After a bit of a 2 day disaster with trying to polish my UIM im seriously thinking of just getting it podercoated white. Most of it is smooth and i don\'t think i\'ll get it much better. Has anybody got any pictures of the plenum in any colour ???
I\'m looking at getting my greddy bend done in white too, but the throttle body for the time being will still be stock alloy. Looking at making the whole intake track in alloy pipe and then also getting it powder coated white too.
Cheers
Shaun
ross sells them ready polished 50.00quid not worth ag od diy
I really wanted to get it sorted my self to be honest. Touched up a polished greedy elbow from ross in the past. It was nice, i just wanted to attack some of the hard to reach areas. After spending alot of time on it i think i like the idea of having it powdercoated now, just to be different. Plus it should cost less too !
Im probably too self critical, but i think i\'m going to get it done in white and it should look really good. If i can get it ceramic coated too then that will be the way to go !
Sanded all the easy to reach areas to 1200 grit but the areas around the UIM and LIM are really nasty. I just don\'t have a big enough wheel to attack the whole thing. Plus my plenum is pretty well pitted and the powder coat will cover this up nicely !
I\'ll post some photos of how it looks when i get it back !
Shaun
Hope u dont ever leave the oil cap off n start the engine if your painting it all white :yes
lol, had to completly strip the plenum of its bits and then it went in an acid bath, got powder coated on the outside and then baked ! Got it back on the car, but i disconnected the pressure sensor. So after an hour of re-stripping looking for the fault i found the pipe loose. Will take some photo\'s tommorrow. I think it looks alot cleaner and the throttle body and alternator case will get the same treatment next !
Shaun
Im guna scrub mine n have it steam cleaned n go fae there..
its not an easy job to get them polished up. Just too much many nooks and crannies. I\'d spent 2 days smoothing it to no avail !
Shaun
Got the bits back on now, not taken it out for a spin yet, so not sure if all is fine ! Just thought i\'d post a couple of pictures. next job is the throttle body and the alternator. Then i\'ll make my 70mm pipes in aluminium and powder coat them too !
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/shaunwil/DSCF0461.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/shaunwil/DSCF0462.jpg)
Shaun
Didnt think i would like this when you first mentioned it but i think it looks cool :) Gonna be a bugger to keep clean though ha ha
I was recently thinking of getting a few bits a pieces polished up(plenum, alternator, pipes etc) but looking at the finish you got there it might be nicer to have them powder coated.
How much did you have to pay?, if you dont mind me asking :)
Adam
I think it should be way easier to keep clean compared to polishing, its been laquered as well, so should just wipe clean with a damp soft cloth. Polished stuff re-oxidises. For the plenum and the greddy bend powder coated in white with a clean laquer was 50quid. Its was 40 without the laquer. I had smoothed most of the plenum first though and completely stripped the plenum down, removing all the sensors and butterflies. They did all the masking. Only real concearn is get them to plug the hole in the middle, not mask, the bolt doesn\'t cover over the mask completly !
The alternator will need to be completly stripped of its innerds to get powder coated and its a bar steward to put back together !
Shaun
Quote from: shaunwilI think it should be way easier to keep clean compared to polishing, its been laquered as well, so should just wipe clean with a damp soft cloth. Polished stuff re-oxidises.
Shaun
This is exactly why mine is going to be carbon......:) Much easier to keep clean!
Oh and its super sexy!!! :D
Looking very smart bud, i was the same, didnt think id like it but im impressed :yes
Cheers, its only really the start. lol. Im a bit worried about taking the throttle body to bits. It has so many parts connected to it. Just need a 2nd hand one ! It\'s just something a bit different, plus you can have it in any colour you want.
Shaun
I know that u spent ages smoothing it all but where i got my wheel powder coated, they have a process called bead shot?? dunno if u heard of it but they blast it with small bearings and it smooths it all off :) i.e takes all the pitting away...
Well its something i wreckon i cud consider looking at yours, at leat u can colour code the whole bay now lol.. gunna look great when its finished, only prob is the more complete the part your gunna have coated the more likely they are to miss masking a hole n blocking it up :P
Bead blasting only takes the surface crap off. I\'ve done some of it when i was a machinist. It is great for removing rust and crud but nothing else. It takes an even amount off when used. Plus it takes and an absolute age to do.
