Need serious help with `Intercooler polishing`

[resek]

Hi guys,



I need some SERIOUS help here about : intercooler polishing.



Let`s start.

Last year, beginning of summer, i `tried` to polish my intercooler (go on SRT4) to a MIRROR finish.

My process looked like something :

wash with Simple green

wetsand 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200

wash with simple green

Red "small" mothers polishing ball with Mother mag/aluminium polish



polish

http://www.rstruck.com/media_files/product_images/thumb/php8XwCCp.jpg

small ball

https://store.mothers.com/images/products/PowerBallMini_PowerMetal_330px.jpg



Results = nothing interesting ... i was angry!





I found a place(body shop) and they polished it for me. I was happy ... bot not 100%.

Results from the body shop :

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/jfcampeau/Projet%20srt-4/Intercooler%20polishing/DSC_0848.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/jfcampeau/Projet%20srt-4/Intercooler%20polishing/DSC_0851.jpg

Can you tell what you see in the "right tank" ? no ... that`s my main problem. It sure shines, but it`s definitely NOT a mirror finish like i want it to be.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/jfcampeau/Projet%20srt-4/Intercooler%20polishing/DSC_0856.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/jfcampeau/Projet%20srt-4/Intercooler%20polishing/DSC_0857.jpg





Now, let`s talk about serious results i`m looking for.

Here is some pictures that show EXACTLY what I want !



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/jfcampeau/Projet%20srt-4/Intercooler%20polishing/100_0775.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/jfcampeau/Projet%20srt-4/Intercooler%20polishing/100_1052.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/jfcampeau/Projet%20srt-4/Intercooler%20polishing/100_0863.jpg



Those guys claimed to use wetsanding + the same mother`s polish i`ve used.



Anyone would know how i need to process to achieve this ?

process? products ? etc ?



Thanks a lot!

:ca

[RaskyR1]

Maybe try finishing off with a finner sand paper (2500-3000) and a better polishing tip than the power ball.







http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh234/davidchanda/kitcontents2.jpg

[resek]

Maybe try finishing off with a finner sand paper (2500-3000) and a better polishing tip than the power ball.







http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh234/davidchanda/kitcontents2.jpg





Thanks a lot Rasky!

I have M105, i`ll have PFW pads, orange pads.

Do you think i could try these ?

[resek]

Anyone have an idea or already did a similar job !?

[superchargedg]

I am getting ready to do this on my intercooler this thursday so ill let you know.

[Harold97]

It is nice to see another SRT-4 owner on here...I think I have seen you on srtforums as well!



I have spent A LOT of time polishing aluminum bicycle parts and also an unpainted frame, and have found Simichrome to work really well. It is very hard to get a mirror finish but this has come the closest. Polish it progressively lighter with a MF cloth until you`ve put almost no pressure on it.



I have never found a good way to keep it looking good once I have done all that work, which is why I decided to not polish my BFMC...the bikes are a full time job, and the intercooler (and removing the bumper and crash bar) are just more than I can deal with right now!

[zaxjax]

I used M105 on stainless steel Borla exhaust and then used the Billt polish with a Powerball and it was like a mirror

[jDizzle]

if you hadnt even started with any sanding, i would say try meguiars hot rims mag and aluminum polish. i`ve had eccelent luck with it on aluminum (intakes, radiators, intercooler pipint, and an intercooler) and stainless.. but since you did start wetsanding, i agree with raskyr1 that you need to use a finer grit sand paper to finnish with. ive never wetsanded metal to get a mirror finnish though, but it makes sense.. but the hot rims is deffinatley a step above mothers when it comes to making metal like a mirror, in my opinion

[i12flytoday]

IMHO, the powerball sucks A**!!! But the polish is great if used with a rotary. Even a DA would be considerably better than the powerball on a drill. A good pad, even a 4" for a drill or something, is exponentially better than that foam crap mothers sells. It`s sad too, given that many of their products are top notch!

[reparebrise]

First off if you have sanded the part you will want to finish off with a grey scotchbrite pad, next using a cotton or wool pad and some Optimum Metal polsih you will obtain the results you are after.

[imported_Roadkill]

I polished the Cti intercooler on my srt and thought it came out great.



On the first Cti intercooler i started with 200,400,600,800,1000 and then 1500.

I then hit it up with some eagle one wadding polish then finished up with a few coats of mothers polish

On my second intercooler i started with 600grit and so on



Some before

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/wintersrt08027.jpg



http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/DSC07599.jpg



http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/DSC07609.jpg



50/50

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/DSC07612.jpg



http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/DSC07621.jpg



http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/DSC07624.jpg



and a few finished

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/DSC07645.jpg



http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/DSC07640.jpg



http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/DSC07642.jpg



http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c80/roadkillsrt/Spring08052.jpg

[resek]

@ superchargedg = Good! Let me know my friend! Don`t forget to take picture! =)



@ harold97 = What is your screen.name on srtforums ? Mine is resek, like here.



@ zaxjax = i think i`ll give m105 a try with a 4" PFW.



@ jdizzle = well ... i sanded, but i brought the intercooler to a bodyshop, i don`t know which step they`ve used to achieve this result.



@ reparebrise = Thanks a lot! Since we live in the same country, the "grey scotchbrite pad" can be found where ? canadian tire? wal-mart? I just added Optimum Metal Polish to my eshine order. I`ll make sure to try this!



Thank you everyone for your help.

If any other know anything that could help me, feel free to post your ideas!

I`ll keep everyone updated!

:ca

[xDevious]

It is nice to see another SRT-4 owner on here...I think I have seen you on srtforums as well!



I have spent A LOT of time polishing aluminum bicycle parts and also an unpainted frame, and have found Simichrome to work really well. It is very hard to get a mirror finish but this has come the closest. Polish it progressively lighter with a MF cloth until you`ve put almost no pressure on it.



I have never found a good way to keep it looking good once I have done all that work, which is why I decided to not polish my BFMC...the bikes are a full time job, and the intercooler (and removing the bumper and crash bar) are just more than I can deal with right now!



I`ve heard of a product called ZoopSeal that a local guy uses when polishing motorcycle frames. Supposedly lasts a really long time, and protects that polished metal. Supposedly.

[efnfast]

Here`s how to polish aluminum:



http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-detailing/110470-how-polish-metal-aluminum.html

[Harold97]

@ harold97 = What is your screen.name on srtforums ? Mine is resek, like here.





I am also Harold97 there.



The link to the how-to by efnfast looks really helpful. The parts that I have polished are too small or complicated to to use a machine that big, but the point that it is a multi-step process is very accurate! Aluminum shows EVERYTHING, and it is possible to undo much of the work you have done just putting a protective coat on it once you have made it perfect!



A lot of aluminum parts have been coated, and once you polish through that, it becomes much harder to keep them looking good without constant maintenance.



There is no way I can maintain a perfect finish through the sand and salt that we have in New England, so I have decided to just live with the dull finish. It also contrasts with the gloss on the paint! I have thought about sanding it and leaving it at that.