blasting question again :D :D

[luke123]

Hi so i know soda is got for engine case and cylinder head

The questions as follows is soda blasting ok for:

pistons
con rods

what media is suitable for :

piston cylinders
outside of engine case
standard steel coverings over the engine

engine is a vw bug engine

Thankyou

 

[Shox Dr]

What are you trying to remove from the pistons and con rods. if it's oil residue, I'm not sure if it will remove it, unless it's dry, any moisture and it will not work

 

[luke123]

Carbon build up on the pistons, conrods will just have oil on but i was just thinking of blasting everything

 

[rtbcomp]

I've blasted oily greasy ally engine casings but the oil contaminates the grit, and it tends to get blown onto bits you've already cleaned.

You'd be better off de-greasing and drying before blasting.

I've used beads to clean flux residue off brazed parts, but I'm not sure of the implications of blasting critical engine parts.

 

[madkayaker]

wouldn't fancy blasting engine components my self and why do you want them clean there only going to get oily again. degrease is about as far as i would go

 

[brightspark]

Carbon build up on the pistons, conrods will just have oil on but i was just thinking of blasting everything

use the tried and tested method . a blunt scraper to take the carbon off the piston crowns without scratching them and polish the conrods with solvol autosol . i certainly wouldnt bead blast them chemical; spray carb cleaner works well on internal parts

 

[Shox Dr]

I can't see any problem with blasting them with Soda. It won't damage anything, and you can't use it again, so I doesn't matter if it gets contaminated. Though I've a feeling you won't remove any from the ring grooves.


(I'm sure I've heard Con rods been Blasted to stress relieve them)

 

[luke123]

Yeah everything will be cleaned etc from oil and grease, I was going to blast everything so it's clean especially engine parts.

 

[FranV8]

It's nice to do a good job cleaning it all up, but I'm afraid unless you're trying to get a fantastic finish for some sort of critical racing application, your blasting may do more harm than good. You risk damaging quite a few important machine surfaces, and once cleaned it'll corrode fairly quickly unless oiled again. Also, get grit into an oilway and your beautiful rebuild could get ugly quickly.

If you want sparkling clean, 20 quid to your local engine refurbishing place for them to put it into their caustic hot tank would be a better plan imho.

Hope this helps.

And yes, shot peening of rods has been used to stress relieve them. I don't know any more than that I'm afraid!

 

[Shox Dr]

HE'S USING SODA

(sorry for shouting, but no one seems to have read his question)

 

[luke123]

Soda is water soluable, so i would pressure wash them or put them in my parts washer and then clean with brake cleaner afterwards and then use the air gun to blow all the residue out.

 

[brightspark]

HE'S USING SODA

(sorry for shouting, but no one seems to have read his question)

IL SHOUT BACK I DID NOTICE but i still wouldnt bother as said polish and blunt scraper

 

[rtbcomp]

HE'S USING SODA

(sorry for shouting, but no one seems to have read his question)

From the OP
what media is suitable for :

piston cylinders
outside of engine case
standard steel coverings over the engine


He's also actually asking what media to use for the above parts.

 

[luke123]

Yeah so i will ask the question again:

what media is suiable for ?:

Inside engine case
outside engine case
cylinder heads
cylinder barrels
pistons
engine tinware
carb
rocker shaft
pushrods

Also what blasting do they do to conrods???

cheers Luke

 

[Balders]

Oily stuff - degrease with "Engine cleaner" (brown bros do a cheap and good), petrol, parrafin or diesel is good failing that.
Tight? Washing up liquid, hot water and elbow grease

"Dr Beckman's - Rescue" oven cleaner (Tesco's do it) is awesome for cleaning carbon off heads & pistons, stuff blasting.
Spray, agitate, leave, agitate, spray etc, 24 hr period will leave them shiny after a rinse. No nasty tears, burning throat (as opposed to Mr Muscle) etc

Oh, then bung an alt engine in. Pounds/power & reliability is damn good
(78, Scooby 2.0 nat asp powered for 5 years)

 

[luke123]

Ok Thanks balders.

what about on the out side of the engine case and out side the cylinders is it worth blasting them with soda??

 

[Balders]

Maybe - I've never done it, ask on volkzone.
I did mine with degreaser. Then hot washed with washing up liquid, then sprayed with PJ1. (my daily's a 75, 1600 a/c motor)


Take your tin-ware down to your local powder coaters. Be nice and get the majority of oil/crap off it first (petrol/diesel/paraffin/engine degreaser. Expect to part with IRO £60 - don't bother doing the strip, clean, prime, paint yourself. It's a balls ache and isn't as durable/good finish.

 

[luke123]

But powder coating chips though if it's not galvanized underneath though.

Yeah ok will see what i can do with cleaning wise

 

[graffian]

what blasting do they do to conrods???

cheers Luke

Conrod prep you sand any marks out of the beam then polish the beams and shotblast with steel shot.

You can't do any harm blasting with soda.
I clean steel engine parts by boiling in truck wash, I found a deep fat fryer and it's perfect for con rods, gets steel parts looking new, but you need to oil the parts after cleaning them, unless it's being assembled straight away as the parts rust so easy. It's easy enough to clean the parts prior to assembly with a bit of brake cleaner.