I am in the process of rebuilding and cleaning a 13b.. Just wonder if there was anyone that cleaned there engine with sandblasting? Theres a shop close by that I was going to take the houseing and stuff soon. I did searches and found no one that has.. I did find someone that had there rotors cleaned and coated there with ceramic.. anyway... well bad reasons why I should not do it?

Is it safe to clean the carbon off your engine parts with sandblasting?
What is the best way to store parts so they will not get rusted?

 

I did mine with a sandblaster. You just need to make sure you get all the grit out when you're done.

Rich

 

BDC has done IT he has pics on his web site

 

yup...I would use glass bead...but if its alittle too expensive for you just go with single ought sand...make sure you wear good eye protection...I had like safety glasses with those rubber wrap around that touches to your face...but the sand still got in some how and let me tell you sand in the eyes is a bitch!!

 

a friend tells me that after shot blasting/beading of parts, apply a clear coat or paint to keep it looking good. Otherwise the pores hold the dirt.

 

I just planning on having some shop do it for me.

When I read the hynes manual it said after cleaning you should cover the engine parts in a solution of 8:1 oil and gas.

Is the equipment to do sandblasting inexpensive..?

 

I sand blasted my 12a, it looks a hell of a lot better. all i have to do is paint it.

note: if you bring it somewhere to get it done like at a shop, your looking at a pretty penny.

 

I got a sandblaster at Sears for about $75...bags of blasting media are $5 - $6 at Menards...and I built a simple blasting box.

Rich

 

What about the equipment thats up for sale on ebay.. anyone ever bought one?

 

only leaves deep pores if you use a really heavy sand...if you used glass bead you wouldn't see a thing...the only down side is its alittle more expensive...but far worth it

 

I would reccomend glass beads over sand for motor parts. Are you talking about using it on the internals as well as outside of the housings? Wouldn't sandblasting damage the chrome finish? Just wondered.

~Chris

 

Bead blast the rotor housings, that is the way to get them clean. A few glass beads in your cooling system is not a big deal. DO NOT bead blast the cast irons or rotors unless you have some very sophisticated way to clean out the beads that will inevitably hide in nooks and crannies. These part have oil flowing through them, and you can waste a lot of time and money on a rebuild and have it go to hell in few miles. People I know in the business have always told me to only blast parts that have water passages, not oil passages.

Don't worry about the chrome - it is very hard and if you don't dwell on it you will not likely damage it.

 

okay...your speaking like the glass bead is big enough to see...its so fine it kind of feels like powder with alittle grit in it...glass powder would be a better name than glass bead...and unless the inside of your housing are coated in rust...please no sandblasting in there...and if they are coated in rust...your fucked...midst well buy a new motor

 

I am going to try and buy something today...

I found a sandblasting kit on ebay.. It doesn;t come with the air compressor.. what would be the minimum size??

this is the kit i was thinking to buy..

http://cgi.ebay.com/PORTABLE-SAND-PO...QQcmdZViewItem


but I am not sure if it will be any good

 

Am I the only one here who doesn't like the end result of sand or glass bead blasting? I like the stock machined or cast look; blasting changes it to a high maintenance, frosty appearance that must be painted or protected.

 

I love the appearance. If youdon't want it to be dull when you're done, all you have to do is use a soft wire brush chucked into a drill press to make it shiny. Yes, it can leave the surface a little rough, but in most cases it doesn't matter. But if you want it smoother you can use softer blasting media and then polish the piece when done. I did this alternator with the sandblaster/wire brush.

Rich

 

you'd need a large compressor even to run a small sandblaster...that is the downside...a small pancake compressor will definitly not have enough juice...I had a 5 gallon compressor and tried it...just not enough cfm's...loses pressure faster than you can get anything done...you'd be better off to us a high grit paper and your hands...I have a 100 gallon compressor with twin motors and its constantly going when I'm blasting...

 

Yea, it takes a lot. I have a compressor that's about as big as you can get for 110v (can't remember the size right now), and it can't keep up. But I still get things done. I just have to give it a rest now and then.

Rich

 

By the way, here's what the alternator looked like before I started restoring it...man I love taking crap and making it nice!

Rich

 

ya...you definitly need big...mine probably stands 7 feet tall...and about 4 feet around if not alittle more...but sandblasting worts wonders otherwise

 

wow i wish i had a sand blaster im using a wire brush on the air compressor but still looks ten time better then it was

did u take the alternator right apart how did u take the pully off i cant seem to figrue it out do ya need sum special tool?
the back seems a little tricky to put back on to

 

just brace the fan blades so they don't move.. and loosen the nut.. then use a puller to remove the pully.


I don't have much money.. whats the lowest compressor I can get away with?

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/374839276FEScYG

Page one is the dirty engine being disassembled.

Page two includes housings from a junk engine that I tore down plus a blasted and painted engine.

Page three has pictures of the streetports.

I see no problem with bead blasting irons IF you soak them in a parts cleaner for a day or so BEFORE AND AFTER blasting and run cleaner through the oil passages. The reason to soak them beforehand is to get any oil that may attract the blasting media out of the passages. Soaking them and flushing the passages out afterwards is a no brainer.

I used glass beads on the engine pictured then painted the irons with cast iron paint and the rotor housings with cast aluminum paint. The paint is a high heat (500 degrees F) engine paint with ceramic.

 

what happened to chemical cleaning, I remember back in the day one would take the major components of an engine to a machine shop & they would "hot dip or hot tank" the parts & when you got them back they would be clean & like new, just in need of paint ?

jeff

 

Love that alternator it almost looks like a satin finish.!

Yah....Ive heard it called acid bathing...just dip the part in let the acid eat it i guess.. and pull it out TADA....pretty much good as new......Looks wise that is