Jump to content
Forums Gone... but not forgotten!
Pontiac of the Month

FBIRD69's 1969 Firebird

2024 March
of the Month

  • Rev up your passion for Pontiacs and join our vibrant community of enthusiasts!

    Whether you're a die-hard fan of classic muscle cars or you've got a soft spot for sleek modern models, you've found your home here at Forever Pontiac. Our community is dedicated to celebrating everything Pontiac, from the iconic GTO to the legendary Firebird and everything in between.

    Unlock access to expert advice, stunning photo galleries, engaging discussions, exclusive events, and more!

    Start your Pontiac journey with us today!

    Sign up now! 🏁

[Request] How to clean exhaust manifold


Recommended Posts

So, the manifold on my SA is a one piece exhaust/intake. Clearly the exhaust portion is ugly looking. Any tips on how to clean it up? I hear you can do a combo of wire brushing and soaking and then baking a high-temp paint onto it.



I don't necessarily have to do this, I just want to freshen up the engine. I know the high heat will be a factor in what I can actually do to this piece.


1467191_10202092337644599_387095301_n.jp


1610108_10202092337844604_1147555585_n.j



I also just noticed that it looks like somebody broke it once and welded it back together.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tired of these Ads? Register Today!

Oven cleaner works well. Spray nine works well as well and is the stuff that I use for my engines. If you want clean the rust a wire wheel and a grinder just hold on tight. If you want to smooth it out use a dremel tool and a small grinding stone or abrasive drum. Take your time and it will look good. If you are baking it on do not use Mom's oven or she will just kill you. The baking leaves a smell in the oven that gets into the food.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Havoc - after you've cleaned the manifold of the dirt, oil, and grime, get yourself a large bucket and fill it with something like Evapo-Rust or Eastwood Rust Converter and put the manifold in the solution. It may need to soak over night or 24 hours depending on how heavily rusted the manifold is. It will get into the cracks, crevices, and tiny pits of the manifold and dissolve or convert the rust into an inert, paintable surface. Once you've soaked the entire manifold completely, wash it thoroughly and dry it. Then you can prep and paint it. You definitely want to use a high temperature etching primer and hi-temp engine paint. Take your time and it will look great.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the advice! I did actually finish this. I cleaned and soaked it and after It dried I sprayed it with a high-heat (2000F) black paint. Then followed the baking instructions for when it is already mounted on the engine. Looks much better than what I had before! I should have done it in a different color, but oh well lol.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

In hindsight, I think my youth had something to do with my haste, but It doesn't mean I haven't learned for future projects. The next item on my list is a Farmall C/Super C :). I plan on keeping my Phoenix forever haha



7857038_orig.jpg


Link to comment
Share on other sites

i was gonna say if you can get your hands on some of this loctite natural blue degreaser it works awesome. we use it at work and it strips the grease and crap from parts in no time.


http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Natural-Biodegradable-Cleaner-Degreaser/dp/B002A0FBLG


Link to comment
Share on other sites

i was gonna say if you can get your hands on some of this loctite natural blue degreaser it works awesome. we use it at work and it strips the grease and crap from parts in no time.

http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Natural-Biodegradable-Cleaner-Degreaser/dp/B002A0FBLG

Good to know. I'm still waiting for that weld on the right to eventually crack. I find it funny how the air intake pipe covers it perfectly haha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good choice. I think VHT makes an etching primer too. You did use a primer didn't you? Also, did you clean it with any oil/wax/degreaser on the manifold before you painted it? I just would not want to see the paint flake off this nicely cleaned up manifold in the near future.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Starting to flake a little up top, possibly from water that gets stuck in the pits and then evaps off in the high heat. Oh well. Still looks good.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

F cleaning them bitches slap some headers and a Flowmaster on it!!!!!

lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Tired of these Ads? Purchase Enhanced Membership today to remove them!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.