Polishing Inlet Mainfold

[chrisn01]

Hiya guys/gals

Just brought a polished Fuel Rail off Ebay and now want to polish the inlet mainifold. Just wondering how you go about doing it? Do you need to take the inlet mainifld off or can it be done whilst still on the car. Also, how long does it take if you work flat out ?

Cheers

 

[LegoHead]

Get one from a breakers. Usually around £75 then polish it while yours is on the car, it is a very messy job. Make sure you get the correct one as they are different on 172 ph1 , ph2 and 182.

I have a 172 ph2 one I am polishing up at the moment, and its taking forever! I am using 600 wet n dry then finishing with 2 polishing stages.

Alot of people say work through all the grades of wet n dry, but to get a mirror finish you need to use the correct polishing mops and compounds.

 

[chrisn01]

Ill give it a crack, just need to source a Inlet mainifild for a 182. Any tips for when i come around to polishing it? How long have you spent doing it so far?

Cheers mate

 

[LegoHead]

I have spent a few hours experimenting with the sandpaper. Dont use the cheap stuff from pound shops. Halfords stuff is expensive but works and lasts a few minutes.

I think it may be best to try a coarse compound on a mop to do the initial sanding, or linishing as I have been informed it's called.

Will find out next week exactly what is required to polish it.

Anyone got any experiences of decent sandpaper?

 

[Guy]

do a search, quite a few detailied guides on it ages ago.

 

[chrisn01]

Went a ordered the new K-Tec strut brace for the 172/182 which should go well with a polished engine :0) Once I get my hands on a Inlet Mainifold, gona spend a few hours a night polishing it up

 

[Batman]

it takes 10 12mm bolts on the inlet manifold ad about 3 different plugs then disconnect the ignition leads, you know have the inlet manifold, you want to start with this oxide paper stuff its sandpaper but its red its meant for metals this will take you down to the nice alloy within a few minutes, once you've done this all over use a medium sandpaper and then a smooth sand paper and then finally run over with wire wool this will ensure you have no scratches anywere, you can now start buffing using the largest wheel mop you can find as one rotation is more contact on the manifold, use the dense soap first either brown or black then once its buffed up abit put autosol on the manifold and use the light compound stuff either blue or white so it will do a nice buff while the autosol cleans and tada its brill

i'll post my pics soon as i can be bothered lol

 

[Batman]

oh and if your wanting to take of the clio sport logo on the manifold it will take alot longer coz it takes ages to wear down ur talking about 3-4 hours of good sanding i did it and it looks the sh*t but if ur all "i love cliosport" then there's no point

 

[chrisn01]

Cheers for the advice mate, ill definately goinf to have a go at it :0)

 

[qqlucifer]

What is different between 172mk1 & Mk2? thanks.

 

[chrisn01]

Hey batman, have you got a picture of the manifold you done? Wouldnt mind seeing how it looks with the Renault Sport etched off!