okay, got everything squared away just about...except one tiny little thing...painting the intake manifold. I sprayed it with a slight amount of degreaser and went to town with a toothbrush. That got it cleaned well enough, but not nice. So i pick up some sandpaper and start with that. I'm not sure what grit it is, but I do not think it is strong enough. After about thirty minutes of vigurous rubbing (I think I saw a porno like that once...) and about three peices of sandpaper later (yup, I did see a porno like that once..) hardly anything has changed. It looks a tiny bit more silver, and is just a tad smoother. But those big black spots everywhere don't seem to be coming off...so, wht do I do?

 

paint it.

 

well...you are the master!! A painting I shall go...you know...once this supercell goes away from right above my house...:-/

 

Take it down to a machine shop and stick it in the chem bath brother... will come out spotless... unless it's still on the ride!!!

 

you could hit it w/ a coat of self etching primer, ive purchased that at the paint store in a spray can before, good stuff.

 

Bead Blast!

Better yet, if you want a little sheen, finish with walnut shells. I myself am silicon blasting everything on the engine I am currently rebuilding, then spraying with Krylon gloss acrylic. It looks nice and clean without looking "Yo", you know?

 

well, i was worried at first about the fact that i had tiny "dimples" everywhere...but thankfully the paint isn't going into them. I got the first coat on, and it looks nice...I may do my valve cover too! How difficult is that to take off and put back on??

 

I hit my manny with sanding discs on a drill...runners were pretty damn smooth after about 1 1/2 hours...

 

sand blast!!!

 

wouldn't you feel bad if someone actually went and did that?

 

It's not too bad. Loosen the T-belt, mark spot on belt and cam sprocket, and remove from sprocket. Then remove the covers on the top part of the valve cover with an Allen wrench or socket. You have several Allen bolts to remove from the bottom (sliding the heater rail out of the way) and the top. Have an assistant hold the cover in place while you take out the last of the bolts. Then let it roll back into your hands to prevent the lifters from falling out. I think the last time I pulled it off we did it in under 20 minutes.

 

i must be slow this afternoon. i dont get it....

 

unless im mistaken, sandblasting aluminum is a bad thing, it removes the metal. i think it can be done with the right sand and pressure. but i think the alternative is almost always a bead blasting type method

 

Hmm...cam cover stays in car!!

 

oh.
i sand blast aluminum parts night and day.
nothing bad ever happened to em. no wonder i didn't get it!