This How-To will cover the process of hand polishing the snout of a Kenne Bell or Whipple supercharger to a mirror finish.
From the factory, these supercharger snouts come with an anodizing applied to them. This anodizing starts off black but over time and after countless heat cycles, the anodizing turns to a dark purple color.
Step 1: Removal of supercharger snout
~ This first step can be a little tricky depending on how much RTV silicone was used for the initial installation of the snout but it will come off. Remove all of the bolts holding the snout to the case with an allen key. If the supercharger is installed on the car you'll need to place a few towels under the snout to catch the few ounces of oil that will spill from the snout when removed
Step 2: Easy Off Heavy Duty oven cleaner
~ Once removed, take off the pulley and wipe down the snout with a damp cloth. Place the snout on a dish and coat the entire anodized surface with the Easy Off HD cleaner. (note: the blue "fume free" can will not work)
Let the cleaner sit for atleast 15 minutes, rinse and wipe it off then coat it with a fresh layer of over cleaner. After another 15 minutes you should have most of the anodizing eaten away and after a rinse/wipe you should only have trace amounts of the purple left, the rest should be bare metal.
Step 3: Soft Scrub
~ Now take the dried off snout and using a toothbrush, you'll apply soft scrub to the surface to remove the rest of the anodizing. Don't worry if you can't get it ALL off, the first round of sandpaper will get it off.
Step 4: Rinse & Wipe down
~ Now that you've taken off almost all of the anodizing you'll need to rinse it off one last time and dry it off to prepare for the sanding
Step 5: Begin sanding with 220 grit
~ The 220 grit sand paper is very rough and will give you the proper coarseness to begin.
Step 6: 400 grit
~ The 400 grit is next, you'll see slight improvement from here on out
Step 7: 600 grit
~ Now you'll need to start wet-sanding, keeping the metal and paper wet at all times while sanding
Step 8: 800 grit
~ The 800 will start to remove the larger scratches and begin giving you a uniform look
Step 9: 1200 grit
Step 10: 1500 grit
~ At this point you'll start to see the metal transforming from the rough look of a sanded metal to a smoother metal
Step 11: 2000 grit
~ This is the last sanding step and it is really where you start to see the "mirror" finish starting to peek through. Spend a lot of time with the 2000 grit, as it is where you'll get the true mirror shine/finish from.
Step 12: Mothers Polish
~ Take a micro fiber towel and begin applying the Mothers aluminum & mag polish to the snout, when the product begins turning black you know it's working. Apply as much as you'd like, the more you work it into the metal the better results you'll see
*note* if you are still seeing some hazy areas with fine scratches, go back with the 2000 grit and wet sand it longer, then hit it with the Mothers Polish
Step 13: Reinstall
~ For re-installation, apply a bead of black RTV silicone to the base of the snout where it'll connect to the case for proper sealant. Also, ensure you lined up the back of the snout to the case and screw in the bolts in alternating order. screw the pulley back to the snout and reinstall the belt.
Step 14: Refill Supercharger oil
~ Lastly, you'll refill your supercharger oil to replace the few ounces that spilled out during removal and that's all there is to it.
ENJOY! :rockon:
From the factory, these supercharger snouts come with an anodizing applied to them. This anodizing starts off black but over time and after countless heat cycles, the anodizing turns to a dark purple color.
Step 1: Removal of supercharger snout
~ This first step can be a little tricky depending on how much RTV silicone was used for the initial installation of the snout but it will come off. Remove all of the bolts holding the snout to the case with an allen key. If the supercharger is installed on the car you'll need to place a few towels under the snout to catch the few ounces of oil that will spill from the snout when removed
Step 2: Easy Off Heavy Duty oven cleaner
~ Once removed, take off the pulley and wipe down the snout with a damp cloth. Place the snout on a dish and coat the entire anodized surface with the Easy Off HD cleaner. (note: the blue "fume free" can will not work)
Let the cleaner sit for atleast 15 minutes, rinse and wipe it off then coat it with a fresh layer of over cleaner. After another 15 minutes you should have most of the anodizing eaten away and after a rinse/wipe you should only have trace amounts of the purple left, the rest should be bare metal.
Step 3: Soft Scrub
~ Now take the dried off snout and using a toothbrush, you'll apply soft scrub to the surface to remove the rest of the anodizing. Don't worry if you can't get it ALL off, the first round of sandpaper will get it off.
Step 4: Rinse & Wipe down
~ Now that you've taken off almost all of the anodizing you'll need to rinse it off one last time and dry it off to prepare for the sanding
Step 5: Begin sanding with 220 grit
~ The 220 grit sand paper is very rough and will give you the proper coarseness to begin.
Step 6: 400 grit
~ The 400 grit is next, you'll see slight improvement from here on out
Step 7: 600 grit
~ Now you'll need to start wet-sanding, keeping the metal and paper wet at all times while sanding
Step 8: 800 grit
~ The 800 will start to remove the larger scratches and begin giving you a uniform look
Step 9: 1200 grit
Step 10: 1500 grit
~ At this point you'll start to see the metal transforming from the rough look of a sanded metal to a smoother metal
Step 11: 2000 grit
~ This is the last sanding step and it is really where you start to see the "mirror" finish starting to peek through. Spend a lot of time with the 2000 grit, as it is where you'll get the true mirror shine/finish from.
Step 12: Mothers Polish
~ Take a micro fiber towel and begin applying the Mothers aluminum & mag polish to the snout, when the product begins turning black you know it's working. Apply as much as you'd like, the more you work it into the metal the better results you'll see
*note* if you are still seeing some hazy areas with fine scratches, go back with the 2000 grit and wet sand it longer, then hit it with the Mothers Polish
Step 13: Reinstall
~ For re-installation, apply a bead of black RTV silicone to the base of the snout where it'll connect to the case for proper sealant. Also, ensure you lined up the back of the snout to the case and screw in the bolts in alternating order. screw the pulley back to the snout and reinstall the belt.
Step 14: Refill Supercharger oil
~ Lastly, you'll refill your supercharger oil to replace the few ounces that spilled out during removal and that's all there is to it.
ENJOY! :rockon:
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