trying to polish intake mani...

**doublezero30** · 04-13-2008 08:59 PM

but have no idea how to go about doing it. any help appreciated. what did you use to do yours? i heard theres some kind of buffing wheel you can use but i have no idea where i could get one or what it even looks like.

**Rhinop21** · 04-13-2008 10:00 PM

sand paper, start with a low grade (high grit) then progressively go up to about 1000 or higher.

**absolutegtr** · 04-13-2008 10:02 PM

and then get some aluminum polish and have it!

**jrau13** · 04-13-2008 10:03 PM

You are going to need power tools.

**absolutegtr** · 04-13-2008 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by jrau13

You are going to need power tools.

not true I polished that part of the valve cover that protrudes out without even sanding it first and it came out GREAT! I just tired and called it quits, lol

I already changed my valve cover gasket once...but I might as well change it again, since it is leaking again and polish it off the car

**x1rider** · 04-14-2008 03:55 AM

I am in the process of polishing one now. First you have to level the cast marks, I use 80-180 grit sandpaper, depending on the porosity. After that I'll work my way to 220, 380, 400 wet, 600 wet, 800 wet, 1000 wet. Then with a buffing wheel use emery compound, tripoli compound, then white rouge to finish off.
Here are a few pics of the intake mani I'm working on and of the FMIC I did before using that technique. It is a LOT of work!

Intake mani in the process:

FMIC before:

FMIC after:

**doublezero30** · 04-14-2008 05:30 AM

hmm, maybe ill just sand it down and paint it with the silver engine paint i have instead. lol seems like that will be the easier route.

**x1rider** · 04-14-2008 05:39 AM

Originally Posted by doublezero30

hmm, maybe ill just sand it down and paint it with the silver engine paint i have instead. lol seems like that will be the easier route.

If you plan to sand down the cast marks, you might as well finish the polishing process. Sanding down the cast marks is the hardest, most time-consuming part in my opinion. Once the marks are gone, it's only a matter of removing the scratches with finer and finer grades of sandpaper.

**A4donkey** · 04-14-2008 07:55 AM

The rough surface will give more total surface area which provides better heat dissipation, polish it will decrease the total surface area and turn out ..........

**absolutegtr** · 04-14-2008 08:17 AM

oops i was thinking of the valve cover , lol

**doublezero30** · 04-14-2008 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by A4donkey

The rough surface will give more total surface area which provides better heat dissipation, polish it will decrease the total surface area and turn out ..........

if you really think that will make a significant difference than i dont know what to say. lol

i ended up just sanding i for about 20-30minutes and it looks good enough for me. i mean, clearly it could look way better. i was really just looking to get rid of the crappy nasty looking metal on the surface so its relatively presentable. no mirror shine needed for my liking (although that would look amazing.)