Manifold spruce up

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careysd

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After looking through the archives, I realize that there are realistically three ways to make my intake manifold look good: powdercoating, wire brush/buff, and paint.

Being that powdercoating will cost too much and buffing will only look good for a very limited time, painting seems to be the best option.

I saw the AlumaBlast threads and was thinking that aluminum engine paint will get me very close to this.

Is the best way to (1) degrease, (2) etch prime (if necessary?) and (3) spray away. Will I need a clear, or just a couple of good coats?

I really prefer the natural look, but having spent many hours buffing out parts on my 2002 when I rebuilt the motor, the prettiness seemed to fade too quickly.

Thoughts or suggestions?

Scott
 
Preparing intake manifolds

If you have them off--get them bead blasted with glass pellets and you will have the "natural look" you like. To clean in the future--use a good bio-degradable cleaner, vigorously brushed on with medium stiff bristled brush and then rinsed off with water spray and dry with toweling.

IMHO lumi-blast looks unatural for most engine parts.
 
blumax said:
If you have them off--get them bead blasted with glass pellets and you will have the "natural look" you like. To clean in the future--use a good bio-degradable cleaner, vigorously brushed on with medium stiff bristled brush and then rinsed off with water spray and dry with toweling.

IMHO lumi-blast looks unatural for most engine parts.
Click to expand...

i would only soda blast intakes... for the internals of the engines sake.
i know they are supposed to clean the parts afterward... but what if not?
better save than sorry
 
Agree with Murray- bead blasting leaves a nice, authentic finish.

If you must, powdercoating should not be expensive- have you shopped it around? As a reference, I had 2002 subframes powdercoated for less than $50.00 each in the San Diego area.
 
bead blasted with glass pellets

Before.jpg

after.jpg


Here is the result with bead blasting with glass pellets.

Afterward I put a thin layer of heat resistant clear coat to have them maintenance free.

I noticed the brightness in the two pictures is not the same, so it's difficult to do a fair judgment from the photos. But I was really pleased with the result.
 
Stefan said:
I noticed the brightness in the two pictures is not the same, so it's difficult to do a fair judgment from the photos. But I was really pleased with the result.
Click to expand...

i know of quite a few fellow porsche and bmw owners that ruined their engines by using the wrong medium on their engine parts.
soda blasting or nutshell blasting is the only true safe method
 
getting natural look on aluminum parts

["i know of quite a few fellow porsche and bmw owners that ruined their engines by using the wrong medium on their engine parts."]

["soda blasting or nutshell blasting is the only true safe method"]

I'm sure the soda and nutshell media are both safe--however--sounds as if the owners who "did in" their engines from bead blasting weren't exactly "hands on" kind of Porsche & BMW owners that hang out here on the E-9 board.

For over 30 years yours truly has succeeded in avoiding such tragic results --in spite of using very fine glass beads in the equipment that our local Porsche & BMW Independents both have and regularly use--no known engine deaths here--maybe just been lucky??
 
bead blaster

I have bead (glass) blasted many intakes off of 2002s and a few 3.0cs, 2 e34s and several others and never had an issue. I usually clean the insides after blasting with carb cleaner then run a soft rag through them. Just my .02
 
Alloy Burnishing

The rule of thumb should always be to clean with the least amount of damage.

Alloys are forged in molds whereby from natural cooling beginning from the exterior a casting becomes "skinned." This skin is sometimes only 1/64". It the original texture, grain, and shine. Breaking the skin results in parts that are nearly impossible to keep clean is concurrent with Scotts comment.

Cleaning can be by Chemical or Mechanical.

Chemical- cleaners used with brushes ( s.s.). Takes a lot of time and effort( sometimes days) but the least amount of damage. Yes, even shiney.

Mechanical- Many professional restorers have used all sorts of abrasives, but every reputable one of them knows what thorough cleaning is both before and after. Only glass has any meaningful effect on alloy. It should be the finest bead you can find and low pressure ( 40 psi). Industrial tumblers are available in some locales that can reproduce a factory finish when used with the correct media and chemicals, but still not readily available.

For sometime now (80's) car manufacturers have used clear engine compartment finishes. PPG, etc., have them. Most recently some of these are rated for 1200 degrees. Even plating manufacturer suppliers such as Caswell suggest clears.

Porsche catastrophic engine failures and bead blasting- Yep, happened because someone inexperienced took oil system parts to a blaster that NEVER should be blasted and did a sh..ty job of cleaning. There are parts that have hidden crevices, soft materials, or grunged up, and not cleaned that after blasting broke loose and destroyed cases, cranks, etc. If it has oil flowing through it: don't blast it.( Oil filters, oil cans, etc.)

And for that final touch- there is even high temp engine wax being marketed.

P.S. Alumiblast has a 8-12% gloss. No clear required.
Old painters used vinegar to etch aluminum before painting.

61Porsche
 
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