# manifold cleaning



## Paulm31 (Jul 27, 2006)

well for you honda lovers i picked up a bit of goodness over the weekend 










now i want to get this so its nice and shiny for when i do my forthcoming headswap on the car. ive tried using 1500 WnD with hardly no effect except to smooth the pitting/marks whatever it is this is it after using the WnD and some AG metal polish with the rotary









any other ideas? ive heard about welders pickling paste which is currently being investigated, but didnt know if anyone else had some good ideas for it.
I did also try some 400 WnD on the back of one of the pipes but that didnt seem to have much effect either, and dont want to go higher incase it scratches the manifold too much


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## MickCTR (Mar 4, 2006)

Nice, you jammy git hehe!

I know i have plenty of stuff at work that i could sort that out with so why not see if there is a good machining workshop nearby and that might be able to clean it up for you! Failing that, get a dremmell (SP?) and get stuck in with some flatwheels!


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## Paulm31 (Jul 27, 2006)

i have heard about antox pickling paste, but my welder pal hasnt even heard of the stuff, so he's waiting for the storesman to come in 

I have to say - offtopic, it makes one hell of a difference on the car  not bad for less than £200 eh?


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## MickCTR (Mar 4, 2006)

Quite a bargain mate to be honest. What system have you got?


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## Paulm31 (Jul 27, 2006)

b16a2 on ITB's  ive got a new head going on soon, and that will be running either skunk 2 pro stage 2 cams and valvetrain or jun spec 3 cams


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## MickCTR (Mar 4, 2006)

cool! I'll look out for you at next years shows then


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## Paulm31 (Jul 27, 2006)

i was at the washout named jae this year, having just rattlecan sprayed my entire car! didnt come out too badly really. as im being a picture whore then heres some more just after the respray 

























the bumper hasnt been buffed up yet, as im still a bit apprehensive on putting a rotary too close to plastic, but the rest of the panels came out spot on. even one of the guys on our stand whos a sprayer by trade found it hard to believe i had done it with halfords spray cans


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## MickCTR (Mar 4, 2006)

Haha, great stuff. I once did a bit of my sisters fiesta Si with spray cans, to be honest it wasn't all that bad. If you've got the patience for it then why not have a go!

Edit: Gonna have a go at refurbing those wheels next then


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## Paulm31 (Jul 27, 2006)

time, patience, and a rotary polisher! yep, the wheels will be done again :lol: ive got another set of racing beat split rims coming too. these works ones were a pita to split and do, but i want to change the colour.

ANYWAY..... back on topic  anyone have other ideas for cleaning this manifold


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## trionic (Oct 3, 2006)

You could have an electroplaters zinc plate it and then clear passivate it, or even chrome it. There are other finishes available too.

You'd have to ask whether the zinc + clear was suitable for a high-temperature application.

Platers have an acid pickling solution which is used to prep metalwork before plating.

From this:









To this:









Cost was £10.

From this:









And this:









To this:









Cost £35 with a pile of other metalwork too.


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## Paulm31 (Jul 27, 2006)

now thats what im talking about  i assume thats somewhere near you? is it possible to provide any contact details?


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## trionic (Oct 3, 2006)

Actually I had the work done at a platers in Hampshire when I was working in Basingstoke.

G.B.M Plating Services, Kingsley Business Park, Main Rd, Bordon, Hampshire GU35 9LY, 01420 474718.

They're very good and happy work with small quantities. Call them to see if they're happy to receive and dispatch items for plating by post. Here's a link for electroplaters in Caerphilly:
http://www.yell.com/ucs/UcsSearchAction.do?keywords=electroplaters&companyName=&location=caerphilly

I also had some stuff done at Silvabronz in Alton (who also trade as Beckworth) and I _cannot_ recommend them.

Quite staggering how ropey old bits of metalwork end up looking just like new.


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## Goldie (Aug 13, 2007)

Interesting stuff, so was the gear you had sorted plated or is that the finish just from the dipping?

Ive got a loads of bits id like to get done...


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## richie.guy (Apr 10, 2006)

Goldie said:


> Interesting stuff, so was the gear you had sorted plated or is that the finish just from the dipping?


The goldy finish is plated.


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## trionic (Oct 3, 2006)

Actually both silver and gold stuff is plated.

The silver parts are zinc plated and clear passivated. The gold stuff is zinc plated and yellow passivated.

I chose yellow for some parts because that's the original finish of those parts. Yellow passivation is also chose because its's more corrosion resistant than clear passivation.

I even had some wheel bolts done and they look great 

The product/service category in Yellow Pages is "electroplaters". Have a search for companies in your area. Make sure they don't have a large minimum-order level and are happy with small quantities. Get some test pieces done to make sure the platers are good (not all of them are).
http://www.yell.com/

Be aware that the metal parts should not be handled within at least 24 hours of being passivated because the surface will be damaged. I'd leave them be for 48 hours before handling them.


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## richie.guy (Apr 10, 2006)

trionic said:


> Actually both silver and gold stuff is plated.
> 
> The silver parts are zinc plated and clear passivated. The gold stuff is zinc plated and yellow passivated.
> 
> .


My bad, i always just get them done in the zinc and yellow :thumb:


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## Naranto (Apr 5, 2007)

Mr Grastorpian Pesident, Sir,...............looking good.
Now how's the rest going? (Best nagging hat)


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## trionic (Oct 3, 2006)

Naranto said:


> Now how's the rest going? (Best nagging hat)


It's not going at all! Hopefully this weekend I'll a least get the primer on the engine bay. If I'm lucky I'll get the top coat on too!

A chinwag with Martin and a ride in Nathan's Carly has given me a bit more enthusiasm.


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