What is the proper way to restore exhaust manifolds? Just got some and they are very nice but have that rust look. Would bead blasting be a mistake? Is there a dip to remove rust? Should they be painted with a special paint? Do you plate them with zinc or? Help please.

GB70,

I would recomend sandblasting. After blasting coat with a special manifold coating. POR-15 makes a nice product. It come is 3 different colors, Velvet Black, Silver and a more acceptable Manifold Gray.
Once this coating is on they should be baked for a specified tiome at a specified temp. Follow the directions.
I actually mixed the Black and Gray to give a phosphate look to a few other parts ie. hood hinges, latch ect. Used the wifes oven to bake and some old cookie sheets.
She wasn't very happy but I personally was very pleased with the finished product. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Look for POR15 or Rustomotive Products on the internet.

------------------
FastSS396Man
Brian

Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manflqtr3.jpg), Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manflqtr2.jpg),Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manrrqtr3.jpg),
Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manint1.jpg),Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manint2.jpg),Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396mantrunk2.jpg),Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manfrchassis.jpg),Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manexh.jpg),Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manengine1.jpg),Fastss396 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/fastss396manrchas1.jpg)
69' SS396 Chevelle
L78 396/375hp
M-21 Close Ratio
Cortez Silver
10 year Resto
It's brand new again!
02' Harley FatBoy, Diamond Ice pearl.

Eastwood Company has a coating for cast iron exhaust manifolds that can be painted on with a brush, it looks great and lasts for years

Go to eastwoodco.com (http://www.eastwoodco.com) and type "stainless steel coating" into the search box

When I did mine, they had been sand blasted but I think it would work ok just to buff them on a wire brush wheel


------------------
Dean Call
Team Gold member #3
A.C.E.S. # 00235
Mid America Chevelle Club (http://macc.chevelles.net) #001
chevelles.net (http://chevelles.net)
My 69 SS (http://chevelles.com/showroom/deans69.jpg)
If you weather the storm, you'll reach the port.



[This message has been edited by Dean (edited 02-03-2002).]

How do you get the rusted in studs out, that's my prob, do I drill them out and re-tap or take it to a machine shop?

Thanks Dean and Brian,

I will take them into work and Sand blast them to remove the rust. We use plate shops so I will have them Zinc coated next. I know this will prepare the cast steel for the next step. I have chosen to use Eastwoods coating for steel manifolds. I will take some "before", "during", and "after" pics to help illustrate for the next guy. Wish me luck.

------------------
myLS6 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/gb70::ls6.jpg)

Hi 67_velle, to get the studs out, you have 2 choices, do it yourself or take it to a machine shop. To do it yourself, weld a nut onto the stud that is still sticking out of the hole (if there is any) and then heat the ear of the manifold, not the stud, turn the stud with a wrench and this should remove the stud, but no always. If you dont' feel comfortable doing it this way or if the stud breaks off flush with the manifold, I would recommend taking it to a machine shop. I always take them to a local machine shop now, it's not even worth the hassle. The shop charges me between 5 and 10 to do a manifold and then even clean the threads for me.

--------
Bryan Shook

Just another spin onto Bryan suggestion.
After the Ear is red hot spray PB blaster,Kroil or WD40 on the stud stub.
Use a pipe wrench,welded nut or stud remover socket/tool.

If you don't have any of the above, IMO head to your local auto machine shop.

Wayne

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 67_velle:
How do you get the rusted in studs out, <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

*If* there is enough of the stud left to get hold of, you can get usually get them out pretty easy using an acetylene torch and these pipe wrench pliers
(# 410 Channel Lock )

http://macc.chevelles.net/images/channel_lock_410.jpg

They grip 1000 times better than vice grips or any other tool

The Manifold ear must be heated red hot all the way around the stud

I usually have pretty good luck by heating it red first and letting it cool down until it's not red then spraying it with any WD-40 type product before trying to rotate the stud then heating the ear red again all the way around the stud

About 10% of the time, the stud will twist off and not leave enough to get hold of but it's not really that hard to drill out and re-tap the 3/8-16 threads

When I have to drill one out, I always start
with a 1/4" CCW bit, (running the drill in reverse)
Sometimes the CCW bit will catch the stud and back it out, if not, I change to a 5/16" CCW bit and drill it out again

The hard part is getting the bit started exactly in the center if the stud but if you drill off to one side a little, you can still re-tap the threads and it will work fine




------------------
Dean Call
Team Gold member #3
A.C.E.S. # 00235
Mid America Chevelle Club (http://macc.chevelles.net) #001
chevelles.net (http://chevelles.net)
My 69 SS (http://chevelles.com/showroom/deans69.jpg)
If you weather the storm, you'll reach the port.

[This message has been edited by Dean ]

What about rivets for the heat stove/shield? The ones on mine have domed tops which makes them diffucult to drill and they're hard as hell. Also, if they do come out, are the domed type ones available anywhere? All i can find are the standard ones with the pin that breaks off.

------------------
1970 Chevy Custom El Camino (http://www.dreamelectric.com)
Originally was & will be Green Mist & Silver w/Green Vinyl Top (now black)
350ci/300HP 4bbl & Dual Exhaust
TH-350 - 2.73 Posi Rear - Factory PS, PDB, PW, Tilt, A/C & More
My El Camino Home Page (http://www.dreamelectric.com/index.html)
Other Restorations -1969 Snowco Trailer (http://www.dreamelectric.com/Snowco.html) & 1967 Sears Custom 600 Tractor (http://www.dreamelectric.com/1967Sears.html)
Team Chevelle Member #995

Here is some shots after b blasting and a clear coat of zinc (protect from rusting ever again)http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/before_zinc.jpg

Here is what they looked like after 32 yrs(before) http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/before_after1.jpg

I will show you some pictures after I apply Eastwoods paint for steel manifoilds.




