I want to do this to my whole engine!
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Wow guys, I just read this thread http://www.uk-mx3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=195 Sorry for starting a new one but didn't know if anybody would glance over the old one as been inactive for a while now.
When I get my engine out can I do the whole of it or is there any bits I should stay away from? Seems a shame to put all that effort in for my 1.8 V6 when I intend to go KLZE but that may be a while off yet. Also is there any attachment or special soft discs I could slap on a grinder to cut my work down? I guess im not that lucky and will have to do it the good old fashioned way. I reakon If I take both my engines out on a Saturday and Sunday I then got a weeks worth of polishing before the following weekend when I fit it back in. This is what makes an engine bay!
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my mate just did his, he used a brass wire brush attachment on a dremel to start, then got polishing.
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I have removed my rocker cover and commenced polishing. Wish I had a brass wire brush to attach to a dremel. Even a Dremel would be a start. I figure its a long process. If I do about an hour a day I should have it shiny in a week or two. I got the mazda letters looking ok already. Trouble is I started at the best bit so have nothing to look forward to. Forgot to take pics to show before and after. Will do so soon. Jesus knows how you can do it still attached to the car. Its hard enough in the warm on my dining table.
Im guessing its the metal polish that makes the difference.
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Here is a pic of my rocker cover, semi before I started on it. Ive had a bash at the lettering. Im sure you can see its quite bad. Its been standing for a while too.
I was worried about getting crap in the oil breather (Circled in red) so I unscrewed one of the panels underneath and took out the rubber seal. I then poked some loo roll in there for good measure. Im going tomorrow to see what attachments I can get for a drill. I think my grinder would be way too harsh and I aint got a dremel. I can't see how the metal polish would help at this stage at the end then maybe but there are lots of pits in the metal and no polish is gonna get them out.
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what grade paper have you used looks pretty coarse? i saw some polishing discs in a local engineering shop, they were like a flapper disc you use on welds, but instead of sand paper it was like a stiff scotchbrite. i did mine on the car it just makes your back ache!
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I think its more my bad technique than the grade I used. Was a 400 I think but have managed to get those scratches out now and then I used wire wool. Trouble is there are still lots of really deep pits in the metal So I wanted to start coarse. I think mine is an especially bad example of a rocker cover. I spent half hour today but that was mostly going over the bit I done already. I got one of those brass wire brushes today for my cordless drill. Works great on the sides but any large flat bit leaves score marks like you wouldn't believe.
Im gonna try wet and dry next starting at 400 and working up to a 2400 mirror shine.
Think about the weight reduction when its done.!