• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Anyone sandblast their own motor themselves?

  • Thread starter Thread starter oshanac
  • Start date Start date
O

oshanac

Guest
I have a 1979 GS750 that has a horribly done black paint job on the WHOLE motor (minus the carbs of course) that I bought from a co-worker. I got her for $350, rebuilt (and bead blasted the carbs) and can't stand to look at the ugly paint on the motor. I'm in the middle of a very minor restore (want to get her safe and running awesomely, and was not too concerned about looks just yet) and have been thinking "Do I really want to get it all finished (don't body work on the tank/fender) and have the motor look like crap?". The local media shop charges $125.00 to blast and prep a frame (motor maybe more?) but I'm a big DIY'r.
 
I'd like to strongly discourage you from considering blasting the engine if it is assembled. No matter how careful you are the blast media will get though. If you choose to ignore this advice, use something like soda media since it's less abrasive.

When rebuilding the engine on my GS1000, I blasted the engine parts after the parts were broken down. Worked great to remove all the corrosion and gave the metal a good surface to paint on top of.
 
so it's safe to blast, say, the valve cover? Any particular type media?? I have access to a sand blaster at the college i work at and would like to do something like this to work on cleaning it up a bit.
 
My neighbor builds cars, he was telling me he doesn't use sand for this due to the heat it generates in the specific area and it changes the temper of the metal. Knowing that you will not be sand blasting thin car metal I am curious if it holds true here. He uses pecan shells and walnut shells and get the same results. Just a thought :-k
 
Glass bead is good. I've used other media including elcheapo Play Sand available at Home Depot as well - used this on my engine cases with a total loss blast gun. Now I use glass bead because I found this on ebay for $45.:)

afb0_1.jpg
 
I definately don't want to chance sand getting in my motor. Woudn't every type of media also get in the motor then? What about spraying some kind of Aircraft Remover type on it? Would you be killing yourself with any little pieces that it didn't clear?
 
Blasting alum

If the parts are removed and protected from blasting areas that you do not want blasted, then sand is fine. I sandblasted everything on my bike during the build...including the motor parts. But you will spend more time prepping for blasting, than the blasting itself. With sandblasting...it is very important to have all the proper safety gear...unless you like the idea of concrete lungs....Silicosis is very serious.

As for doing the motor...nessism is 100% right. If you want to blast it assembled...soda is your best bet. And you will still need to try your best to make sure it does not end up inside the motor.

Sheet metal, if you blast sheet metal with sand it breaks the surface tension and that along with the heat generated will cause the metal to bow.
 
Dang, awesome post Bribird! Thanks. One more thing, what size HP compressor do you need for one of those Speed Blaster ebay type media blasters? I see the SCM or SMC, something like that :confused: and have no clue on what it's supposed to mean. Why dont they just say "needs 4hp compressor or larger"? Thank you!
 
I would suggest just using some paint remover or that aircraft remover stuff mentioned. I did that with my engines, granted they werent painted, but it still had a lot of that protectant clear coat crap on it. Was not a very hard process.
 
Just to be controversial - nah, just kidding, but I am going to disagree with Nessism.

I know of at least a dozen motorcycles that have had their engines blasted whilst still assembled. They are all still running and have done thousands of km's since. If you plug the holes with oily rags and then seal over the top with plates & silicon, you'll be fine.

just my 2c.
 
Just remember, it only takes grain or two to completely ruin your engine. I know this from experience by the way. Soda blasting is good because it is water/liquid soluble; Glass is not. However, you won't really be able to use soda in a system that is set up for glass. There will still be particles in it that are glass and soda has needs that most sand systems don't address. It cakes really easy and you need very dry air. It also really needs a better nozzle because it is so fine. Soda is also better in a total loss system. The soda breaks on impact and eventually gets so fine that it clogs everything. Basically, it won't work (for long) in your school's system.
 
