MONKEYmark Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 hi taking supra off road over winter to get a few bits i want to get sorted.was looking to get some shiny bits to brighten engine up. what can be chromed/polished was thinking of doing power steering tank rad clamps strut tops the ring things and blitz intercooler pipes and turbos and piping if not too much taking them off. would like to get them chromed but been told you cant chrome alloy.i have took power steering tank off and it was a bit tarnished,got drill out with wire brush attachment and it come up ok.but not brilliant finish.i have some brushes to try get a better finish. posted a couple of pics up on my site http://monkeymark2001.tripod.com/monkeymark/id9.html am i wasting my time trying.i want to brighten the dull engine bay up a bit.is there any products good for polishing.i have been using auto glym metal polish and it works quite well.my intercooler pipes are a bit rough on the finish where the bends are. was going to sandpaper down and buff up. or better still get them chromed. has anyone tried to do any engine dressing. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 That picture on your website with you under the car and your nephew looking devious... Please tell me you had more than just that scissor jack holding the car up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 Basically, you are doing fine, but you will need to use more elbow grease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 and some bloody axle stands. Just think of Michael Buerks voice when you're under the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted November 20, 2002 Author Share Posted November 20, 2002 Originally posted by Matt Harwood That picture on your website with you under the car and your nephew looking devious... Please tell me you had more than just that scissor jack holding the car up no only got standard jack.was a pain in ass having to jack it up a couple of times getting bumper off. i know i should get some axel stands but never used them before.do they go in the standard jacking points or in the name on the axels,do you need to jack the whole car up and have 4 stands.i was thinking it would twist body too much i normally take the wheel off and rest it under car in case it drops and i had a standard chock under back wheel some of us poor supra owners dont have big garage with all tools.i have just started to have a go at doing my own jobs,got a 56peice halfords professional tool kit and a £17 cheap drill and just bought a £8 angle grinder from car boot sale it looks brand new and did the job i wanted with no problem.i do find there is tools i could do with when i am doing the job.need a set of ring spanners for tight jobs.mate skyline lee lent me a set he has. its good when you have done a job yourself. does anyone else do there own work.i know eyefi does a lot of work his self Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted November 20, 2002 Author Share Posted November 20, 2002 Originally posted by Rob and some bloody axle stands. Just think of Michael Buerks voice when you're under the car. i will have to turn the speed of the drill up who is Michael Buerks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradb Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 999 Feck that Marky.. Ram that.. Axle stands £100 New head £Priceless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted November 20, 2002 Author Share Posted November 20, 2002 oooops never thought twice about car dropping,it always feels solid.will look into getting some then. thanks again ps does anyone know about chroming then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 Mark basically if its alloy you should be able to polish it , you may have to take off any coating ie paint/anodising and i would sugest buying a proper polishing kit , the classic mags are a good place to find them , when finished think about getting them laquered so as to stop corrosion and tarnishing or you will spend more time with the autosol than driving it , or you can get any alloy parts anodised . john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Martin F Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 Originally posted by MONKEYmark no only got standard jack.was a pain in ass having to jack it up a couple of times getting bumper off. i know i should get some axel stands but never used them before.do they go in the standard jacking points or in the name on the axels,do you need to jack the whole car up and have 4 stands.i was thinking it would twist body too much i normally take the wheel off and rest it under car in case it drops and i had a standard chock under back wheel some of us poor supra owners dont have big garage with all tools.i have just started to have a go at doing my own jobs,got a 56peice halfords professional tool kit and a £17 cheap drill and just bought a £8 angle grinder from car boot sale it looks brand new and did the job i wanted with no problem.i do find there is tools i could do with when i am doing the job.need a set of ring spanners for tight jobs.mate skyline lee lent me a set he has. its good when you have done a job yourself. does anyone else do there own work.i know eyefi does a lot of work his self FFS axle stands cost me a fiver from a car boot sale, how can you not afford them ????? The're only about £12-£15 from Halfrauds. Can you honestly say that your life is not worth more than that ????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adi Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 I ploished my aliminium inlet/IC pipes about four months ago.. and they havent tarnished at all with no treatment/lacquer... still as shiny as when i did them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted November 21, 2002 Author Share Posted November 21, 2002 @martin ok will get some axel stands,next time i go out. @dudersvr i thought i would give it a go with the limited tools i have got. got a few wire brushes for the drill,and got a few circular brushes and got a copper bar made at work to attach them onto,but not tried them yet.when i got my old de cat fitted at a small exhaust making garage.i was going to get some hard pipes made up.the guy had a stand alone polisher it had a rough brush and a soft brush and he showed me how good alloy comes up and since then wanted to have a go at doing it myself. was thinking of getting a bench grinder and trying to attatch some brushes to it to try that.not keen on anodising like the polished/chromed look @adi they look well,how did you go about doing them.your 2.5tt looks very simular to the mk4tt engine.i seen a mk3 2.5tt with lcd dash where i got my mk4 tt from my mates doing some polishing on his gtr inlet pipes too.might as well have a go at doing some bits when car is off road over winter thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adi Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 The pipes on the 2.5tt are the same sandcast ones that are on the mkiv TT (the whole engine is very similar) I spent ages rubbing them down with wet and dry until they were flat, then down to a finer grade coupled with autosol, then down to wire wool and autosol, then a final polish. I wouldnt have bothered but my turbos were at TT and i was bored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted November 21, 2002 Author Share Posted November 21, 2002 Originally posted by adi The pipes on the 2.5tt are the same sandcast ones that are on the mkiv TT (the whole engine is very