Or should an intake be polished and have a clear powder coat done on it? Aluminum intake. Yes, I want to compete with @Bandit Billy
I've had a few pieces done with it, turns out looking like polished aluminum that had dulled over time.
Smooth as far as powder coat goes, the pieces I had done were model a pick up tailgate latches and hinge brackets. I just wipe them down with detailer and a microfiber rag when i give the truck a wipe down once in a while. They still look ok 9 years later.
Look up reviews of Edelbrock's 'Endurashine' manifold coating before doing this; that's what that is. The 'Chrome' powdercoat is one of the least durable powdercoatings out there. You do need to clear coat over it to help prevent scratching and discoloration, but it still will over time. Edelbrock endurashine problems - Google Search
I'll also add that clearcoating over polished aluminum is just as bad. Powder needs some surface 'tooth' for the finish to adhere well, polishing removes that. It's done on a lot of OEM aluminum wheels, but those are machined surfaces, not polished. IMO, yes. And I've tried this. Never again.
I have read that polished aluminum can be clear anodized.You would have to call someone that does anodizing,and ask about it to find out how it wears over time.
Yes there and you can get really good results but you MUST get it finished with powder clearcoat (must not be wet clearcoat) to keep its chrome finish long term. Issues relating to dulling or poor durability are down to not clearcoating it.
That's true, but in an underhood environment it doesn't do so well. A lot of late '50s and newer cars used anodized bright aluminum trim, but it was used on the exterior only in most cases. And like powder, if it gets damaged the only fix is to strip and re-coat. If you really want the bling, have the intake polished and you'll need to accept that it'll be a constant-maintenance item keeping it looking good.
I used Eastwood's engine paint on my 351. I brushed it on and it flowed together nicely. I liked the way it looked with the red so I tried the aluminum on the manifold to make it easier to keep clean as it was really rough. The paint smoothed out the roughness and it's easy to clean. Its not like polished aluminum but I'm satisfied with the results.
Anodizing depends on the chemical composition of the aluminium alloy. Most castings do not anodize well and the results can be unpredictable.
A fellow I used to know told me about a time he used Imron clearcoat over polished brass on an antique firetruck restoration. I didn't see it but he claimed it held up well. With any kind of coating, I'd be a little concerned about possible oxidation issues under and around bolts, fasteners, etc.
Powder coating is a low temperature process, so doing engine parts can result in the coating heating up high enough to discolor as the powder coating nears application temperatures. So it really depends on which parts you do. Valve covers, timing cover, oil pans, etc. usually hold up OK. But an intake can get pretty hot, and might discolor. I discussed this with a local company that does powder coating, and ceramic coating, and they recommended going with ceramic coating for an intake.
There is. Over on the other site, you can see some in this thread. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/custom-powder-coating-leannas-powder-porn.502335/ Most is off topic here, but still it’s pretty to look at.
Tiger Dryac Powder Coating, makes what they call Chrome, PN 49/91312 but it's recommended using their PN 38/00001 Clear Coat over it. How it holds up is another question.
Its a long shot depending on where you live, BUT-- you can mask off the machined surfaces and have the manifold "Ball Burnished" to a polished finished that holds up fairly well. Its placed in a large tumbler with steal shot and soap and agitated , the balls beat and rub the aluminum into shine
Hard to believe that’s brushed on engine paint on the intake. Looks great. I did one Edelbrock intake removing it and the part number and reblasting where it was removed. Looked like raw as manufactured but would have been nice to coat/paint.
Moi? I have to be finger printed every couple of years for my licensing and they can have a devil of a time using the scanner bed, usually have to the ink pad thing and all due to polish-lust. An intake with the heat cross over blocked doesn't get that hot. Mopars and Pontiacs with a valley pan, they stay even cooler. I chromed an air gap for a camaro 396 I built that looked perfect when I sold the car 10 years later. I have polished several manifolds myself, it takes a couple days and a lot of materials to make it look decent. Plus the annual maintenance with mother's or Flitz. That blower case looks sick! You sure those casters will hold up to the HP? Maybe cost $200? Maybe less? $1000 to polish it, depending on the finish going in. $600 or so to chrome it, my price from a buddy. I'd powder it for those results and the price.
If you want durable and shiny on an intake manifold, send it out to a ceramic coater, just like they do with tubular exhaust headers. A friend of mine had his Edelbrock SY-1 "Smokey Ram" done by Jet-Hot. It still looks amazing 10 years later, no fade or color change.... but it won't fill and smooth like powder coating does.....if you want it smooth, you'll need to sand it smooth prior to the ceramic coat.
@1971BB427 is right on the money. Manifolds DO get hot.... ceramic is the way to go. And like @Ericnova72 pointed out, the finish is only as good as the prep.
I had an intake done for my old Chevelle about twenty years ago. It was so damn ugly I sold it the next day for the price of the manifold minus the powder coat, and felt I made out like a bandit. It looked like someone snorted silver powder and then blew a snot rocket all over the manifold.
So does a cast Aluminum intake need to be polished, or smoothed before ceramic coated? I need to call JetHot on Monday before work maybe, I don’t mind spending for something that will last. I had the headers chrome ceramic coated through JH (shorty style) was a I think about 450$, for one step below their best, but supposed to be good to maybe 1200/1300 degrees as I recall. It’s what the guy suggested I do since the engine is NA. Going with the shiny on top, chrome VCs (nice ones) and chrome look headers, on a gold painted engine.
As mentioned above, I would shy away from it on an intake because of the heat factor. That blower case looks amazing & will probably last a long time being a little higher with air flowing across it. It looks really good on grills, tail light bezels, etc that you don't want to pay big money to plate. You can also wet sand & buff powder coat like you would after painting a car body, only not as much. There is a powder coater locally (Between Cleveland & Akron) that I visited & he showed me some pieces he was doing with the chrome powder & then wetsanding & buffing...You had to look really hard to see that i was not actually chrome! God Bless Bill https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/
No, it doesn't have to be.....but whatever surface finish the manifold has will show up through the ceramic finish.....a stock cast intake surface ends up looking like almost an "orange peel" or almost hammertone like finish. The natural pockmarked cast finish is evident under the ceramic. The ceramic is a thin coating, it doesn't fill imperfections like standard powder coating does. It does flow out some, but not like lower heat powder coat does. If you want it smooth and shiny like chrome you'll need to almost prep it like it was going to be chromed.... I would guess 400 grit or finer finish but ask your chosen coater.
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