While cleaning my intake manifold (which was fairly recently hot tanked and powder coated), I removed the oil shield and the 5 hex plugs. There's a lot of gunk in that chamber, including metal shavings. I did spin several bearings, but this looks more like shavings from the plug holes being tapped. Is that possible?

Is it possible for any of that crud to even make it out of there?

Would I be better off keeping those plugs out and getting it hot tanked again (bye bye powder coating )?

 

your cal but, i wouldn't want those shaving getting into the heads/pistons. Powdercoating isn't expensive.