Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

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gregg hake
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Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#1 Post by gregg hake »

Hi
How do I make this bright silver again? I have boiled and scrubbed these and they just stay stained.
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Jim Nelson
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#2 Post by Jim Nelson »

Have them tumbled.
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Last edited by Jim Nelson on Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Mike Wilson
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#3 Post by Mike Wilson »

I've used a brass wire wheel and sandblasting to clean them. Soda blasting would be better but whatever you use to blast, soap and water clean up is mandatory.
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Bruce Smith
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#4 Post by Bruce Smith »

Gregg - Send them to me. I'll soda blast and wash them and send them back with your carbs. - Bruce
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Dave Erickson
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#5 Post by Dave Erickson »

If you have an ultrasonic cleaner try that. A lot of oxidation in pores will come out. Another thing to try is some alloy wheel cleaner that has a brightener in it.

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Ron LaDow
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#6 Post by Ron LaDow »

This is not meant to address the particular question, but offer a more general warning:
IMG_2569.JPG
IMG_2569.JPG (80.11 KiB) Viewed 2255 times
The lines indicated by the arrows are the 'ring around the tub' if you try to dip parts half-way into a cleaner and then turn them over. Typically, the dirt removed from the submerged portion floats to the top and leaves the tell-tale ring.
Do not half-submerge any part; find a container large enough to hold the cleaner and the whole part, or do it in the sink with none of it submerged.
Regarding the specific question, Bruce made you an offer that's hard to refuse, but for the rest of you, fill a container large enough to contain the part with Simple Green, put it in there in the morning and check it around noon. Repeat soaking as required; Zenith float bowls took overnight.
Ron LaDow
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gregg hake
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#7 Post by gregg hake »

Ron LaDow wrote:This is not meant to address the particular question, but offer a more general warning:
IMG_2569.JPG
The lines indicated by the arrows are the 'ring around the tub' if you try to dip parts half-way into a cleaner and then turn them over. Typically, the dirt removed from the submerged portion floats to the top and leaves the tell-tale ring.
Do not half-submerge any part; find a container large enough to hold the cleaner and the whole part, or do it in the sink with none of it submerged.
Regarding the specific question, Bruce made you an offer that's hard to refuse, but for the rest of you, fill a container large enough to contain the part with Simple Green, put it in there in the morning and check it around noon. Repeat soaking as required; Zenith float bowls took overnight.
Hi Ron,
The dip-lines were on the manifolds when I purchased the car in 1989, so I assume when the original owner had the big bores put on (in the 70's), he might have dipped the manifolds 1/2 way trying to pretty it up in the process.

I totally submerged these in Simple Orange...and scrubbed the living daylights out of them after 4 hours of boiling... no affect at all except they smell citrus-fresh.

And yes, I will be taking Bruce up on his generous offer. I just put them on a Fed Ex truck moments ago.
Gregg

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John Clarke
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#8 Post by John Clarke »

Perhaps in the wife's dishwasher on Intense programme!
Aren't they amazing what they let us do?
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Dick Weiss
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#9 Post by Dick Weiss »

Carb cleaner also works.

Dick

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cory cotherman
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#10 Post by cory cotherman »

jim... who does your tumbling? what machines do they use? I have a small tumbler. what media do they use? I love the results! does it hurt the mating surface on the cases? thanx cory

gregg hake
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#11 Post by gregg hake »

jim nelson wrote:Have them tumbled.
IMG_1536.jpg
These look amazing !

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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#12 Post by Joseph Boyce »

I've had good luck with aluminum brightener. Think it might remove the ring watermarks.

Glass beaded mine. Leaves a finish similar to soda blast which isn't exactly original- not as shiny. Closest thing to original is to finish with a brass wire wheel.

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Joris Koning
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#13 Post by Joris Koning »

Watch one of my upcoming 4-cam forums for a discussion with regard to case detailing and aluminum cleaning. There are several options. As with most things in life there is no silver bullet when it comes to detailing alu parts
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Mike Wilson
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#14 Post by Mike Wilson »

Thanks, Joris! Looking forward to your article.
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Jim Nelson
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Re: Carb Manifolds- How do I brighten up?

#15 Post by Jim Nelson »

Cory, I'll defer to Joris' article on how to clean. We get a number of things done at the same place, but I'm sure Joris will have the inside scoop on how to brighten things up.

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