Cleaning cast aluminum manifolds?

What is the best thing to clean a cast aluminum manifold? I know bead blasting would be the absolute best, but I don't have access to a blaster. Just want something I can spray on it and bring back the silver aluminum look while taking off the oil stains. It's not going to be polished, just bare aluminum. I might clearcoat it after I get it clean, but haven't decided on that or not.

 

get access to a...beadblaster...
about the only thing besides acid to get the stains off...

 

You might try this. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...and+grease&storeId=10051&superSkuId=202894338

Where the clear coat had been removed, it left some alloy wheels nice and bright.

 

Simple green will nock the dust of, I like it because its some what pet friendly, or brake cleaner or carb cleaner you ould look up metal rescue they might have something other than rust remover seen it on speedvision last night..Best to find a sandblaster like Frank said

 

Eagle 1 wheel etcher works really well on cast aluminum. I've used it to clean dirty aluminum mags, intakes, and even the aluminum k-member from an '05 crown vic when I stuffed it under my f100.

 

Or degrease it and use high heat cast aluminum paint. Looks good, really close match to bare aluminum with a more "finished" look. Best option though is bead blasting.

 

I spent about an hour with a drill-mounted wire brush cleaning my intake.

 

been there and tried to do that...

 

I've always had em bead blasted, and never had one clear coated. My experience has been when the clear coat ages, it REALLY F*@#KS up a nice manifold, wheel or whatever. And it's impossible to remove the crap. Bead blast it and clean it periodically with spray carb cleaner and clear water to rinse.

 

How about a small hand held sand blaster. Before I had a blasting cabinet that's what I used. I would sand blast the manifold which left it a clean but dull finish. Then I would go over the whole thing by hand with a wire brush which shines it up REALLY nice. Spot blasters are cheap at harbor freight if you have a compressor or can borrow one. Don't use acid, it will seriously dull the finish and make it ugly and a wire brush does not brighten it.

 

this intake and waterpump were glassbeaded and painted...

 

That's the look I'm going for. The shop I used before was bought out, and I've heard horror stories about the new employees there and their screw ups. I don't trust them.

That Eagle 1 might do the trick. I'll look for it. Most of the intake will be hidden beneath the fuel rails and intake runners {it's a tuned port Chevy}, so a simple clean up and paint would work fine. I cleaned up the intake runners and the top plenum with a drill mounted wire brush, may hit it with a scotchbrite for a little more shine. The lower intake though has too many depressions and humps to use the wire brush or scotchbrite. That's why I just need something to spray on it to remove the oil and gas stains and them paint it.

 

I forgot to update this thread. The Eagle 1 cast wheel cleaner did just what I wanted! Worked great on the cast manifold. I then sprayed it with satin aluminum paint, it looks like new.

I stripped the paint off the valve covers with a roloc disc, then sprayed them with the Eagle 1, instantly turning them dark! That was fine though, they were too pitted to polish out and look good, so they got a new coat of satin aluminum and a coat of metalflake aluminum on top of that. Turned out great, too. Only thing is, I probably won't get to use them now, as I think the poly locks on the new roller rockers are gonna hit them. Oh well, I found a set of taller covers that are ribbed that will look good, and are already polished, so I'll probably go ahead and get them!

 

Lets see some pics of how it turned out.

 

can you use a set of ...spacer plates...?