TomoHawk Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 what's a good way to make your valve covers, dash pot, and such stuff under the hood that's oxidized to dullness/roughness to look a little more like newer metal without polishing it death? Just want it to look a little more like fresh cast stuff. thx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 sand blast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedRacer Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 Or glass bead them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 Clean them up (free of oil and grease) and coat them with "Cast Siver' aerosol paint. It is fuel and solvent (and even brake fluid) resistant. It is available at any auto parts store. It has a Cast finish appearance when dry. Or....clean everything up to a nice clean shine and coat it with enamel clear. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomoHawk Posted October 26, 2003 Author Share Posted October 26, 2003 How do you sand blast or glass bead stuff when it's on the car? I don't really wqant to take the engine apart, because I drive the car some. I bought it to use, not coddle. Could you , like, use a scotchbrite pad with some stuff like a slurry of CLR and silica? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagz Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 I'd do what Tim said. There are tons of products available from the Eastwood Company to correctly paint those types of parts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David K Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 I don't really wqant to take the engine apart, because I drive the car some. I bought it to use, not coddle. Hahahahaha, thats classic! oh, yeah, my contribution to this thread....I use brake cleaner, simple green, and a toothbrush to clean hard to reach places. I soak it in simple green, then scrub with a toothbrush, then blow all the grime away with brake cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greimann Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 This might be too aggressive, but Eagle One Etching Mag Wheel Cleaner is an acid product that will absolutely remove any oxidation and leave a bright satin aluminum finish. Try it on a small place first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nic-Rebel450CA Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 Two words: Steel Wool! Get 000 or 0000 and buff that stuff up. Does take a little elbow-grease, but it is well worth the effort. Be sure to rinse/air blast it after so you dont have steel wool bits sitting there ready to start rusting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaparral2f Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 I found some stuff at Costco called Oil Eater, it did a really good job on the steering rack and master cylinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomoHawk Posted November 1, 2003 Author Share Posted November 1, 2003 Eagle One Etching Mag Wheel Cleaner removes oxidation and leave a bright satin aluminum finish. You got that right!! I tried some on the dashpot first. First a light rub with a small stainless brush, then spray on the wheel cleaner... Voila! cl;ean! Siny too, almost like new. I then used it on the master cylinder caps, the header heat sheild, and the 'trouble light'. With a light scrub with an old toothbrush they all came out cleaner any shinier. Then i prayed some on the old cruddy valve cover. Again, a little scrubbinbg with the toothbrush and it too came ould looking satin-like new! Not polished or shiny, just clean, smooth and newer-looking. Later I'll go "clean" any other oxidized alimunum stuff and I won't feel bad to leave the hool open if I take the car someplace. KUDOS, Greimann! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguy95135 Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 its going to take a while to get it clean. what i did on mine is i sanded it smooth with 100-400 (thats all i had) and then polished it with a buffing wheel until it got shinier. then i rubbed it out with semi-chrome, it took a while but it was definitly worth it cause it looks like chrome now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguy95135 Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 i got some pics here: before after it only took a week edit: actually it looked much worse before, thats the valvecover on my dad's car mine was really grimy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomoHawk Posted November 3, 2003 Author Share Posted November 3, 2003 No No no....... You're not supposed to polish it to a chhrome-like finish. You're just restoring things to it's original smooth or shiny look. The brake cylinder caps were a shiny metal originally. The dashpot was satin-like cast aluminum, as was the valve cover. I wasn't trying to polish things. I was trying to make them look nice, like they originally did. NOW, you can open the hood and feel good because you KNOW that people aren't looking at a bunch of rough, dull, oxidized, aluminum and metal pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguy95135 Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 i was just showing what I did , i prefer a polished cover instead of a satin finish. thats all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomoHawk Posted November 3, 2003 Author Share Posted November 3, 2003 Have it your way, man. Some times you need satin, or shiny, or chrome. For me, the chrome look went away with the 70's. Except for the bumpers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greimann Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 ....KUDOS' date=' Greimann! [/quote'] Thanks! That stuff works wonders on hard water stains int the bathroom too! And now my other secret: spray tire dressing over everything in the engine compartment, drive for a few miles to baste it in and then wipe off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomoHawk Posted November 3, 2003 Author Share Posted November 3, 2003 I've been using tire foam under the hood to clean the paint and treat any rubber or plastiic stuff like hoses & wires. http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=23157 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sukow2001 Posted November 10, 2003 Share Posted November 10, 2003 I havent posted here in a while, but I decided to look at this forum again today. I have been thinking of using the mag wheel cleaner on my stuff. but I will polis it after. where do you get semi-crome? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sukow2001 Posted November 10, 2003 Share Posted November 10, 2003 polish* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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