I gotta tell ya, bad idea to sand blast your engine assembled. There are plenty of spray cleaners and strippers that will remove the paint. And with time and a lot of elbow grease, you can Scotch pad the cases to the finish of your choosing. And even when blasting a set of cases that are tore down, you need to spend days taping and pluging holes to keep all the galleries and channels clear of blast media. If yo have the means, walnt shells does the best job for stripping and then follow up with playsand. Ive used these 2 the do the few parts Ive refinished on mine so far.
 
Zooks said:
Just to be controversial - nah, just kidding, but I am going to disagree with Nessism.

I know of at least a dozen motorcycles that have had their engines blasted whilst still assembled. They are all still running and have done thousands of km's since. If you plug the holes with oily rags and then seal over the top with plates & silicon, you'll be fine.

just my 2c.
Click to expand...

Well, just to sit on the fence and agree or disagree with Nessism and Zooks........

I've just rebuilt a TS250 motor that was blasted in one lump; everything inside was knackered after 7 miles (box as well). Nice paint though:rolleyes:

But a mate did a SOHC Honda 750 a few years back with play sand (and he wouldn't have been over-cautious knowing him) and he never had any problems.

There's a firm in the UK that will do this now and offer a guarantee.

Personally, I split the motor.
 
i had my entire engine vapour blasted while it was apart. no masking, no plugging holes, just a dam good wash out afterwards. finish is great and so is the engine, 5 years later.
hampyhog is correct as well, there is a company in the uk that will blast your engine intact and guarantee it.
 
DO NOT DO IT! unless you want to destroy the engine. I can tell you you can not get the openings sealed tight enough and some sand WILL get in. My suggestion is Oven Cleaner. Wally World sells cheap stuff for $1.25 per can. It is neutralized by tap water, so a couple of applications over 5-10 minutes then spray it off with a garden hose or better yet the old local D.I.Y. car wash. Let the engine dry in the sun and repeat on the spots that are still coated with paint Do this a few times and 99% or more of the paint is gone. Total cost beside your time is under $10
 
i have sandblasted a complete assembled engine with no problems. I also have used chemical paint stippers that caused several gaskets to leak very badly. If stipper will eat the paint, it will eat gaskets. Just be sure to plug EVERYTHING befroe sandblasting. As much of a pain both were, i would partially disassemble to remove paint with a media blaster
 
Well it seems we have a new topic that gets the blood pumping.

It's nice to have something other than what tyres are best?, which oil should I use?, do you use the clutch for every gear change? and should I chop the frame? to argue, er sorry, debate about.
 
madjack57754 said:
DO NOT DO IT! unless you want to destroy the engine. I can tell you you can not get the openings sealed tight enough and some sand WILL get in. My suggestion is Oven Cleaner. Wally World sells cheap stuff for $1.25 per can. It is neutralized by tap water, so a couple of applications over 5-10 minutes then spray it off with a garden hose or better yet the old local D.I.Y. car wash. Let the engine dry in the sun and repeat on the spots that are still coated with paint Do this a few times and 99% or more of the paint is gone. Total cost beside your time is under $10
Click to expand...

Oven cleaner is just weak paint stripper. It does less of a job and is almost as dangerous to your health and the environment. Evil stuff and it shouldn't be washed down the drain.

If you're going to do this please do it outside and hose it off onto the grass or into the garden.
 
WOW-I STARTED A GOOD ONE' :D. Seriously, GREAT input. I got so sick of looking at my ugly motor, I decide to at least try the Aircraft Remover on the clutch cover. That way, if it doesn't work too well, I haven't jaked up the hard part (fins and spark plug holes). Of course, I'm sure by the end of the weekend, I'm sure OCD will kick in and I'll have the whole motor out and dissasembiled (I hope not).;)

Can you spray walnut shells out of a Speed Blaster? Also, anyone know what HP size (basically how much do I have to spend) compresor to run this total loss system?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top