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Polishing an aluminum intake manifold #2512110
06/23/18 12:00 PM
06/23/18 12:00 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 939
Metro Detroit
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1970RT Offline OP
super stock
1970RT  Offline OP
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Metro Detroit
I like the looks of a polished intake manifold and plan on putting a new Edelbrock Performer on my engine sometime this summer so I was thinking of polishing it. Just wondering if anyone here has polished their own manifold and if so, how did you go about it and how difficult was it?

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512114
06/23/18 12:09 PM
06/23/18 12:09 PM
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Atlanta, GA
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mgoblue9798 Offline
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Atlanta, GA
Spend the money and get the already polished version they sell. You could work a week straight on the thing to get it polished.

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: mgoblue9798] #2512158
06/23/18 01:34 PM
06/23/18 01:34 PM
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Posts: 939
Metro Detroit
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1970RT Offline OP
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Metro Detroit
I already have the manifold and I am not going to spend an additional $525 for another manifold. If it is too much work to do I will just leave it raw or paint it.

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512161
06/23/18 01:42 PM
06/23/18 01:42 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,239
north of coder
moparx Offline
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possibly get it powder coated/ceramic coated in a chrome like finish ? may be a better alternative than trying to polish, then maintain it afterward ?
beer

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512184
06/23/18 02:35 PM
06/23/18 02:35 PM
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Posts: 8,828
Ontario, Canada
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Stanton Offline
Don't question me!
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Ontario, Canada
Personally I've yet to see a ceramic coated intake that looked half decent - just my opinion.

Polishing takes forever, you'll spend a bundle on the various "tootsie rolls" and in the end you'll probably still not be satisfied.

With intakes I usually knock all the casting flash and boogers off and paint them.

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512224
06/23/18 03:47 PM
06/23/18 03:47 PM
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N.W. Florida
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Fat_Mike Offline
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N.W. Florida
The process of polishing aluminum is simply to make it smooth (as glass). Simply start with a medium that will remove the roughness (maybe 150 grit?) and then move to less and less abrasive material. In the end, before the polishing wheel, you need to be sanding (smoothing) with 1500 - 2000 grit paper. Of course, the challenge with a manifold is all the nooks and crannies. You'll have to get creative for some areas (dremel?) It probably will take a week...BUT, once it's done, it's done. Just the occasional touch up... Get after it!

Last edited by Fat_Mike; 06/23/18 03:48 PM.
Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512317
06/23/18 09:28 PM
06/23/18 09:28 PM
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Posts: 3,575
The Netherlands
BigBlockMopar Offline
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Also remember half of the aluminium dust ends up in most of your body's orifices... Don't polish nekkid! At least wear face-protection smile

It's one of those things you'll do only once in your life, just to have it 'done once in your life'.

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512430
06/24/18 01:13 AM
06/24/18 01:13 AM
Joined: Oct 2005
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Ontario, Canada
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Stanton Offline
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Total waste of one's time. I'd rather mow the lawn, rearrange my sock drawer, watch a nascar race and get a root canal.

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512463
06/24/18 07:53 AM
06/24/18 07:53 AM
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The Netherlands
BigBlockMopar Offline
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You sure about Nascar? smile
At least with your other activities you get some workout either by pushing, shoving or squirming on the dentists seat...

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: BigBlockMopar] #2512487
06/24/18 09:49 AM
06/24/18 09:49 AM
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Posts: 8,666
Buford, GA
I_bleed_MOPAR Offline
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Buford, GA
You might drop 340SIX a PM. I believe he's big into polishing and could probably give you some hints. up


Tim


'71 Charger 383/727
'17 Challenger SXT (Wifeys car wink )
Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512655
06/24/18 04:46 PM
06/24/18 04:46 PM
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oklahoma
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forphorty Offline
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oklahoma
A dual plane intake like your Performer will be a BUNCH harder to polish than a single plane.

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512879
06/25/18 03:09 AM
06/25/18 03:09 AM
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Posts: 243
Cranberry Twp PA (North of Pit...
rumblefish72 Offline
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Cranberry Twp PA (North of Pit...
I polished my Eddy Victor 383 single plane. It took several nights of work. It came out nice and I like it. I hit it with Never-Dull at the beginning of each season just to get it looking great again. I was in the same oat as you ... I had the manifold and didn't want to pay $250 to get it polished so I just took my time and did it myself.

IMGP0710.JPG

1972 Pro-Street 'Cuda, 500" Eagle stoker B Block, Eddy RPM heads, Victor Manifold, 850 Mighty Demon, Hemi 4 Speed, Dana 60 w/4.88 gears - Built by Hansen Racing Middlesex - NJ
Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512883
06/25/18 03:44 AM
06/25/18 03:44 AM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 635
Graz, Austria
DGS Offline
mopar
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Graz, Austria
What about tumble/barrel finishing? This process is used to polish rims and should work on an intake manifold as well. Just drop it off at a shop that refurbishes rims and don't worry about dust, time etc.
Shouldn't be too expensive..

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: 1970RT] #2512941
06/25/18 11:21 AM
06/25/18 11:21 AM
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Posts: 2,603
Stuttgart, Arkansas
rickseeman Offline
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Stuttgart, Arkansas
Tumble/barrel/vibratory finishing won't work on that. Wheels are smooth to start with. You can do that with vibratory. Intake manifolds are a sand casting (rough). Tumble/barrel/vibratory is to enhance the finish of the surface that is already there. They are not to remove metal.


2011 Drag Pak Challenger
Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: rumblefish72] #2513005
06/25/18 01:32 PM
06/25/18 01:32 PM
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Posts: 3,020
N.W. Florida
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Fat_Mike Offline
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Originally Posted By rumblefish72
I polished my Eddy Victor 383 single plane. I was in the same oat as you ... I had the manifold and didn't want to pay $250 to get it polished so I just took my time and did it myself.


Rumblefish, do you remember the grit/material you started off with? Any tips or things to avoid?

Re: Polishing an aluminum intake manifold [Re: rumblefish72] #2513056
06/25/18 03:10 PM
06/25/18 03:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,603
Stuttgart, Arkansas
rickseeman Offline
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rickseeman  Offline
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Stuttgart, Arkansas
Originally Posted By rumblefish72
I polished my Eddy Victor 383 single plane. It took several nights of work. It came out nice and I like it. I hit it with Never-Dull at the beginning of each season just to get it looking great again. I was in the same oat as you ... I had the manifold and didn't want to pay $250 to get it polished so I just took my time and did it myself.


Yours looks good. My man is $450. It looks good when he gets done but the price hurts.


2011 Drag Pak Challenger






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