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Re: Need a good readily available chemical to brighten oxided aluminum intake (Tom454)
I painted mine with Tremclad aluminum paint took me 10 minutes and it looks great. Better then new and you can paint it on the engine with a brush. As I said, looks great.
Re: Need a good readily available chemical to brighten oxided aluminum intake (bungoo2u)
I've always wondered about sandblasting or glassbeading the intake and then clear coating it. Does the regular clear coat hold up to the heat of the intake or is there a high temp clear coat available?
I've always used liberal coats of Plasti-kote engine enamel CLEAR as the final touch on all painted surfaces on my engine. Its never cracked, flaked or discolored in any way. Plus it cleans up (oil, etc) without leaving any perceptible stain or discoloration unlike Chevy Orange sometimes. It also works well on unpainted aluminum (like heads & intakes). It does change the shade slightly on coarse, unpolished aluminum.
Re: Need a good readily available chemical to brighten oxided aluminum intake (mdsmith)
The reason is suggested sodium hydroxide (lye) (about 1/2 cup per 5 gals ) is because that is what I use to strip the anodizing off aluminum parts. It takes the anodizing right off and yes it does leave a residue. I remove the residue by a quick dip in a very mild solution of sufuric acid ( about 100 to one water to H2SO4) then a clean water rinse. A light buffing with a scotchbright and they are ready to be anodized again. It is very good at cleaning heavily oxidized aluminum but no it won't be shiny. You need a brightener for that and they are expensive and more dangerous than sufuric acid...
Re: Need a good readily available chemical to brighten oxided aluminum intake (427V8)
I worked at a truck wash once and we used an aluminum brightner from a company by the name of Busch. I used it quite a bit and all I ever got out of it is that it stained the aluminum to an almost white color. It was a good finish to start from when power polishing was going to be done. A mask must be worn when using heavy chemicals like this. The bottle said something about liver damage from inhalation. I can't remember really, but we used to get s.hit for not wearing the gloves and mask.
Re: Need a good readily available chemical to brighten oxided aluminum intake (427V8)
Well... we're going in all sorts of directions here... teach is not going to blast... not an option.
Westleys is corrosive on Aluminum. I'm not sure what it does to an already oxidized finish, but if you use it directly on un-coated aluminum... it instantly oxidizes the surface. I have uncoated mags on my 66 and I can't get Westleys anywhere near them, or they oxidize instantly, and I have to re-polish the entire wheel. I also accidentally sprayed Westleys on the rocker molding on my 70... instant disaster.
FWIW- I also accidentally got Westleys on a freshly installed new windshield on my 66 and the windshield has permanent damage. IMOP it's the best tire CLEANER (not dirt coverer) on the market... but be careful with it.
RE: The coating AFTER the part is cleaned- I just sprayed an intake with the 500 Clear Engine Enamel after sandblasting, wire-wheeling, Dremeling, and Steel-Whooling. The clear DOES change the color (darker) when applied, and any surface imperfections will be quite noticeable. In fact, if you see it puddle.... you can see it has a tint to it. Verdict is out on how long this stuff will last or on how much it will discolor with heat over time (like clear lacquer does). The problem here, is that the change is so gradual, that you really cannot tell unless you have another identically prepped manifold sitting on the shelf to compare it to.
Maybe that trailer stuff would work... that is one I haven't tried.
In searching for a modern answer, thus resurrecting and old thread, How about a mild, watered-down solution of Muriatic Acid on an Edelbrock intake manifold? I can see that too strong a mix will darken, not brighten. Anyone here try that?
Will probably end up painting it.
In searching for a modern answer, thus resurrecting and old thread, How about a mild, watered-down solution of Muriatic Acid on an Edelbrock intake manifold? I can see that too strong a mix will darken, not brighten. Anyone here try that?
Will probably end up painting it.
Thanks,
Steve
All those intake manifolds are probably due for another good cleaning by now..
We used muriatic acid purchased from swimming pool stores for industrial aluminum housings.
It would be best to dilute the acid alot and submerge a corner of the manifold for "test purposes" to see how the alu inum reacts.......then increase the acid solution if necessary.
Prepping the aluminum/removing all the thick residue first is a must-steam cleaning makes the prep a little easier.
Oven cleaner works as well. But I think most good cleaners, Oven, Muriatic, Phosphorus, will bubble and work great but each will do bad when left sitting on too long. They will turn the area gray, or dark. Ive done a lot of motorcycle parts using these methods. Plus, they will have to be completely removed when done which is complicated........ Remove and vapor blast is ideal
All those intake manifolds are probably due for another good cleaning by now..
We used muriatic acid purchased from swimming pool stores for industrial aluminum housings.
It would be best to dilute the acid alot and submerge a corner of the manifold for "test purposes" to see how the alu inum reacts.......then increase the acid solution if necessary.
Prepping the aluminum/removing all the thick residue first is a must-steam cleaning makes the prep a little easier.
Thanks DGr.
Was thinking of starting with a 5:1 water to muriatic acid ratio. Have this stuff called Zep Industrial Purple that does a good job of degreasing, and I'll start with that.
Just can't see putting a grungy Intake Manifold back on an engine after a blown Head Gasket job.
Oven cleaner works as well. But I think most good cleaners, Oven, Muriatic, Phosphorus, will bubble and work great but each will do bad when left sitting on too long. They will turn the area gray, or dark. Ive done a lot of motorcycle parts using these methods. Plus, they will have to be completely removed when done which is complicated........ Remove and vapor blast is ideal
Thanks much!
I too work on motorcycles, early to mid-80s Honda V4s only, and now thinking of using Berryman Chem Dip on it, cuz it sure does a great job on the carburetors. Just kinda expensive though. Thanks for joggin' my feeble memory.
I used this one with good results on my Holley intake. It's 20 years old but looks pretty much like new after cleaning. It's an acid based cleaner and I had the intake off to clean it. Wouldn't recommend trying to clean with it installed.
Oh .... to hell with the polishin.
The things I've tried (Zep, muriatic, wire brush) just don't do it like I want, including the time involved.
Painted and done.
Just the easiest thing for me right now.
01-11-2002, 01:09 AM
Re: Need a good readily available chemical to brighten oxided aluminum intake (73 Teach's Pet)
BLASPHEMOUS!
