Cleaning Exhaust Manifolds

[PeterTR7V8]

Is there an easy way to clean up my stock exhaust manifolds? They are currently rusty orange with several oil stains as seen in this old picture.



They will be replaced with extractors at some point so I don't want to spend a lot of time on them so it will need to be a spray & wipe solution if possible. Cheers.


Never say die. At least not while you're still breathing.

[TR7Aaron]

As far as cleaning them on the car, a stiff wire brush is about all I can think of - sand blasting would make a real mess.
Though I haven't tried it, a friend of mine that does the car show circuit swears by Eastwoods exhaust manifold paint. He says that it won't burn off or discolor. He does drive his car, but not everyday, so I can't say it will hold up for years - just passing along a little info.
Here's a link...

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/sear ... fold_paint

Aaron

Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

[Underdog]

This comes up with the MG guys a lot. Concensous seems to be that any paint is pretty much a waste of time. I blasted my B manifold & painted it with BBQ grill flat black. Looked OK for quite a while, turning a flat gray. Eventually reverted back to rust. The Eastwood stuff may work better but I doubt the result would be good without a sandblasting first. Only thing that seems bulletproof is Jet Hot. But that wouldn't be a viable option for you since you want to go with headers at some point. Sorry, I don't have a quick & easy solution for you.

72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

[FI Spyder]

You can tape off the engine bay to spray paint the top half with ceramic exhaust manifold paint such as listed above. A half a$$ed way of doing it (kind of like going to a wedding in a tux but wearing old holey underwear). If your going to shortly replace with headers then this short term solution may suffice. Best to remove and sandblast or clean up in your electrolysis system and spray paint with above type paint or better yet get it ceramic coated. You can do it yourself if your so inclined by spraying manifold with water based ceramic slurrey with cheap paint spray gun and baking at 500 degress in your spare oven (or when your wife is out shopping). The heat from exhaust completes the curing. This is a long term solution that you probably don't want to do if your going to replace shortly.


TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[nofinchance]

I can say what not to use not much help but may save you some time and money[;)].Halfords VHT paint is useless.I put it on my moterbike exhaust which was a rusty black.The paint is black and burns off quicker than a coat of water.The BBQ paint is better but burns off after a while.Have you considered those heat proof bandage things? A bit hard to fit in situ but will tidy up the job and not fade away.

[PeterTR7V8]

Thanks for the suggestions. The engine is ex situ with the manifolds sitting on the garage floor but on the evidence it seems like a wirebrush might be the most practical solution. I was hoping there was some aerosol potion that would strip away the crud.


Never say die. At least not while you're still breathing.

[Hasbeen]

That is a job perfectly suited to sand blasting, I would think.

Hasbeen

[Odd]

If you <u>can</u> take the manifolds off the engine: Follow Hasbeens advise and <b>sand blast them</b>.
Then, have them plasma coated with aluminium powder! It looks great - and will do so for years...

These were done that way, and still look the same several years later:

Powder coated visible covers, Stainless fasteners, Brass nuts and Aluminium coated exhaustmanifolds...

[Bendder]

If off the car take to any engin shop or even alternator or starter repair shop and have them drop em in the shot peen bin not only will it give a smoother finnish but it will do inside and out as the shot will fill the manifold. Finnish in whatever way you like after but I used high heat manifold paint and baked it in the oven at 400f after the first coat and second coat and then let it sit over night at 700f (industrial oven at work) and it did not change color for about a year but rust did slowly come back and take over though.

Mark
1977 TR7 FHC
1978 TR7 FHC
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 Rover SD1 4.0L

[busheytrader]

Hi,

You're probably going to have enough hassle fitting those tubular manifolds and adapting your exhaust to fit them. Why give yourself more problems?

As they're going to be changed, I'd leave your standard manifolds alone. Dismantling and sand blasting for the short term wouldn't do it for me.

Adam





TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes, Anti- Dive, Granada Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 5 Spokes and Cruise Lights. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991

[Hasbeen]

When I bought my new Morgan +4, back in 1962, [TR3A engine], I
ordered it with a "competition" inlet, & exhaust system.

The exhaust not only worked well, it looked good too. A nice
extractor, [tubular] system, it was coated with a white/silver
aluminium coating, with a texture of about 80 grit sand paper.

It used to grow little "trees" of alloy, about 1/8" high, which were
easily knocked off. This didn't change the surface, & 2 years later,
[5,000 miles racing, 20,000 road work] it still looked as new.

Why do systems that work so well, just disappear, with out trace?

Hasbeen