Intake manifold restoration

[Steve Shauger]

Originally Posted by ScottG

BBC factory aluminum intake manifold. I would like to get it close to factory appearance. Who and how does it happen? Thanks.

Here's a link to Dave Beem's samples of restored intakes. He does exhaust manifolds and transmission cases as well.

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=173120

[jeffschevelle]

Rob Walden (at Lamar Walden Motorsports in GA) does fantastic restoration of cast aluminum parts. He can also repair any defect with no signs it was ever touched. Resurfaces all the machined areas as well, if you want.

When you get it back you'll think its a little too shiny, but after it heat cycles on the engine a few times it is exactly what you want!

[noumansaeed]

Need to visit the closest workshop

[CamarosRus]

Steel/shot blast in a machine with "clean" media that is only used on aluminum......

[ban617]

Is the steel shot finer material than the glass beads ?

[CamarosRus]

If your asking me, I dont know the answer...but guessing that glass can be much smaller finer...........however the metal fine Ive seen recently is VERY Small...........Didnt see the
bag to give you a grit size ???

[McCune]

Originally Posted by ban617

Is the steel shot finer material than the glass beads ?

No not finer but it is small. The shot closes the pores of the aluminum and makes finger print proof and easy to clean.

[CamarosRus]

Below are new pics of a LT1 Aluminum Intake # 3972110 1970 Camaro/Corvette

Was Shot Blasted, Shot Peened for 10 minutes in Rotating Drum Style Machine
I wired the intake to the rotating cage so it wouldnt bang against the HARD Steel (cage)
and get dinged/damaged

I believe that this was similar to how foundries cleaned new sand casted manifolds coming out out of molds

I may apply CLEAR MATTE CERAKOTE to preserve the porous surface from Staining...................