Cleaning up the "old" Performer RPM intake...

[Lenz]

My new Performer RPM heads look great compared to the intake, several years of staining and discoloration.  Anyone have a magic elixir they use that'll bring my intake back to a new or near new appearance?  A recommended post cleaning sealer?  Not afraid of brushes or using elbow grease to get the job done.  I want to avoid mechanical processes such as glass beading if I can.

[machoneman]

Super Clean or similar degreasing products. Don't let it sit long on the aluminum as the instructions state. Best to hit it twice if needed. It's the sodium hydroxide that will eat aluminum. Some staining though will not come out short of bead blasting or actual sanding of the surfaces.

Sorry, but it is porous and the longer the stain is on the aluminum, the worse it is to remove. Many now do the blasting (walnut shells, ice) and then a.) have it clear coated (cheap) or b.) have the intake Jet-Hot coating (very pricey) but it will look great and stay clean (or make it easy to clean) in the future. 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/SuperClean-32-oz-tough-task-cleaner-degreaser/_/N-2602?itemIdentifier=326141_0_0_

[Qikbbstang]

I'm leery of "clear coating" any metal because of the failures I've had and seen others have. Sooner or later the "clear coating" will fail or chip and then you really have a mess.
   There's a reason factory's don't do it.

[machoneman]

Agreed. I'm amending my post for clarification:

Sorry, but it is porous and the longer the stain is on the aluminum, the worse it is to remove. Many now do the blasting (walnut shells, ice) and then a.) have it clear coated (cheap) or b.) have the intake Jet-Hot coating (very pricey).  The Jet Hot coated surface will look great and stay clean (or make it easy to clean) in the future.  Clear coat is nice but many have experimented with Eastwood's clear coat or other recommended clears allegedly designed for intakes and found they do eventually lift. Buyer beware. 

[Lenz]

Thanks for the input and clarification gents.  Products that don't perform as advertised are one of the worst slaps you can take, put money in and lose/lose.

[Barry_R]

I generally scrub the #$%^& out of them.
Then I very, very lightly fog them with the cast blast aluminum paint.
Not enough to truly coat them, just enough to smooth the color.
You usually cannot really tell its been coated at all.

[CaptCobrajet]

On older or used manifolds, we glass bead them, then wash with simple green, and then tumble the manifold.  Depending on how long it is tumbled, it can look like new, or like the "Endurashine" that Edelbrock sells, or like Wade White's 3X2......there are some pics of the "inbetween" on his manifold on this forum and on the FE Forum.  Any kind of paint or clear will come off eventually, and blasting only will make it a trash magnet.  The tumbling closes the pores up and helps prevent staining.  Brake parts  cleaner and a towel will wipe fuel stains right away!

[cjshaker]

On older or used manifolds, we glass bead them, then wash with simple green, and then tumble the manifold......The tumbling closes the pores up and helps prevent staining.  Brake parts  cleaner and a towel will wipe fuel stains right away!

What exactly is the "tumbling" process? Is it tumbling the intake in a drum using steel beads? It's hard to imagine a full size FE intake "tumbling" around inside a drum or whatever is used. Seems it would "dent" the corners pretty badly. But I have a feeling I'm not picturing the right process.

[MeanGene]

I have very good results with the etching type aluminum wheel cleaner, which can be a little tough to find. Scrub it as clean as you can, then use the wheel cleaner, comes out almost white. I have a big Dayton bead blaster, but hate to use it one stuff like that, especially original stuff, as it changes the surface texture

[Lenz]

Looks like good old fashioned elbow grease, cleaner and sealing or "coloring" are what I'll settle out with, probably going to do it up tomorrow after work.  I have some Eagle One wheel and "accessory" cleaner, know it will etch if I need to go that route.  Between all the above and pressure washing I should get it presentable.

MeanGene, I'm with Doug on the tumbling process, we do it on small parts at work daily, but hard to picture the process on an FE intake.  I'd be curious about what media and equipment is used?

[chilly460]

Anyone tried powder coating an intake?  I'm getting setup to be able to coat something the size of an intake and would love to give it a shot.  My Performer RPM looks like garbage after fighting a few oil and coolant leaks....

[machoneman]

I've seen show cars with powered coated intakes but these were very short running time trailer queens. Don't know how well it would hold up in a real daily driver or even weekend warrior.

[mlcraven]

I have powder coated two intakes, a SBC more than ten years ago and an FE last year.  They look good and the surface holds up reasonably well but -- and isn't there always a but? -- it is susceptible to fuel staining.  Also, on the FE manifold, where the intake bolts go through the raised bosses, the powder coating will crack when the bolts are torqued.

[Lenz]

Well, simple green, scrubbing, pressure wash rinsing, Eagle One wheel cleaner for a light etch and then a light fog of cast aluminum color, just enough to get uniformity turned out to be the formula.  In the end, it turned out like most feedback implied, short of mechanical finishing there's no substitute for elbow grease .  I've got a pretty good match now across the top end .

[GJCAT427]

Hey Lenz, is the motor assembled yet? I have Craig Suttons Tbolt clone at the house doing the shock towers. should be done next week.