Cleaning the Intake Manifold.

[robw13]

Hi,

What's the best way to clean the cast iron Intake Manifold after getting it Blasted at a shop? Thought bout painting it too or should I just clear coat it?

 

[bm02tj]

wash with hot water and blow dry with air so it does not rust
as I assume it was sand or glass to clean
you do not want any to get in motor

 

[robw13]

So get a bucket of hot water and drench it then air dry (compressor)?

 

[super-bee_ski]

Yup,
1. Flow plenty of water through it if [YOU FEAR] minute sand or glass particles/beads are inside it.
2. Run compressed air through it for a "check"
3. Shake, rattle and roll to verify its cleaned out.
4. Let it sit in the sun to dry. Dry thoroughly.
5. Prime it with a good primer...light coats...very light coats and let primer dry for a day.
6. Paint it your desired color.

I'd always paint the manifold unless it was Aluminum.
Cast will rust. Almost immediately.

Remember; IF small debris like sand blast particles are in it, it will not have a negative impact due to the combustion sequence.

 

[robw13]

K great, is it worth clear coating it as well?

 

[69Bee]

Here is what you do for a stock manifold:

1) Use a chisel and hammer to loosen and remove the rivets on the heat shield on the bottom. If the shop did not remove it, there will be a **** ton of glass bead under there.

2) Use the chisel to remove any left over carbonized oil from the bottom of manifold.

3) Blow out all of the passages to include the heat crossover. When you think you are good, blow it out some more. It is a pain to clean it out completely.

4) Now is the time to wash it if you want to, but I see no real reason to. If you do, blow it dry, then wait until the next day to blow all of the passages out again. The wet debris and glass bead will NOT come out when wet.

5) Paint as desired, but I do NOT recommend using a can clear coat. I have done that a l-o-n-g time ago, and when it heats up, it will eventually turn yellow and peel.

6) Lastly, put the heat shield back, using red loc-tite on the rivets, use a hammer to put them back in.

Hope this helps you out.

 

[hemi#1]

yea cleanliness is most important but have you thought about powder coating for finish? all kinds of colors to choose from. I had my 3 deuce manifold done for $100.00 and It looks great in super chrome.

 

[CudaChick1968]

You don't want to just clear a cast iron manifold -- not only will it yellow over time you're merely going to preserve all the splotchiness and unevenness of the blasting effort. Here's a couple finishing ideas ...

 

[snakeyes]

come on Leanna show him more :headbang:

 

[CudaChick1968]

Nahhhhh, that's enough snakey. I'm not a salesperson, just a motorhead. Besides, most of the intakes I coat are aluminum.

 

[sleepar]

You don't want to just clear a cast iron manifold -- not only will it yellow over time you're merely going to preserve all the splotchiness and unevenness of the blasting effort. Here's a couple finishing ideas ...

View attachment 187911View attachment 187912View attachment 187913View attachment 187914View attachment 187915

Great work But.... would you go through this on a 2bbl intake ?

 

[CudaChick1968]

Thank you sleepar! And yes doll, I go through all of that on EVERYTHING. My customers come up with the parts, the amazing color schemes and customization ideas and I just turn it all into reality. It's my job ... and I LOVE IT.

 

[sleepar]

I have replaced the 2 bbl intake on all my LA motors with a 4 bbl set-up. It came out nice... like the weiand one pictured less the label.
It was easier than dealing with the 2bbl and on a 71 360 I had was a big pain with all the lean burn system in place... never thought those were worth messing with

 

[coloradodave]

Leanna: Very impressive work. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[CudaChick1968]

Thanks Dave!

 

[callofthemopar]

yea cleanliness is most important but have you thought about powder coating for finish? all kinds of colors to choose from. I had my 3 deuce manifold done for $100.00 and It looks great in super chrome.

I have to ask about the durability of the super chrome. It has been my experiance that it mars very very easily unless cleared. I made metallic powders for all powder the suppliers for many years and I loved the chromes but was not impressed with how easily it fingerprinted and mared with the slightest of abbrassion.

 

[hemi#1]

my powder coater said if it was clear coated it would change the color to like a gray. it has not been put on yet. I did the poly valve covers also

 

[clemul]

The hemi orange intake and valve covers in the above pics are mine..Leanna did an amazing, flawless job on them. If you need anything powdercoated she is top shelf...

 

[CudaChick1968]

I have to ask about the durability of the super chrome. It has been my experiance that it mars very very easily unless cleared. I made metallic powders for all powder the suppliers for many years and I loved the chromes but was not impressed with how easily it fingerprinted and mared with the slightest of abbrassion.

ALL chrome-replica, silver, gold (and even some red) powders need to be cleared in order to be UV stable or they'll oxidize over time and you'll have to polish them because of the metal content in the base coat powder.

I'm with you callofthemopar, and knowing your experience with my industry helps a lot. I've never really been a fan of the chrome powders myself and it's for the same reasons. They look great straight out of the oven -- almost like real chrome -- but the necessary clear topcoat takes a lot of the "pop" and flash out of them. The stuff has been around for decades now and there are technological developments all the time (MDF, wood, plastic and even a portable setup for swimming pools that cures in the sun!) so hopefully a good clear will be one of them.

my powder coater said if it was clear coated it would change the color to like a gray. it has not been put on yet. I did the poly valve covers also

Yes hemi#1, it will. It'll just be a shinier version of what it looks like now after the blasting. That color will depend on whether it was glass bead, walnut shells, aluminum oxide, black slag, etc., since each has its own properties and affects the metal differently.

If you're going with a clear powder coating over a bare blasted substrate, make sure the metal is properly prepped first by an experienced coater or you'll end up with serious outgassing: little bumps and fissures all over it and a lot of discoloration under the clear due to all the chemicals (gasoline, carb cleaner, etc.) that leached into it over the years, and air -- trapped in the metal when it was formed -- all coming to the surface during the cure cycle. It might look all right from a few feet back but up close it will be hideous and bumpy to the touch.

* * *

Had to edit this to thank you for the kind words clemul!! I guess I was typing while you were and I missed it. If I remember right, yours had some of that discoloration I was talking about a minute ago.



Uh huhhh, I thought so ...





And all those annoying little divots and casting defects are gone too now. It was a fun job! I love playin with aluminum

 

[robw13]

when installing the intake, do I just use RTV Sealant? Haynes Manual says to use Dry-Cement in the corners I believe...