Cleaning Intake Manifold

[jkrolikowski]

So I recently aquired a filthy h23a1 intake manifold, plenum, TB, and butterfly plate for a good price. I'm wondering how best to clean these. My ideas:
1) Put parts in some dollar store plastic tub, spray with engine degreaser, and pour hot water in the tub and let it sit. Dump, rinse, hose down - maybe do a few times. Then use carb cleaner and a brush (wire brush?).
2) Put parts into a plastic basket (something with holes), take to car wash, spray with engine degreaser, let sit, and pressure wash off. Then the carb cleaner and brush.

Any ideas? Or ways that have worked for you when cleaning very dirty carbon buildup and grease.

Also, does Simple Green work for what I'm describing? I'd prefer to dump something less toxic than engine degreaser, though I'm sure engine degreaser would be more effective.

[GeoffM]

Intake cleaner?

[92smokeaccord]

if ur gonna soak it use acidtone...it eats the grease..degreaser only softhins it then u have to wipe it off....but be extreamly care full with the acidtone..get a pair of the rubber dish cleaning gloves..that shit burns really bad!!

[GhostAccord]

I used a plastic container (wheelbarrow) full of hot water and simple green. Let it sit for a few minutes. I have no patience so I used a nylon scrub brush to make things go a little faster. Make sure to rinse thoroughly and spray your aluminum with an oil/sealer after you dry it off.

What is acidtone, do you mean acetone? It is another good cleaner but not very friendly to the environment and doesn't mix well with water. It's used as a paint/resin thinner or polish remover (nail polish remover).

Oh and it's extremely flammable. If you use it make sure you use it in a well ventilated area and dispose of all your dirty rags ASAP. Don't just throw them in your household trash can.

[accordztech]

You guys put a bit of work into yours. I degreased it, and pressure washed it.

If its discolored then go to local auto store buy some "alloy silver" paint (its high temp) and it will look like oem, just with more shine.



no paint and dull


painted

[90AccordLowLife]

you can always use Mean green or Purple Power Cleaner. Neither are as harsh on the Skin but they both work Pretty well.

[H.M.]

.... Make sure to rinse thoroughly and spray your aluminum with an oil/sealer after you dry it off.....

Can you tell me more about this?
Aluminum - doesn't rust? Does this seal it against some other kind of corrosion?

[92 OEM]

I used Simple Green, good stuff.

[92smokeaccord]

I used a plastic container (wheelbarrow) full of hot water and simple green. Let it sit for a few minutes. I have no patience so I used a nylon scrub brush to make things go a little faster. Make sure to rinse thoroughly and spray your aluminum with an oil/sealer after you dry it off.

What is acidtone, do you mean acetone? It is another good cleaner but not very friendly to the environment and doesn't mix well with water. It's used as a paint/resin thinner or polish remover (nail polish remover).

Oh and it's extremely flammable. If you use it make sure you use it in a well ventilated area and dispose of all your dirty rags ASAP. Don't just throw them in your household trash can.

yes i ment acetone..we used to use it at work to clean the concret floors and peel paint off the machines to re paint them...one time i let my old idol air control valve sit in a bucket of pure acetone for 30min and the thing came out clean as the day i bought new...no scrubing required.

[jkrolikowski]

I used a plastic container (wheelbarrow) full of hot water and simple green. Let it sit for a few minutes. I have no patience so I used a nylon scrub brush to make things go a little faster. Make sure to rinse thoroughly and spray your aluminum with an oil/sealer after you dry it off.

Could you tell me why I'd want to spray the aluminum with oil/sealer after I've cleaned it? Are you referring to the intake manifold, plenum, etc.?

[GeoffM]

Could you tell me why I'd want to spray the aluminum with oil/sealer after I've cleaned it? Are you referring to the intake manifold, plenum, etc.?

Because aluminum does rust. Just not in the same way or as rapidly as iron.

[GhostAccord]

Could you tell me why I'd want to spray the aluminum with oil/sealer after I've cleaned it? Are you referring to the intake manifold, plenum, etc.?

Aluminum can oxidize (turn white) quite quickly if left unprotected. There is a natural boundary layer that aluminum will have. Once you remove that layer it will start to oxidize.

[wed3k]

itll oxidize after it has been to harsh condtions...but if kept out of moisture, nothing will happen to it and its a very slow process unlike rust

[slobalt716]

i usually hot tank them then finish the rest with brake clean. works wonders if you have access to a hot tank

[accordztech]

itll oxidize after it has been to harsh condtions...but if kept out of moisture, nothing will happen to it and its a very slow process unlike rust

thats why I paint mine =)