Cold air intake pipe cleaning

eutechnyx

Original poster
Member
Mar 31, 2012
375
Is there any good ways to go about polishing and cleaning a cold air intake pipe? mine is looking rough and not shiny at all,not sure what the metal is made of though. any ideas?
 

blazinlow89

Member
Jan 25, 2012
2,088
Most likely aluminum. As for cleaning you can soak it in hot water and detergent, or simple green to break down any junk. Then reach what you can with a wet rag, rinse thoroughly and let air dry. You can also look for a large cleaning brush to run through if you want.
 

strat81

Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
blazinlow89 said:
Most likely aluminum. As for cleaning you can soak it in hot water and detergent, or simple green to break down any junk. Then reach what you can with a wet rag, rinse thoroughly and let air dry. You can also look for a large cleaning brush to run through if you want.

Original Simple Green can corrode aluminum. Use Simple Green ProHD or Simple Green Aircraft and Precision Cleaner on aluminum. ProHD is available at Home Depot.


I'd look at one of the various metal polishes on the market. Find one that's safe for steel and aluminum, which is probably what the pipe is made from. A Mother's Power Ball will save your elbow from a bit of ache.
 

eutechnyx

Original poster
Member
Mar 31, 2012
375
I was thinking some mothers aluminum polish? its not "dirty" its just dull looking.
 

blazinlow89

Member
Jan 25, 2012
2,088
eutechnyx said:
I was thinking some mothers aluminum polish? its not "dirty" its just dull looking.

Mothers if you want to buff all day. If you have access to a good polisher then there is a polish called wenol, it is on the pricey side but works like magic. You can hand buff with it as well but it will take a little while. Make sure that it doesn't have a clear coat too.

I forgot about standard simple green saying it could corrode aluminum, never seen it myself but it would not surprise me.
 

strat81

Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
eutechnyx said:
I was thinking some mothers aluminum polish? its not "dirty" its just dull looking.

Have you considered painting it? Duplicolor, Krylon, and Rustoleum offer a variety of unique finishes. Paint it to match the body, go for a hammered look, use the color-changing stuff... lots of options there.

Just scuff it with a scotch-brite or steel wool, degrease the hell out of it, and prime it before applying the final finish.
 

DetailedImage

Member
Jan 19, 2012
20
Most likely it's aluminum and to safely clean it use a nice metal polish. The Optimum Metal Polish is a great choice as it will help remove light oxidation, contaminants, etc. while enhancing the shine. Best of all it leaves a little bit of protection behind that will help keep it clean and make future cleanings easier. I personally don't recommend using a strong degreaser on them because it could tarnish the surface over time. If you do want to clean the engine and this part in particular with a degreaser using something more gentle like a citrus based degreaser (P21S Total Auto Wash). Hope this info helps!

Greg @ DI
 

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