Bead blaster or how do you clean your engine parts?

[gggGary]

So POS or someone showed some heads he had cleaned up and they looked very nice. What are some ways y'all are cleaning your parts? I am using solvent in a parts cleaner stand but want that nice new look not the just the less grungy look. BTW thanks to whoever suggested the walrus mart gun cleaning kit that was a real help.

 

[Agemax]

vapour blasting is your best bet. less harsh than bead blasting but will get your whole engine looking like brand new

 

[GS ace]

Cleaning Engine Parts

Cleaning Engine Parts

There is an acid based product called Alumabrite. I believe that you can get it from Caswell, a company that sells all sorts of products for metal finishing. I've used it and it works. It is important to follow the directions.

 

[doug g]

There is an acid based product called Alumabrite. I believe that you can get it from Caswell, a company that sells all sorts of products for metal finishing. I've used it and it works. It is important to follow the directions.

Will it damage anything during the cleaning process? I looked it up and it is marketed towards the boating industry.

 

[Nessism]

Even if you bead blast, you need to degrease first or your blast media will become contaminated.

General purpose glass is good stuff to prep aluminum parts but you need to follow up with painting to protect the metal - Suzuki used silver paint on most GS engines.

 

[gggGary]

Even if you bead blast, you need to degrease first or your blast media will become contaminated.

General purpose glass is good stuff to prep aluminum parts but you need to follow up with painting to protect the metal - Suzuki used silver paint on most GS engines.

Nessism those were your parts I was drooling over. they look great! So you degreased and bead blasted that head, or did it come that way?

 

[Big T]

Some people use soda blasting, less harsh and easier to clean up

Do a Search on that, someone posted up his carb cleaning with soda

 

[Nessism]

Nessism those were your parts I was drooling over. they look great! So you degreased and bead blasted that head, or did it come that way?

I've bead blasted heads before but that particular head was cleaned with carb dip, scrubbed with scotbrite, and painted with VHT aluminum colored engine paint. Bead blasting alone looks splotchy and the aluminum will corrode unless it's protected.

 

[Agemax]

vapour blasting also contains a rust inhibiter which impregnates into the ally parts. no need for paint or any other coating

 

[duaneage]

I use glass blasting as well as soda blasting. Soda blasting gets paint and gunk off but isn't aggressive enough for rust or serious corrosion. The post blast finish depends on the grit of the media you are using and the substrate you are blasting.

Afterward you need to polish, paint or otherwise protect the blasted surface since any clearcoat will be removed, and some surfaces actually have a protective layer of oxidation that will be gone.

Glass blasting is real effective but you have to remove all the media when you are done and you need to be careful with the blast. Soda blasting is relatively harmless although it will kill grass. Basically it is baking soda and while it won't poison you I wouldn't work without a respirator.

I did an entire engine with soda blasting and it came out great. Saved hours of cleanup.

 

[gggGary]

So anyone tried one of these harbor freight soda blasters?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66742

 

[doug g]

Duane,

post up some pics of the engine you did. I'm sure all would like to see them. You used the Harbor Freight blaster, right?

 

[duaneage]

I did and I do have pics, let me pull them from the camera.

Doug, we need to blast that XL500 engine as soon as we aren't living in Alaska any longer

 

[duaneage]

So anyone tried one of these harbor freight soda blasters?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66742

Pros:

Cheap and easy to use. Even with instructions not originally in English.
quality hoses and valves.
Takes any media you like and is well made. Good welds and no problems


Cons:
No dryer, I added one for about 19 bucks. Without a dryer moisture will clog up the media

You have to adjust the pressure and feed as the media is used up. This is really a two person operation with one adjusting the valves and the other having all the fun.


Overall it's worth the money, and I got mine on sale because it was a floor model and I pushed for a discount.

 

[doug g]

I did and I do have pics, let me pull them from the camera.

Doug, we need to blast that XL500 engine as soon as we aren't living in Alaska any longer

I don't have that bike any more. I picked up a sweet 1974 XL350.

 

[gggGary]

How much soda does it take to do an engine? Do you use a cabinet? Can it be reused at all or does it pretty much disntegrate? TIA

 

[hampshirehog]

How much soda does it take to do an engine? Do you use a cabinet? Can it be reused at all or does it pretty much disntegrate? TIA

Several 'bucketfuls' if you need to clean the whole thing (based on a 4 cylinder bike); you can't reuse it as it disintegrates on impact (which is how it works).

 

[duaneage]

I got 50 LBS for 58 bucks. It's made by Arm and Hammer under their Armex name. Grainger has it. They have 100/150 and 120/180 grit I think. I used the coarser grade.

I used about 35lbs to do a twin, I think another 10 to do a bigger engine. Depends on prep you do. If you get most of the gunk off with Simple Green and a pressure washer then it goes easier.

The baking soda turns grease and oil into a cake consistency and it sort of flakes off. It does NOT remove rust, only a truly abrasive blast media can do that. You could use aluminum oxide or walnut shells but that media isn't degradable like soda is. If it gets in the engine you have problems.

Baking soda dissolves in water or oil. You can even eat it. Smells like soda pop when you are done and a lawn sprinkler cleans up the driveway in about an hour before the wife gets home.

 

[duaneage]

Pics below. May not look impressive but the paint was nearly gone and the engine used to be snow white with corrosion. I hit it again for a second session and it came out cleaner, wish I had pics. The bike is out of town at the moment and I'll get shots of the engine as it looks today. The surface ends up dry and clean so paint sticks right to it. I think it's greatest contribution is to prepping for paint.



http://s663.photobucket.com/albums/uu360/duaneage2/XS400_soda/

 

[GS ace]

Alumabrite

Alumabrite

No, as long as you are careful, follow the directions, and use it primarily on parts that are being treated individually. I used a large tupperware tub to apply and to rinse in with zero problems.