similar) I spent ages rubbing them down with wet and dry until they were flat, then down to a finer grade coupled with autosol, then down to wire wool and autosol, then a final polish. I wouldnt have bothered but my turbos were at TT and i was bored. i tried to get my pipes off to do a better job.gave up in end as i was getting close to turbos without knowing it.i thought the turbos on a mk4 would be close together but there is one at front and one at back of engine.do you have to fit new gaskets if you take them off. must say your pipes look well and worth the effort will see how these small bits go first then have a try with pipes and intercooler. thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylinelee Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 can i just add that i offered monkee boy the use of my axle stands but he fooked me off cos im a nissan owner and didnt want me in the way......lol lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adi Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 To be honest the pieps probably arent as shiny as they appear on the pic, but they are a *lot* better than the standard looking ones. Its difficult to get the edges of the pipes near the flanges smooth though.. and yes you really need to fit new gaskets if youre taking the pipes off the turbos... i cant vouch for the 2JZ but taking the pipes off isnt an easy job on mine, the heat shield, water pipe brackets and a few other bits and pieces have to come off. probably not worth it unless youre taking the turbos off anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 Mark if youve got a bench grinder you can buy a kit to go on it , but make sure you get the polish/cutting agent it makes life much more simple , or find a friendly engineering centre theyve allways got a polishing machine and have a go on that but remember the bits will get quite hot and if they catch in the wheel will go flying accross the workshop 'Hey some one catch that turbo' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 mark, dont forget to either make sure no bits of shit get in anything or give everything a very very good clean inside afterwards. its the cleaning and polishing compounds that really help make lighter work of it all. its still a long job tho, not for the impatient. u can come and practice on my skirting boards if u want lee, there's nothing like a strong element of danger while yr under a ton and a half of car with no ground clearance, swinging off socket bars trying to undo that bastard bolt that will not move. its something that still crosses my mind (the car falling on me) when under a car with axel stands and a wheel under the sills. ive even been known to keep the mobile in reach so i could call for help if i survived the initial crush Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted November 21, 2002 Author Share Posted November 21, 2002 was going to b&q with lee tonight then he had to be somewhere at 5pm so we called it off till tommorow.going to get a lot of sand paper and buy a bench grinder.i am hoping i can attatch these stiff brushes i have got and use it as a sort of buffer,there ia a bench grinder there that look good with light on it for about £40 some cheaper ones,if its no use will take back.it should make light work of it i think.dont want to be buying fancy chemicals or owt. i work in a printing place so they have loads of cleaning fluids i will give a try.the drill and wire brushes do a good job,but need sandpaper for fine detail. would like to get the turbo side alloy pipes off to do right.will have a look tommorow.anyone know of a good chroming place that do good work.or bodyshops for painting rocker cover and a couple of other small bits in a nice blue something like scooby blue or cossie blue i will post some pics if it turns out ok eyefi you nutter you think of everything "mobile phone" how about a toaster for when you get hungry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 I used to work in the Ali industry and used polishing/buffing mops (can be used on bench grinders) and used two 'blocks' of polish which are like ingots of wax type material.One has grit in for the initial polish then you use the Luster block for a really good finish. Depends on the alloy but you should achieve decent results. I think RS sell mops and the polishing compound, not that dear either. A wire brush is fine to start but will give loads if little scratches, also you could try one of them 'Scotch-Brite' wheels on a drill or grinder.Really a drill is too slow, go for a bench grinder but hold on to the part bloody tight and make sure the car ain't too close for it to hit it when it flies off. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted November 22, 2002 Author Share Posted November 22, 2002 Originally posted by Paul I used to work in the Ali industry and used polishing/buffing mops (can be used on bench grinders) and used two 'blocks' of polish which are like ingots of wax type material.One has grit in for the initial polish then you use the Luster block for a really good finish. Depends on the alloy but you should achieve decent results. I think RS sell mops and the polishing compound, not that dear either. A wire brush is fine to start but will give loads if little scratches, also you could try one of them 'Scotch-Brite' wheels on a drill or grinder.Really a drill is too slow, go for a bench grinder but hold on to the part bloody tight and make sure the car ain't too close for it to hit it when it flies off. Paul thanks for info,going to buy a bench grinder tommorow think its a mid range one with 2 wheels and light for £40. they had 1 expensive one at £80 it had normal size wheel and a large wheel and a light.thought it might be overkill for what i need.is RS open to the public.there is one not far from where i work and just round corner from B&Q i have one of them drill attatchments with loads of small strips of sandpaper but never used it.will pop in to RS and ask for advice thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 rs r open to the public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adi Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 not all of them though.. most are trade counters only... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprash Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 Originally posted by Bradb 999 Feck that Marky.. Ram that.. Axle stands £100 New head £Priceless Brad, Take it you have fancy axle stands, ones with little 2.5" screens in that you can plug your PS2 into, because £100.....(I take it that was a set of 4)..... I bought 4 axle stands from Halfords for £50-£60....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 Right then, just dug out polishing compound (two blocks of 'stuff') and here are the details; RS Components, Polishing Compound 800g-supercut 40---- Part 190-771 Polishing Compound 800g-Lustre------Part 190-793 Use the Supercut, then the Lustre, best results with a 'mop wheel' on a bench grinder as it softens the polish due to the speed/heat produced. Apply to the spinning mop then place part against mop. Good luck, oh if RS don't supply then they do have a mail order set-up for the public called Electromail, this is available through the customer service number I believe and they use all the same info in the RS cataloges, same prices even!! Bit pointless really, why not let the public order from 'RS' ??? Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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