What tools do you guys use to smooth out the cast marks in the plenum? I have been using a dremal, but will take a bloody long time! and going though bits like theres no tomorrow! Any suggestions? Im not trying to 'polish' it just trying to smooth it out ready to go to the chromers.
I use a coarse flap wheel on my drill and an angle grinder (im like a surgeon with that thing ) I also have a wire brush attachment for the drill
Im not so delicate with an angle grinder! I might head down bunnings and se what else I can find. How does the drill go with the attachments?
Obviously the bigger the tool the more chance there is for you to screw up, but then again the bigger tools go alot faster. The flap wheel is the best because it wont dig big holes in the aluminium. The tool section of Bunnings has the flap wheels near the polishing stuff
hey man. i managed with a dremel. i'm not sure what bits you're using, but i found that one of those sandpaper cylinders worked the quickest. think they're 80 grit.
For the really thick bits use a 4" grinder with a flexible flappy wheel and then go to a cylindrical flappy wheel for your drill for the overall smoothing out of dodgy bits. There's nothing like blowing your nose and getting bits of aluminium out
Another thing I want to do but don't have the balls yet Not game to tackle the plenum pull. When I do major stuff sometimes I seem to have things that I can't figure out where they go or spare bits when it goes back together . I'm working up to it and when I actually commit and do something it normally goes well, just making myself do it is the hardest part - especially when it's something where I can't drive it somewhere to fix it if I stuff the job up!!!
there is also a u-beaut, short curly, wire wheel that fits to an angle grinder . does a great job and no where as violent/cutting as a grinding/sanding wheel ... and note for phoenix : get a spare plenum and work on that in your own time ... no rush, no pressure to finish means that you can do a top job over time .. and then sell you old plenum to the next blinger in line once you have pulled it ...
Have you considered how chrome may affect your inlet temps? Maybe not a major consideration if you're going for show above all else... just putting the thought out there....
Yeah I have thought of that, as well as cracking/flaking, but it is more a show piece than a big power vehicle. A weekend driver at the most. My impression is that it will only be a negative factor if I am trying to pump out big numbers, correct me if I am wrong.
Those who've smoothed their plenum, has anyone removed the bracket tabs (as shown in pic)? Is it safe to remove these, or will I end up having holes in my plenum?
SAFE refer to my post: 61mm Throttle bodies - shows a shaved plennum in these areas. http://www.aus300zx.com/forum/showthread.php?t=233347 :br:
Good question no real defining answer yet as still finding out. Only recently just got her running again - 7 years later So still ironing out bugs - with alot of set backs along the way - And running in new engine currently. But - looks to be some promising results
