about keeping it clean? Anyone apply some type of high temp clear to keep the crud from getting into the rough surface of cast aluminum?

 

Yeah, we use it on the aluminum wrecker beds at work.

 

Same intake just powder coated with Eastwood's cast aluminum

 

I always used the dishwasher for the final cleaning on 356 Porsche cases and bare heads...

"You could eat off of them".

I had a $50 used dishwasher just outside my shop at home...emptied gray water into the cleanout on the side of our Aptos house. If we lived 150 yards closer to the ocean, I could have emptied it right into the surf!

 

Tommy...

How'd you get that cast iron thermostat housing to match color with manifold?

And is it coated with Eastwood's clear also? That is SLICK!