Aluminum parts restoration

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fratzog lover

fratzog lover

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Was looking on the web for ways to clean a used aluminum intake and found this guys site, Joe Macneish.. Yeah, he is a chevy guy( I'm ducking for cover now), but his restoration of intakes and other parts is mind boggling. The rare Chrysler intake that was saved blew me away. Even the 3x2 427 intake that was melted in an engine fire came out beautiful. Oh, yeah, whats your favorite technique for cleaning a cruddy aluminum intake?


http://z28camaro.com/wp/restoration-services/
 
Yes I agree, that is amazing. I for sure, and most people for that matter, would never consider that to be possible. This does show that with enough skill and patience (and I'm sure money!) just about anything can be saved.
 
Best cleaning methood i've used was covering the intake in paint stripper, waiting 20 minutes, then power washing it off, repeat until clean. It doesn't scratch up anything like steel wool, and it gets off dirt, paint, old grease, etc. Usually takes three times to do it, I use the same thing on motors before paint.
 
so they are forging engine blocks? Nice. Making fakes look like original with forged casting marking. whats next!
 
Mopar Tim said:
so they are forging engine blocks? Nice. Making fakes look like original with forged casting marking. whats next!
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They merely replaced the Winters forging casting mark that had been ground down by the previous owner of the engine.
 
I took an Edelbrock performer to a shop and had it hot tanked. It came out like new...was this a mistake on aluminum???
 
scooby67 said:
They merely replaced the Winters forging casting mark that had been ground down by the previous owner of the engine.
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AND as stated putting winters casting marks on NEW blocks! Said so themselves. Forging!:wack:
 
I usually blast them in my blast cabinet with the appropriate media. Sometimes I'll paint and or clear coat them with satin clearcoat. Works for me.
 
I think I will try the paint stripper method since I have a 3800 psi power washer. Its a decent intake(street dominator), so I am gonna clean it so I can paint it engine color. Just gonna remove my RPM intake to reseal leaking bolts, so why not see how the holley feels. Anyone try blue label Easy Off? I heard of people having success with that.
 
fratzog lover said:
I think I will try the paint stripper method since I have a 3800 psi power washer. Its a decent intake(street dominator), so I am gonna clean it so I can paint it engine color. Just gonna remove my RPM intake to reseal leaking bolts, so why not see how the holley feels. Anyone try blue label Easy Off? I heard of people having success with that.
Click to expand...

Have had decent luck,with the standard yellow can Easy Off. The warmer,the better.
 
Oven cleaner worked well. Now I'm looking at blast cabinets. This is gettin pricey, but fun. Harbor freight had a standing unit for 200 bucks with 20% off. That I would get some use out of. Are glass beads better than coarse walnut?
 
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