Sandblasting Engine

[pythonregius24]

I am in the process of rebuilding my engine and I am about to purchase the 30 gallon blasting cabinet from the Harbor Freight. My plan is to bead blast the casing (blocking the oil passage, etc.), and use paint thinner and soda blast to degrease/clean the internal part of the engine.

My question is, which internal parts can I use soda blast safely(transmission, piston etc.)?

 

[jd750ace]

Soda blast media or plastic bead should be OK for any of your metals.

 

[Reid]

Just think before you put any item in the cabinet you will have to get EVERY last bit of what ever media you use to blast out because if you dont the motor oil will. I have been thinking for years about getting a craigslist dishwasher for cleaning motor stuff

 

[zorpman]

The consensus in the motoring world is that it is impossible (minus maybe ultrasonic cleaning) to completely remove blasting media from the internals of an engine (or to keep blasting media out of the inside of an engine being blasted on the outside). This being true, it is essential to use a blasting media that will not lunch your engine when it is released into your engine oil. Bad equals glass beads; ceramic; steel shot; and other hard stuff. You are better off with walnut shells, corn cob, and plastic (maybe-it melts at engine oil temps).

While the soft stuff is a lot better for the inside of your engine it is not as aggressive as harder materials. This usually means that it takes a little longer to get rid of all the crud on/in the engine and the media is reduced to dust (and has to be replaced) quicker

You have not seen a completely ruined engine until you have seen one which has been "carefully cleaned" after glass beading or aluminum oxide blasting.

JG

 

[hooktool]

Where do you find that consensus? Plenty of good mechanics bead blast engine parts-its SOP. If you can't clean parts any better than that, how are you gonna get out the metal bits, crud, abrasive from honing, lapping valves etc.


John

 

[jd750ace]

We flush our parts with 140-160 degree water after soda blast, and it emuslifies the blast media, and it's flushed away.

 

[stuntdouble]

I agree, as long as you blow/flush after soda blasting you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Austblue]

Where do you find that consensus? Plenty of good mechanics bead blast engine parts-its SOP. If you can't clean parts any better than that, how are you gonna get out the metal bits, crud, abrasive from honing, lapping valves etc.


John

There's a lot of conflicting opinions out there and its got me worried as the local recommended blasting company wants to use garnet to blast my motor!