Polishing Alum. intake manifold.

Look up electro polishing, it is used on many types of metals including reflectors made of aluminum.

Thanks Mickey, I looked into it and there is really nothing in Chicago surprisingly enough that offers the service. Is this a "tried and true" method. I did note the anode /cathode removed material and a leak on a manifold would be disastrous on the dyno not to mention the track (If you ever saw a 1600+hp engine come apart and explode in a dyno booth you get an instant appreciation for halon and a sealed chamber! It shattered 3" of glass into the control booth) I understand any polishing will remove base material and I'll need to NDT the entire thing before putting it into service. Is this method worse than a caustic bath or even a trip to the nutshell blaster as a softer media? This is a totally new thing for me, I usually acid scrub and wire brush before welding but this is a maze of runners, bungs, bla,bla,bla....

Electro polishing is a proven method never used it for your application. I have seen it turn a dull aluminum into a mirror finish. If there is not anything local I would go with what you can get done locally. There are so many grades and types of aluminum that you need to test a process to see what you are going to get.

Try to contact these folks in the Chicago Area

In Chicago

In Elk Grove Village In Hampshire IL (near Rockford) I've never used any of them, but I know one of my customers has

Thanks!! Able just got photo's emailed to them, they said no problem! Thanks!!!

Rob

What are they charging? I have never tried an object that big.

I'm still waiting for a quote myself. No one called back today. I E-mailed them three photo's and dimensions.

Rob

They don't want "piece work" apparently. The rep's reply indicated they traditionally only supply something to the effect of a mirror like finish.... Out comes the Rollock's & Mother's

Shit!