Im getting all my stuff ready to really "start" my T2 swap... In my quest for a meticulous engine bay, I started to clean/paint some of my parts today. Thought Id snap a few pics, and see what everyone though.
It started with the cleaning of everything. This was all done with sandpaper, wire brush, and electric drill with wire and nylon wheels. Here is a pic of the LIM after cleaning..


And then after 3 coats of metallic gloss black, and baked at 250* for 4 hours..



And various other parts I could gather up for a pic..



As you can see on some parts, there will be a contrast of the black, and polished pieces. This is the way the entire engine bay will be. The black along with the polishing really goes well together.

Ill keep updating as more gets done..let me know what you think!

 

Looking slick. I have to say, nice choice with the semi-gloss black.

 

Looks Good

 

LOOKS GREAT!!!! Just can't imagine the amount of time that will be spent on the project, but will be one of a kind!

 

Good job!

Make sure you post some pics when you're done with the "meticulous engine bay."

 

definately do the Intake Manifold black. That will look great. You are certainly going to have quite a unique engine bay.

 

that's really nice,
but I think you should paint your shoes that color to match.

 

unique? yeah, unique like mine... j/k. I did the lim, uim, and intercooler all in black like that. It looks great and you'll love it!

 

I'd advise to not bake the TB too. You will get the plastic sleeves (encompassing the Throttle Plate Shafts) to melt rendering your TB useless. Trust me Lenny, I know.

 

How did you bake them? Just your regular oven?

What does baking do for the paint?

 

Nice job!

 

that is quite awsome. I can't wait for more pics and the completed project! Keep postin'

 

If you bake it _before_ you paint it, it makes the paint adhere better to the metal. I dont know about afterwards.

 

Baking the paint cures it, and makes it harder than if it would just dry on its own. 250-300* for ~2-4 hours seems to work best on most small parts such as these. Any hotter, and the paint usually discolors, and burns. Yes, I used a regular oven +. I did this same thing to the manifolds on my N/A, and theyve been on about a year, and still look great.

Silverrotor- Thanks for the heads up..I probably wouldve baked it also if you wouldnt have said something

Thanks for all the compliments guys, more pics to come in the following weeks...


+DISCLAIMER - If using your home oven to bake parts, make sure you are alone, and allow a good hour to air out the house after they are done. It can get smelly

 

Your welcome. I adhere to your disclaimer 100%. The wife would have with held from me If I didn't do as you suggested. I'm serious!

 

Nice color. I'm thinking of doing something very similar.

 

sex!!

 

While you got everything apart and are going crazy with the power tools, wrap some sandpaper around a drill bit with some tape or get some sanding drums and smooth out the inside of the runners and make things flow better where you can...try wrapping a rag around a drill bit or one of the sanding drums and securing it with some tape and dip it in some rubbing compound and get inside those runners real good...do the TB mod yet?? You'll appreciate the improved air flow when you get everything back together...i just did the same thing on my n/a to turbo conversion (delayed by snow)...looks good so far, good luck with everything
-Ryan-

 

Well, as for the TB mod, I havent done that yet, but it is in the works, as well as some porting of it. As for the manifold runners.. I thought about it, but decided against it. I did it on my N/A, and it was kinda a pain in the ***..and I honestly didnt feel any difference in throttle response, or power. I may still smooth out some rough areas, but thats about it. I found a dremmel with a carbide cutting bit, and then a sanding wheel worked very well for it though.

 

Yo that does look right tight. I'm doing the same thing with my intake an black is bad, thanks for the tip on cooking 101. My motor is a jspec and has masssive salt deposits on it I tryed solvent , gunk, desiel fuel, carb cleaner and 1000's of brain cells later someone told me meratic acid I will try it saterday and a 1000 more cells but ya that is great.

 

That acid may work, but if you do that, be extremely careful with it. Wear rubber gloves, goggles, etc. You also will want somewhere to dispose of it safely. That really isnt stuff that you want to be tossing in your yard. I used it once to clean out an old gas tank, and the fumes it can give off are just aweful. After sloshing it around in the tanks for 30 seconds or so, the outside of the tank was almost too hot to touch. Its really really nasty stuff. Im suprised you can just walk into a hardware store and buy that stuff for like $4 a gallon....

 

Just a little update..just pulled these parts from the oven Everything turned out pretty nice..AFM with HKS adapter, Airpump and pulley were painted, and the 2ndary fuel rail. ACV has been polished. (still needs a tad more work done to finish it though..sucks trying to get into all the small crevaces..)


I even masked the little warning label on the airpump..so it looks as OEM as can be.



Tomorrow I should have pics of the UIM and TB, and then that will be pretty much it for all the main parts. Alls that will be left is all the small brackets, nuts, bolts, etc.. Ever part that is going onto the car will be, or at least look brand new. So more pics to come

 

nice stuff
me want, me want

 

that can't be good for cooking food out of anymore lol. Toxic paint in there =P

 

You might want to rethink your thinking on that TB mod. On a TII you will be more likely to see a difference from doing it. The simple reason being the turbo is going to push a lot more air though that TB than your NA ever did.