3.4 Questions

-Alero- · 03-14-2005, 10:36 PM

hey i wanted to polish down the UIM and i was wondering about some tips on how to do this. i have to remove the entire UIM to do this right? also am i able to use a grinder with a steel wire head. and if i polish this does it have a better chance of rusting? i would also like to polish down the front valve cover, and would like some tips on how to do that as well.

i have alot of other questions that i cant think of anymore for some reason..... <_<

jamcllw · 03-15-2005, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Alero-@Mar 14 2005, 10:36 PM
and if i polish this does it have a better chance of rusting? i would also like to polish down the front valve cover,

Aluminum doesn't rust. And i've got some valve covers in my garage I'll sell cheap if you want something to practice on.

Naich · 03-15-2005, 08:35 AM

yeah, aluminum doesn't rust, it just gets a little oxadized. You can stop that by using aluminum polish and some wax.

03-15-2005, 08:54 AM

dont use anything electric.

90% of the time, it will get fudged up a little and that will look like ass when the rest of it is done up nice.

the only way i would do this is with sandpaper and manual labor. unfortunately that takes a while.

ive read stories of people spending a weeks worth of after work sitting at home time to get it to a mirror finish.

you have to gradually go to fine grit paper. they actually make sandpaper foam blocks now that are great to use for something like this.

once you get it to a smooth finish, THEN you use the power tools and get a buffing wheel and polish out and go to town

but it looks pimp.

03-15-2005, 10:22 AM

what grit sandpaper would you start with?

03-15-2005, 11:35 AM

i would start with a ~200 grit wet/dry and wet sand (they are the black sandpaper sheets).

i would do that until i got all the way up 1500+ grit wet/dry.

but thats just me. some people do things differently which is not wrong either.

FormulaNERD · 03-15-2005, 01:42 PM

i like the sanding sponge that germ mentioned, it works well, but they wear down quickly.

also when you're done, clearcoat it with some high temp to stop oxidizing.

i personally would start off with air tools, if you have access. but if not you better get out the elbow grease.

a couple hundred hours and it'll look like this..... almost.

03-15-2005, 02:38 PM

Hey I did this... (sold it) but I have a new one and I'm about to start doing it again... Basically

Start with something like 100 wet/dry (sand wet)
Then move up to 200, 500, 800, 1000, 2000... then polish the hell out of it!

You don't have to remove it, but it makes it soooo much easier if you do! I had another car that I was driving while my UIM was laying on my table for a week.. it's probably one of the cheapest appearance mods you can make but the results are great!

doubleN0alero · 03-15-2005, 02:48 PM

who's car was that? it loked bad ass

-Alero- · 03-15-2005, 05:14 PM

formulanerd thats exactly what i want mine to look like. also i have air tools, and an air compressor. Germ can you help me out with this, since you seem to know the most about this.

where can i get some of that sanding sponge?

what can yo utell me about the removeal of the UIM and the valve cover?

i would like to have this done by next week, seeing as how i have all next week off, and will be free.

-Alero- · 03-15-2005, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Naich@Mar 15 2005, 08:35 AM
yeah, aluminum doesn't rust, it just gets a little oxadized. You can stop that by using aluminum polish and some wax.

thanks nick, for clearing that up, i got plenty of polishing metal, ive used it on alot of the metal sections of the car, made them shiney B)