[This message has been edited by gb70 (edited 02-14-2002).]

Looks great so far Greg. Now don't forget to get the smog holes drilled before you finish them off. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

When using a set of non-drill manifolds, I usually only drill deep enough to hold the smog tube but not enough to punch thru. That way they become blocked and won't discolor the tubes as much.


------------------
"Details Make the Difference"
Musclecar Restoration and Design

ACES #5032
TC #1074

The only coating that will last almost forever is the coating process used by LO-KO Performance Coatings of Oak Lawn Illinois. (phone number-708-424-7863). First they metallize coat the manifold with alluminum, then they apply the cast grey coating. This is the only process that works.

Is this something they sell (supplies) or do you have to send your manifolds to them and they do it?

gb70: You will need to send your manifolds to them tobe coated.
Gordon VM

What's the correct color (from eastwood) for a 67 396?

gb70 where is your shop?

------------------
jason pollock
66 el camino
s.c.c.c.c #411
T.C.# 1954
n.e.c.o.a

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 66brit:
gb70 where is your shop?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

We moved to our new location in Tracy, CA this last summer. I own and operate a precision CNC machine shop.

I used a Bridgeport milling machine to drill and tap the holes for the smog device on these set of manifolds. I had to back engineer it using the airtubes as reference for centerline spacing of the holes. Anglelarity is critical, assuming you want to punch through with the air tubes. Rick had a good suggestion, but I elected to punch through.

I use many various plating shops as well so I can get Chrome, Cad, Zinc, Alodine, Anodize, Electroless Nickle, Oxide, and anything else one might need to aid in restoration work.

Of corse having lathes, mills, polishing equipment, welding, and a b-blasting machine is a BIG bonus!

Just curious, how far are you? Are you southern Cal?

gb

------------------
myLS6 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/gb70::ls6.jpg)

Yes,I am in Los Angeles.
The reason I asked is that as i work on my car I would rather spend my money with T.C members and I have a set of rams horn manifolds that i wish looked as good as yours.

------------------
jason pollock
66 el camino
s.c.c.c.c #411
T.C.# 1954
n.e.c.o.a

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 66brit:
Yes,I am in Los Angeles.
The reason I asked is that as i work on my car I would rather spend my money with T.C members and I have a set of rams horn manifolds that i wish looked as good as yours.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks. One thing that I wished did not happen to mine was when I could not get ALL the rust off using the b blasting, I gave it to my plater to acid dip them. He did a GREAT job on one of them, and left the other in the tank way too long. The acid left a very rough surface. Much like a sanpaper feel. I used a lot of coats of the product I bought from Eastwood (for this appication) to help build up the finish so it can not be seen or felt as much.

Best advice I could give you is find a good shop close. I find it best to talk directly face to face with the end user BEFORE I start cutting metal. If I can help you at all I will be more than happy to.



------------------
myLS6 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/gb70::ls6.jpg)

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>do I drill them out and re-tap or take it to a machine shop?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Take it to a machine shop. let them tap it out. I had to change the catalytic converter recently on my Sunfire. Had to take off the manifold. The stud broke off. My car is still under guarantee, but I asked to work with the mechanic in his bay - to learn how.

If yours have not yet broken, there may be hope yet. Acetlyne might help coax them out.

We ended up drilling out the stud (that twisted off in the first place) and used a tap to clean out the thread. A lot of acetlyne was used to coax the bits of stud out of the thread seating.

If you do not have the material, experience or patience, take it to a machine shop. They know how to do it and will do it faster and cleaner. You might even get to watch and help.

Another good reason for having a machine do it is when it is drilled out the minor diameter of thread may have been enlarged so that the percentage of thread is not to the correct minimum. In other words, the fit of the mating part (screw,bolt) will be too loose. In this case we use pins to check the minor diameter, and deem if having to re-drill again but for a heli-coil is needed. Better to do it right rather than having to find and buy another manifold.

If you do decide to do it yourself be aware of the GH size of the tap. The higher the GH size the more material you will be removing. Hence the less percentage of threads. Use a GH2 or GH3. Using a GH2 or GH3 cutting tap, tapping handle, a fair amount of oil, be sure you line up over the thread correctly so you do not cause cross threading. Tip: Use a tapping block. After every second to third turn, reverse the turn counter clock- wise to break the burr. If this is not done you will have build up on the tap and may break the tap inside of the work piece. At my shop we use "go" and "no go" thread gauges to check our work. If the "no go" member of the gauge turns more than three turns you will have a sloppy, loose fit with the mating part (bolt and or screw). This may mean we will have to drill it out for a heli-coil. IMHO this a good thing. The chances of stripping out a heli-coil is not likely. If you do it youreslf in this case you should use a "free running" heli-coil with the application of a through hole. A heli coil inserter tool will be needed to do this task. As you can see if you have none of the above tooling you would be $ ahead going to a machine shop, and less likely to run into problems. Good luck.

------------------
myLS6 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/gb70::ls6.jpg)