Author Topic: Cleaning Aluminum (Read 956 times)

toynado · « **on:** Sep 29, 2003, 06:20:06 am »

found anything that makes the intake sparkle?
gonna paint it, but the paint is translucent, so if it's nice underneath it will look better
just needs to be cleaned
duro aluminum jelly is cheap i herd
haven't seen it on stains tho
tried metal cleaner?

wadadlianu · « **Reply #1 on:** Sep 29, 2003, 02:06:21 pm »

If you are using clear spray be careful. I once polished an alternator frame to see what it looked like, and decided to spray it clear to keep the look, BIG MISTAKE!!
It dulled the look. There is a product out there you put on that seals the polished look, but I cannot remember that name of the product, maybe someone else can help on that. I know the sealer lasts for 2yrs. In regards to the aluminum I would try to polish it

toynado · « **Reply #2 on:** Sep 29, 2003, 05:20:08 pm »

i just read someone on a car board somewhere said
if you sand or brush it
it just attracts dirt
not sure that makes any sense to me
i sanded the flat raised efi design on the top
but the rest is oxidized and dark and polish duzn't work
think i'll try metal cleaner
one says it'll do it e z, but i'd haf to order it
uses flouride
i'm gonna use lacquer base metallic paint
'the anodized look'
just cuz it's pretty, not cuz i want it to look anodized
turned out nice on some of the water and egr pipes tho
esp. the ones i sanded clean
they were stained
but sanding takes off the zinc coating

wadadlianu · « **Reply #3 on:** Sep 29, 2003, 06:19:38 pm »

If you sand or buff it the dirt will show up easier, due to its shiney background. I you use coarse media it will make it worse as the dirt will embed in the grooves. I guess that is the biggest problems with aluminum, it looks real good when it is freshly buffed or polished, but there doesnt really seem to be a way of keeping that nice fresh look. What color are you going with with the anodized look?

Teranfirbt · « **Reply #4 on:** Sep 29, 2003, 07:03:06 pm »

My dad just ran it through the big parts washer at firestone when we built my motor. came out just like new, plus it didnt have all the oil in it from the stupid PCV valve (they needed a different way of doing that...)

wadadlianu · « **Reply #5 on:** Sep 29, 2003, 07:29:25 pm »

Sometimes I will run aluminum noses in a vibratory parts washer, and it will buff it to a shine, and if you leave it in long enough, the heat causes the solvent to put a coat over it. This lasts for about 6months to a year. If you are going to paint it would advise rubbing it down with paint thinner to get rid of the oily film left back

toynado · « **Reply #6 on:** Sep 30, 2003, 12:19:52 am »

gonna use red metalcast
i think it's duplicolor?
since i saw that celica with the red intake on here
but that paint is translucent, so looks weird depending on wut's under it
or opaque looking over dark stuff
only looks anodized if it's shiny underneath
i can shine up the intake with sanding disk on drill pad, pretty quickly
but then the efi logo gives no contrast
maybe i'll shine it up and leave that unpainted
i sanded down half the freeking cold idle adjust knob without even noticing

wadadlianu · « **Reply #7 on:** Sep 30, 2003, 12:24:49 am »

Maybe if you tape off the EFI then spray it a solid color, black or something else, it would stand out somemore

toynado · « **Reply #8 on:** Sep 30, 2003, 12:39:33 am »

i painted the valve cover with purple metalcast
it's pretty opaque due to the cover not being very shiny and i covered it with a lot of paint
i'll probly take the paint off the toy letters
too plain just all one color
if i paint my chrome i'll try to use light coats
this paint is stunning if enuf undercoat shows thru
and you can do multi tints by using less paint coats
it's very pretty
but if you put on enuf coats, it'll turn opaque instead of anodized looking