Best way to clean-up SU's and intake?

[Healey Z]

I'm replacing my dual downdraft weber set-up. I bought a pretty complete and servicable intake and set of SU carbs. While complete, they are pretty rough looking. What is the best way to clean them up, perhaps adding a little shine to the top of the SU's?

[madkaw]

http://www.amazon.com/CC3K-Carburetor-Parts-Cleaner-Basket/dp/B000ABGA4E

The best way to get them clean, but DON'T let them soak to long-follow the instructions. If you soak them too long- any cladding on the linkage will disolve. Making them pretty is lots of elbow grease and Mother's polish-possible sandpaper---just how nice you want to make them..

Edited May 17, 2011 by madkaw

[JLPurcell]

Soda Blast the carbs and intake. jlp

[240260280z]

polish like a valve cover

[Arne]

What does your current intake look like? Dual downdraft Webers typically mount a pair of adapters onto the stock SU manifolds. You should be able to bolt your SUs directly up to the manifolds you now have, and perhaps save yourself some work cleaning up the new set.

[Healey Z]

Thank you for the replies. The current set-up uses a different manifold.

[Arne]

???? OK, that's a new one to me. Looks like someone fabbed custom manifolds based on the original. Lots of cutting and welding there.

So yeah, looks like you're back to cleaning up the new ones.

I'd probably bead-blast the actual manifolds and leave them natural finish. Then clean and perhaps lightly polish the domes on the SUs.

[tlorber]

I agree with the media blasting on the intake mani's. If you want the domes shiny I would go with 400 grit, then 1000 grit, then a buffing wheel. If you use sandpaper, make sure you stick paper towells in both the interior of the domes, and in the interior bore where the plunger goes. You don't want to scratch or contaminate these areas. The throttle bodies are tough, because to really get those clean you need to take off all the parts. Buff the balance tube the same way as the domes.

Edited May 18, 2011 by tlorber

[Walter Moore]

Thank you for the replies. The current set-up uses a different manifold.

Wow! Someone went to a lot of effort to switch to down-draft carbs!