intake manifold

Can someone suggest the best way to clean paint off an aluminum intake manifold without removing the manifold[/size]?

My aluminum intake was painted blue for some reason and I want to take off the blue and get down to the original aluminum.

Not without removing it with satisfactory results. May get it cleaned up ok but it will not be perfect. Cleveland intakes are pretty easy to R&R because they don't have coolant running through them.

But once you get it off: Chemical stripper to start. May need some bead blasting for clean-up then some Eastwood Aluma Blast to make it pretty again.

i'm with zapU also.. strippers will work but are a pain and most likely not get it all. blasting is the way.. i'm in the process of rebuilding my 302 and it has an alum edelbrock. blasted it and used a clear coat used on headers. looks nice.

Maybe Dry Ice blastring ?

If it is painted on purpose the only way to do it is pull it. It will actually be less effort and safer. Any chemicals you use to strip it needs to be out in the open, not under the hood. And they will get all over the place. If you try to blast it the media will get everywhere. You will spend more time bent over the fenders trying to get the paint off then you would pulling the intake, a lot more time.

Pulling the intake is pretty straight forward. Take some pics before you start. Do a search on installing for tips on gaskets and using threaded rod to help align it when you put it back on.