M20 Inlet & Cam Cover refurb options ?

[capri_rob]

Looking to get these refurbed shortly but whats best ?

They are in a right mess at present - very grubby but with some of the original factory wax still in place.

So do I take the easy option and get them blasted and powdercoated - but as I understand it powdercoating is a much thicker finish and won't show the BMW Badge/detailing so much

OR

Do i get them prepped and painted/lacquered ?

I want them done in Silver rather than a custom colour job - just want the best possible quality finish that will be longlasting and easy to keep clean.

What you reckon ?

[Jim320i]

Get them blasted with a strong jetwash to start with... If the grubbyness remains, some thinners/petrol/anything along those lines and a toothbrush. Get scrubbing.

Then wash them down properly with soapy water... And rinse to very clean.

As for the finish, Powdercoating is a much better finish although I havent actually seen one done yet so I couldnt comment on the quality but a painted one always looks nice.

You doing it yourself mate? Its not that hard at all

[capri_rob]

Jim the only painting I can do is smoothrite with a brush on areas you can't see

Bloody hopeless with spraying anything - I just dont have the patience or skillzz to get a good finish

Powdercoating would definately be easier as they can just blast it clean first - but I'm sure Kedge said that the finish you get is a bit too thick whereas paint retains all the detail.

Head should be coming off either next week or 1st week in Jan so will be tackling the other little jobs whilst its away being pressure tested etc - not looking forward to it

[leeparkes]

I used one of these in the past to get the grike off, done the job well

[Jim320i]

If you can get it blasted, then painted that would be ideal so you havent got to sit with a toothbrush making sure there is no dirt on it anywhere...

The one in mine at the moment has started to flake the slightest as I rushed the damn thing for the shows last year So it needs replacing with a properly finished one, and my inlet was done while still fitted! Again, thats flaked slightly, but its my own fault and knew it would do it after a while as I didnt wash them down properly.

Heads coming off? Good luck dude and hopefully it comes back all good.


Cant find those clip hook things your after! Was out there earlier searching through everything and cant seem to find them

[Rav335uk]

Why have it blasted??
Acid dipped is much better, doesn't leave ant marks on the inlet or rocker cover and remove all the crap on the inside of the inlet too.

[redcar]

clean, sandpaper and paint?

Powdercoating looks nice as well though! Probably a tougher finish and will last longer too.
Also i wouldn't worry about it being too thick to hide any BMW emblems.

[capri_rob]

Acid dipped and powdercoated sounds like a winner so far then

Any recommendations for local people who can do this Rav ?

[gooner1]

Rob, can you not polish up the emblem/badge part, mask it up somehow
and then get it powdercoated

[ross_jsy]

Have these in case you are interested. Unfortuneately there is a little mark on the rocker cover:





Not after much

[capri_rob]

Thanks Ross but I really want a bright silver finish

[shaun_89]

I used sand paper to get rid off the wax then stuck the parts in the dishwasher to clean them up, works perfectly and is nice and cheap

Then paint with a rattle can, cost around £8 to do both the inlet and rocker cover.

[Dezzy]

I'm sure Dan can have them dipped for you. Speak to him, Clean, new looking, alloy looks the bollox!

IMO much better than the usual satin black effort's.

[Alex]

i would be interested in getting mine dipped

[Dezzy]

i would be interested in getting mine dipped

I know a man

[jimbom30cab]

me also on the "dipping" if someone could do a "job lot"

[Alex]

i would be interested in getting mine dipped

I know a man

A Man Who can

i will pm dan now

[capri_rob]

I'm sure Dan can have them dipped for you. Speak to him, Clean, new looking, alloy looks the bollox!

IMO much better than the usual satin black effort's.

Thats the look I want Dez - if i get them dipped to get them totally clean would they need painting/coating or could just get a light coat of lacquer put on ?

Are they painted from the factory or just metal finish ?

[bss325i]

Metal finish but it can corrode over time.

[DanThe]

Acid dipping is not sufficient prepping for any coating.
Acid is only for loosening the coating that needs to be removed, most of it will come off but not all of it, this is where sandblasting comes in, it is the best way to clean and prep a surface for paint/powder coat at the same time. Most powder coat plants will then put the parts through a cleaning process to remove any grease/deposits before they coat, cheap ass places will just coat them though which is where you end up with bits in the finish/crazing/oil spots etc.

Sand blasting is THE best finish to have on any metal part before it is powder coated, it sticks to this like s hit to a blanket

Be careful who you give your cast ally parts to, if they go into acid (proper stripping acid) there is a good chance they will deform/soak it up and they will be scrap, ive had it happen with my stuff in the past.

If you want the standard bare ally finish then have a look at the parts diddler got soda blasted in his thread, it doesnt get much better IMO

When I did my alpina inlet I sandblasted it and painted it satin black, I wouldnt want it powder coated TBH, it fills the detail and looks a bit gash

[Alex]

[Kedge]

Bare ally FTW Rob!

As for my comments on the powder coating, it wasn't the emblems i was referring to, is more the rough casting detail on the ally. I just prefer that look over the smooth finish powerder coating gives.

[DanThe]

Satin black looks better than silver IMO

[Dezzy]

Diddlers Soda blasted alloy parts looked the complete bollox IMO!


Thats the route I'd take. If I didn't have a plastic fetish

[Kedge]

Satin black looks better than silver IMO

Been done to death though, that's why i went for gold on mine

[Rav335uk]

Rob, as said somewhere on here, I think Dan will get these done quicker for you if you need these before Xmas, if not, then give me a ring and I can sort these out.

[capri_rob]

No particular rush Rav - got a few bits to do on it first and then the head will be coming off probably 1st week in January if its not snowing.

IIRC diddler used someone over in Sutton for the Soda blasting - sounds like that may be the best bet - I'll find the thread

[Jim320i]

Satin black looks better than silver IMO

Been done to death though, that's why i went for gold on mine

Innit...