You have to remove all the bits because aluminium needs to be washed in an acid solution before it is coated. Plus when they coat the bits if it was a full unit everything would be covered. If they miss masking something then you would just run a tap or drill down the hole. The guy i went to did a good job !
Shaun
Kewl!! im game lol how did u smooth it all off then?
The old fashioned way ! I filed off the front joint seam, then used a workmate mouse and a die-grinder to get to all the flatish surfaces, then the rest by hand, working from 80 grit to 1200 grit. Takes forever ! Just so many areas that feel imposible to reach. The powder coat is quite thick, so it covers up most of the rough area, but to get the shiney finish it had to be really smooth.
Shaun
Shaun i like very much ... Top job son
Scott
Nice one give me your address and ill send all my bits for smoothing :)
er, i\'ll let your remove you fingers, lol. Just not a nice job, unless i used the wrong tools !
Shaun
:spank use a dremel multi tool and the wee grinder bit :chat
i used the die grinder bit on a dremel type tool, does help speed job up, but there are alot of spaces that are impossible to reach !
Plus i ran out of sanding wheels
Shaun
hehe just bought me a 26 piece polishing kit fae the polishing shop lol.. used them a fair bit, might giv it a go :)
All this dremell stuff, All I did on my Plenum, Y pipe, X over pipe, and thermastat housing was Wet and dry emery cloth some files and some
Ice lolly sticks :rollin
Ive damaged fingers prob. for the rest of my life and lungs full
of ally dust but was worth it) :rolleyes:
Paul..
It just seems to take forever. lol
Shaun
Just thought i\'d post an update on the powder coating. Just got my 2nd hand throttle body and alternater back. The alternater is back together :), just needs to go back on the car ! The throttle body may take more time :eek
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/shaunwil/DSCF0475.jpg)
Come out really nice !
Shaun
Be cool to see how it looks on the car. Good work Shaun
Scott
This has to be the best simple mod that totally transforms the engine section in the car.
What an amazing idea Shaun and congrats on yours. It should look amazing.
Brake Calipers next ?!!!!?
Gareth
Well i\'ve got it back in the car, got a slight scuff and the damn thing isn\'t charging :( so need to take it back out. I\'ll take a photo before i take it out, amazing the difference it makes in the engine bay. Its making the water pump look scruffy now :p
Shaun
check the output voltage shaun. should be about 14 V Also is the plug in tight
Scott
No its sitting at 11v on the pfc, knew straight away. I\'ve had my aternator to bits before, had some issues when i put it back together. May have broken a wire. Just will be a knightmare to take apart again. Time to get the soldering iron out !
I\'ll have to use my brake opener to carefully prise the case apart and pull the main rear bearing out, its a damn tight fit.
Shaun
Oh. not good boss. MAy be you have bust a diode or a link to one.
Scott
Well i\'ve had it to bits. I think i messed up the grounding in the alternator at the back, so i\'ve scraped all the powdercoat off the offening areas and rebuilt and refit the alternator and no joy. Going to have to take it to bits again and have another play. I tested continuity off the mounting screw and got a good result, but i think i should have done it off the rectifier. If its knackered i\'ll just have to buy some more internals, been bidding for one off ebay just in case.
Couple more pictures before i take it out for the 3rd time :( Should be worth it though.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/shaunwil/DSCF0478.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/shaunwil/DSCF0479.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/shaunwil/DSCF0481.jpg)
Shaun
Looking good, whats the cost of powdercoating things?
Its all dependent on the amount of masking that needs to be done to it. The plenum and elbow together cost me 80 quid with clear laquer and the throttle body and alternator case together cost 100 quid with laquer.
Looking at the internals of my alternator i don\'t think it was properly charging. Reading through the manual the front brush is worn past the wear limit and i can\'t find any more places on alternator that it grounds to.
I know a place I can take the internals to for testing and overhaul, so the car will be off the road till then :(
Shaun