My dad and I were trying to pull off the top of the intake the other day; we were working on the driver's side runner and it wouldn't come loose. So my dad took a rubber hammer and started hitting it--not very hard, but hard enough to dent the runner in two places. Turns out, we had missed a screw on the other side, and that's why it wouldn't come loose.

The dents aren't enough to noticably impede performance, but they are sort of an eyesore to look at. Anyone know how to I can straighten that out? Or, failing that, how much would it cost to get a new (stock) runner (just the driver's side)?

Thanks

 

How far into the runner is the dent? (Got a photo?)

 

I have a buddy that works for the Dent Doctors near Detroit. They take dents out of cars without performing bodywork using spoons and other techniques. You could possibly call one of those places in your area and see if they'd be willing to pop it out for you. I'm sure if anybody has the tools it'd be them.

 

I don't have a picture now, but I'll post one later on tonight when I get home...

The dents aren't really critical; they wouldn't impede airflow at all. It's just a cosmetic thing; it's on the top of the engine where everything else is all shiny, and it's sort of an eyesore to have a dented runner sitting on the top.

(I can't believe how thin those things are--he just barely tapped it and it bent.)

 

Okay, here are some pics...

Like I said, not critical, but just cosmetic. I planned to polish everything up--we're doing an engine rebuild here, so obviously the engine is out and everything, and I figure now's the best time to get everything looking all nice and shiny.

Mabye I'm just being ****, but...

thanks

 

sorry, picture didn't attach. mabye this time...

 

IROC57 has the right idea. I pushed out a small dent with the rounded edge of a screwdriver handle. The one in the picture on the right is obviously going to be harder to reach, but I bet it can be done with a little creativity. Those green scouring pads they sell in the supermarket put on a nice brushed finish when you're done.

 

Check this website out: www.mcmastercarr.com

They sell steel *****, they might actually have the correct size.

 

Can be bought on Ebay from $20-50. Four sets on there now. Be careful though. Yours are speed density type. All but 1 on Ebay are for the 9th injector. #1817163524 search for this number or search for "tpi runner"

 

Find some ball bearings the size of the runner opening and force them through.

 

Sounds like its time for some SLP runners!

 

Speaking of SLP runners...how much are they...i could have swore that i seen them in the Summit Catalog..but when i went to look for them on summitracing.com i could not find them...how much are they?

 

Thanks for the replies. I like the idea about pushing a ball through, now I just need to find one the right size...

Excuse my ignorance, but... how can you tell by looking at them that they're the speed density type? What does that mean anyway? Also, what are SLP runners--are they those higher-flow runners that, instead of separating into four smaller tubes, there's just two larger ports? Just curious...

Thanks again.

 

The runner on the right in your picture goes on the drivers side of the engine. Where the passenger side has a small tube beside the larger tube, the right one has blank plates. Speed density units came out in late 1989 thru 1992. These systems have a different ECM and no mass air flow "MAF" sensor. (Something new GM tried for a couple of years. They went back to MAF sensors MAP sensor combination in 1993). The ECM controls based on a MAP sensor and a speed feedback signal. By the way, that's ball bearing, not ball. SLP is a brand of aftermarket runners that allow more air flow for performance improvement. The ones with 2 instead of 4 tubes are called Siamesed runners.

 

I did the exact same thing to mine. I quickly realized how thin that metal is.

 

be very careful when doing this as not to push all the way through. Remeber that the tubes has bends in them where they attach to the base for bolt clearence.

 

replacing the lower bolts with allen head bolts renders the divots unnecessary.

 

was unaware of that. works for me.

 

The factory bolts would probably fit without divots too, but you wouldn't be able to get the torx bit down in there to tighten or remove them.

 

just take them to a repair shop for band intruments(trumpits, horns ect.) not only can they fix dents like that but, they can give them a mirror shine if you wan't. look one up in your phone book there are usually a few around. and I bet they will do it cheep. I got a set I had fixed like that and got the ones on my car polished at one. I knew a guy there so I got them done for free but, I beat that they would be resonably priced.

 

Where would you find ball bearings locally?

 

Use a golf ball?

 

back in my high school marching band days the instrument shops have the tools to do this exact job, now trying to get an instrument doc towork on a car part may be a problem but they have all the stuff to work on everything from a trumpet to a tuba so try one of them and see what may happen
good luck

 

this is what i did. i had dents in mine as well. I took a hammer and put it in a vice with the handle up. just worked the dens out by pushing down. after that i sanded them smooth and painted to match the car

 

Do you have any pics of those runners installed in your car?

