Do you want to clean up the appearance of your car? How about all that aluminum that has become dull over the years? Most aluminum can be polished assuming a few things. Before you decide to polish a part make sure that it is not clear coated in anyway, and is in fact aluminum. Shown below is the aluminum heat shield off the turbo. This is an easy piece to remove and a good candidate for polishing. Polishing the heat shield not only looks good, but also helps it reflect more heat.

       With the heat shield removed, the first step is to remove any loose debris. A steel wire brush works well for this. The next and most time consuming step is removing any oxidation. I find the easiest way with a part like this is to use coarse steel wool. Once all oxidation is removed go over it again with fine steel wool. Remember, the smoother something is the more potential it has to shine. As soon as all scratches, swirls, and traces of oxidation are gone, begin polishing. There are several products that will work. I usually use Cameo Aluminum polish, as it is readily available and works well. Cameo brand aluminum polish is also safe for stainless steel. Using a rag and circular motion, polish all the surface area. Then thoroughly remove all traces of polish. The last step is to buff the aluminum to a shine. A soft dry cloth such as an old T-shirt or polishing rag will work. As you can see from the pictures there is quite a difference. Polishing engine pieces is a must for show cars.

The last picture shows the heat shield reinstalled, after a final step of polishing. If you want a chrome like appearance, like shown below, use a high speed buffing wheel and medium grit compound.