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cleaning aluminum engine parts

5K views 19 replies 12 participants last post by  TINTDESIGNZ 
#1 ·
just got a brand new aluminum intake manifold, and my new motor has aluminum heads. What do you use to keep them looking good, and from oxidizing?
 
#5 ·
I don't know anything about bling, but I know a guy that does. PM Bubba, aka Cripple Midget Racing on the boards. He is the most anal guy on the boards, hands down! He has polished aluminum heads, intake, block, even his oil pan is polished. AND.......... he does all his work with one hand. Seriously, PM him, whatever he uses is what you want.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Obviously ceramic coatings can't compete from a shine aspect, but they sure are a lot easier to maintain. I just don't have the discipline that it takes to keep polished aluminum polished. Like you Kev I run my boat a lot. Pretty much every weekend in the summer. If I'm not at the river, it's running the lakes here in Arizona. No secret I hate polishing. Using it as much as we do, I'd have to be polishing all week so it looked good the next time out etc. etc.

Steve's ride is amazing and as I've said before........one of my favorites for sure. Unfortunately if I owned it, it would be clapped out in a couple months due to my non-maintaining ass. Not proud of that. Just stating fact. I know me.

Beautiful.

 
#18 · (Edited)
Thanks

Not sure what he means by that (gets too hot). It's the same stuff they use on headers. Or maybe he means it gets too hot during the application process?

This is the second intake I've had done. The first one was a dual plane and I took it to them right out of the box. Still had all the casting marks in it and everything. It turned out o.k. but they're much better when sanded smooth and polished first. I had the valve covers done just to kinda tie everything in with the same look (and again.......because I'm too lazy to polish them). I'm told that you can actually use polishing compound on the ceramic coating after it's done and they'll shine a lot more than mine do in the picture. Not sure how true it is. I just picked em up at Jethot and my builder put em all on straight from the shop.
 
#20 ·
Thanks

Not sure what he means by that (gets too hot). It's the same stuff they use on headers. Or maybe he means it gets too hot during the application process?

This is the second intake I've had done. The first one was a dual plane and I took it to them right out of the box. Still had all the casting marks in it and everything. It turned out o.k. but they're much better when sanded smooth and polished first. I had the valve covers done just to kinda tie everything in with the same look (and again.......because I'm too lazy to polish them). I'm told that you can actually use polishing compound on the ceramic coating after it's done and they'll shine a lot more than mine do in the picture. Not sure how true it is. I just picked em up at Jethot and my builder put em all on straight from the shop.
The guy said he has to heat the piece to 800 degrees and has warped a couple intakes due to heat-so he no longer does it? Anyone ever had this problem?:)bulb
 
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