 

this is the closest i have. its just resting there to see what it would look like. i just bolted in the base last night. i am still waiting for my injectors to come back from cleaning. So I have not finish the install

 

and this one

 

Thanks. That looks really good. What color is that? Flame red? It all looks good

 

Hey trigger GTA i have skimmed your posts that have those pics and i have yet to see a price listed...would you be willing to give me at least a ballpark price (just for the runners) thanks a lot!

Mike

 

$0 the paint was left over from when i painted the bay.($50 for paint for the bay and about thesame for the clear coat)
i painted the engine bay,fuel rails,TB,injectors and the runners myself.
i did all the body work in the engine bay
i also removed the dents myself out of the runners and some filling to smooth them out.

it only cost me my time
the engine is a different mater that cost me big time about 6Gs Canadian or about 3600 US

RMK the color is flame red

 

You painted them?...i thought you got them powder coated? What kind of paint did you use? how many coats? any other info would be appreciated!

ohh and i did not know you did the work yourself!!! BAD @$$!!:rockon:

 

Your intake manifold and throttle body looks polished. Did you polish them along with the plenum? How the HELL did you manage to polish all of those footery bits on the intake?

Also, can you tell us a little about the engine?

 

there is about 10 coats of base color and 5 of clear coat i have lots of pics if you want some i can email them to you most of them are 500k

yes i polished the base and it was a bitch!! it took lots of time and you cant even see most of it. the pic is about 3/4 finished

 

That looks awesome man, :rockon: D.I.Y!!!!!

 

Did you polish it by hand?

 

i used a dremal,finger sander and a right angle sander as well as some hand polishing

 

how much time did you have in just the base?

 

Did you use a special paint? you said that you used the paint left over from your engine bay...i am wondering if that stuff will stay on there from heat and such...hmm. Does any body else know of anybody who has done this...if so how long does it last.

Mike

 

well.... i was consernd about the same thing too. i have seen it done before but i dont know what paint was used. i used the same paint you would use to paint the body. i guess only time will tell

i spent about 8-10 hours to do the polishing. I did not send as much time on the base as the plenum because of how much you can not see of it.

looking back i would not have done it at all. i would just have cleaned it, or maybe sand blasted it.

 

sorry for all of the questions...but one last one....HOW did you paint it...if you just had extra paint from your engine bay left...what means did you use to put the pain on the runners...so you have an air compressor and paint gun?

Cause my dad just bought an air compressor and if all i need now is the paint gun then i would be set...again..sorry for all the quetions!

 

dont forget to prime them. i sanded the casting. so they would be smooth. if you dont they will not be shinny. then i primed and painted. i used a compresser and small touch up gun to paint them. you can also use a spray can too.

i dont know how long the paint will last but next week i will be finished and will be able to test it out.

 

YES please keep us informed!!! I am thinking about just getting mine powder coated anyway...now i just have to figure out what color!

 

Hey Sancho, has anything here helped.

 

I have the tpi in my trans am done just about the same not as much polishing though. but a lot of powder coating the transucent red from eastwood is a close match and I don't see how the powder coating would have a problem with the heat mine still hasent been running for over 5min. so can't tell you for sure. there is always more to a swap than yah think going into it but I will win in the end

 

hey Derek Samley, you say you powder coated your runners? you wouldnt mind telling me how much that cost would you...for some reason i really dont like the idea of just using normal paint on the runners..i would like to go with the added security of powder coating...thanks!

Mike

 

well a guy at my work did it for me for free so I can't really help yah out there. he used the hotcoat system from eastwood and backed it in an old oven in his garage. he said it's really easy to use. hope this helps sorry I don't have any prices

 

thats allright about the prices...how long have you had the runners powder coated...is it holding up to the heat and elements?

Mike

 

powder coating is baked on at 400 degrees so with normal underhood temps there shouldnt be any prob unless you are trying to powdercoat your headers/exhaust manifolds! and as far as durability, the majority of aftermarket suspension parts are coming powdercoated its supposed to be tough as nails my stock rims have a powder coating on them, I know they dont get direct dirt or rocks thrown at them like suspension parts would but these have been coated since brand new 15 yrs and still look good. Im trying to find someonw with a big enough oven to do a whole rear end so it stays black and no brown rusty rear ends anymore.

 

Actually the cold start injector went away in '89 so the driver side runner doesn't have a port of it.

I place a socket on an extension inside my lower runners and bang on the extension with a small hammer to carefully remove the "dimples" from the lower runners. You might try that technique on the dented sections. BTW, the Torx bolts still clear the runners for installation with the "dimples" removed.

I had read about using the ball bearing to remove the "dimples" but couldn't find them so just used the tools available to open up my runners. I've done this on the IROC and the Vette runners with success.

 

does anybody know how much it might cost to get my runners and maybe some other parts powder coated?