Which Paint is Closest to Cast Aluminum?

[4mm]

I have a few items that must be painted because I cannot remove the stains.

One of those items is an old aluminum manifold and the other item is a set of valve covers that should look cast aluminum but when they were cleaned up they came out with a bit of a shiny finish.

What paint are you guys using to give your parts that original cast aluminum finish? I would prefer a rattle can since I don't have any spray paint equipment.

I am thinking of painting the intake manifold and valve covers with the same paint color. Maybe even the water pump. I'm not looking for originality but rather a newly restored look.

Thanks

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

What did you do to clean them up? I blasted an aluminum intake today with foundry sand that had some water corrosion on it came out like new. You can also glass bead for a little more shine or steel shot to look a little more shiny. Walnut shells works great on carburetors to not remove the chromate coating but still clean them. I have done cast Aluminum valve covers for 55 - 57 T-bird and they come out like new. You should be able to clear coat the valve covers but there is heat riser in the manifold so it would turn the paint brown quick.

If you don't have access to a blast cabinet call your local parts houses or look in yellow pages. They usually have an hourly charge. I would guess $50.00 for intake and covers. You need to really blow them out good and run tap into the threads afterwards.

You should not have to paint aluminum castings ever they always clean up.

David

 

[4mm]

View attachment 37837

 

[73pony]

Yes. The cast aluminum will look like brand new. Sand will give you the less polished look you are after.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

I know people paint aluminum, but I have to agree, it will clean up. I used a different method to cleaned up a stained manifold, I washed and scrubbed it with purple power cleaner and a stiff fiber bristle brush, I then ran it through the dishwasher (I'm divorced, no one to complain) I was upset at first cause it came out a little dark looking, so on a whim I put it in the oven and baked it on the clean cycle. When it cooled I took it out and it looked brand new.

Now I am not recommending this-but for me it worked wonders. Just a thorough scrubbing with Purple Power cleaner did an extremely good job.

 

[jbojo]

I saw someone clean ATV carb bodies with 1 bottle of lemon juice and water in a large tray and let them soak awhile and then rinsed them off and they looked new. The lemon juice is acidic so it should get rid of the stains.

 

[turtle5353]

I blasted mine in a bead blaster then powder coated them with a satin clear. Been holding up pretty well for several years with no yellowing. Heres a couple pics of my intake sitting on the motor.

If I remember right I used cast aluminum powder coat from east wood to cover my stock valve covers too. I like how they turned out.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Here are The valve covers. As you can see they look slightly polished after the cleaning. So you recommend I simply sandblast them? I was thinking of applying a satin clear on all the aluminum parts.


One more pic

Those covers were originally polished on the sides, mounting flange and the tops of the ribs. You can make them look like new if you spend a little time. I would stay away from Purple Power and Greased Lightning or oven cleaners on any aluminum. Alkaline cleaners eat the aluminum. We use to use the stuff to port intakes when the rules allowed no grinding. Fill it up and let it set and it eats the aluminum up, lol.

You can buff the covers with a hard buffing wheel and some type of bar on the wheel and then finish with Blue Magic Metal Polish Cream or Zephyr PRO 40 which are about the same. If you apply rattle can clear on the covers it might cloud I cannot say there. If not protected is is like any aluminum it will start to tarnish and corrode again. The attached picture is not that good but I polished those covers for the 73. I did not put anything but wax on them for protection so they will get dull again. I did sand the tops of the ribs and filled the Ford logo with Ford Blue paint before sanding.

David

 

[gears]

I always used Etching Mag cleaner to "restore" my cast aluminum parts, then a coat of clear engine enamel to protect the fresh etch.