Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Hey guys, This may seem like a stupid question but its probably one that no one wants to ask because of the flaming that may ensue. So i will.

The stock cast manifolds are really ugly when they get that rust on there, look like a brown peice of Crap attached to your nice shiney turbo/head.
Ive been googleing and found a couple sites and methods that have to deal with polishing cast iron.

One method describes first putting it in an electrolisys bath for a day or two, then using sand paper and slowly going from a gritty one to a more smooth one. (the guy said start using 50 grit and moving up from there.)
Another post where they were restoring a cast oven, discribed using a sand blaster or also recommended using a wirewheel on a drill.

What have you guys found to be the best to make it come up with the nicest finish. Besides just ceramic coating. :) Honestly, if its possible i would like to see a mirror finish. but i dont know if thats possible with cast iron. but who knows.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Best way it to throw it in the trash and get a decent intake manifold.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Just do a silver ceramic coating. That way you'll actually see some benefits and it'll stay silver and not just rust immediately again.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Exhaust manifold not intake manifold. Thought i would correct you so that some kid doesnt try to put an intake mani on the exhaust side.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Best way is to throw it in the trash and get an FP exhaust manifold. :)

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

This is supposed to be a boredom project that to me sounds fun. (at least until i get bored of that. :) Dont want to just pay someone to do this, i want to put in the time and effort and see the results.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

nm

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

I think im going to start with electrolysis to clean the exhaust manifold. Ill post pics after this is complete. Should be a fun way to pass the time while my other parts are coming in. :) using this method http://users.eastlink.ca/~pspencer/n...ctrolysis.html

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

How about a nice heat shield.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

LOL Your just mad because you didnt think of it first.. HA HA HA

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Umm, you know that it's just gonna rust again almost immediately, don't you?

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Polishing cast metal is like trying to polish a turd.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

The best will be when he flips it over after polishing one side to find the other side is already rusted again :D

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

I believe i saw something that said you can get the manifold clear powder coated. :)

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Mythbusters actually busted that myth that you cant polish poop. They had a guy do it with his hands. made it nice and shiney.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBj6PonX14A

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

But it's still a turd ;)

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

We shall see.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Lulz

I don't know why you would spend that much time trying to make a stock exhaust manifold look good. Put a heat shield on it or buy a different, better manifold.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Just get it ceramic coated. IDK what it is, but buschur uses a really nice shiny silver coating that seems to last quite a long time.

I had MAP coat my stuff when I had it all apart, black everywhere baby.

http://www.scheides.com/albums/evo-b...9654.sized.jpg

http://www.scheides.com/albums/evo-b...9657.sized.jpg

However, I still put a heat-shield over it ;) I say get the FP manifold and get it coated, do it right, do it once.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Ha, yes do this. We could take bets from everyone on what color it will be after a 30 minute drive, or if there will even be anything left. Then use that money from the bets to buy a heatshield or a different manifold.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

I say skip polishing the manifold and buy a sweet body kit.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

+ wood screws

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Maybe ceramic clear coat? Is there such a thing?


haha

I hear gorilla glue holds good too lol

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

R is for race.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Long story, you didn't know his old 2g...

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

The thing with ceramic coating is that it needs something to grab on to (mechanical adhesion) and if you polish the manifold, there won't be anything for it to grab on to and the first time it gets hot it's all gonna fall off.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

How about your sheet metal exhaust manifold idea? That would be nice and shiny. SMEM anyone? :lol:

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

And then watch it rust, or at least look like absolute dogshit. I'm coating mine this spring.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

well i've done some cast metal polishing. u can clean it. to get it smooth your going to have to sand it down alot. starting with very coarse slowly higher and higher grits up to highest grit u can find. 3m has a wet 3000 disk. sometimes water help the high grit papers from clogging up so fast. then some sort of buffer or polisher with high speed 3000rpm least. but dont go to high. and use some heavy compond or metal polish up to a fine polish so get that shine. car parts store in body section or body supply store will have it. then i would look into clear powder coat. or sand it smooth and have it cromed or nickel coated would work too. it would probably be easier to have it coated with something after u sand it smooth. it will be hard to polish in all the little spots.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Ok, lets see some pics of this thing already!!

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Ill post some tomorrow. its far from finished. but im at a standstill with the project right now because the piston and rod havent come in, so i will have time to get the manifold nice, and make you all jealous. WOOT. then i figure after its done and if it starts to rust a bit, just grab some steel wool and wha la, back to shiney.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

As strange as this sounds, I actually watched a guy do this at a car show. He had the engine up to temp and idling, then started spraying Armor-all on his exhaust manifolds. The Armor-all turned a charcoal grey and solid. Looked just like a ceramic coating. Craziest thing I ever saw. When the engine cooled off, it was hard to the touch and stuck like crazy glue. No bull shit, I swear, I'm not making this up.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

I'd be all for the Armor All idea, but I also want the heat retention a good coating can provide. The FP manifold makes the front engine area noticeably hotter than my previous manifolds. Heat dispersion before the turbo=bad.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Pics so far. Im getting kinda sick of doing this already. LOL

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

How much time into it so far?

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Days man, DAYS,............... :lol:

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Like between today and tomorrow..... about an hour and a half. :) maybe less than that. :woohoo1:

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

looks good, at least your not doing it by hand...lol

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Still looks like a turd. FP mani for the win, Steve is right it did make the bay a lot hotter, but once I got mine coated it was a lot cooler.

Re: Polishing the cast manifold.
 

Have fun keeping it from rusting. :)