[joe c]

ive got my cases split and gutted. whos found the best way to clean them and how? (mostly the outside of the cases) i was thinking of trying to find a place around that does ultrsonic cleaning, but i want to have it done tomorrow. so anyone got any good ideas or something to use?? ive soaked it with braclean. scrubbed with soapy water, and am now thinking engine cleaner or maybe a trip to the car wash with high pressure water and soap. anyway, anyone got a better idea?? its got that baked on oil/dirt scum in between the castings etc...

jc

 

[texmawby]

beadblaster.

"bitches!"

 

[imslow]

I remember branson or someone talking about taking it to NAPA or one of those places as most of them have large parts washers.

DONT BEAD BLAST EM unless you have to. You'll never get the beads all out.

my two cents. and beads in carbs and cases.

 

[oldschoolorange]

I am going to have to second the bead blasting, You can easily get all of the beads out if you wash the cases afterwards, I would stay away from blasting the inside of the case personaly. The nice thing about beadblasting is that if the engine gets dirty just spray some degreaser or brake clean on it and wash it off, no yellow stains

Hey someone pas me the wrench........ Ahh screw it where is the torch

 

[joe c]

yeah, i wanted to bead blast it, but thought probably not the best idea. i have heard both ways. im going to load it up in the truck and head over to the car wash i think and hi pressure wash it.

ill let yall know if it works.

me

 

[ROSKO]

soda blasting. soda will remove and neutralize the oils and whatnot. I have also heard some great reports of a soda/bleach mix for alu. Gives a really clean finish (similar to glass) and WASHES AWAY. Media is one use, wash away after. The best part is no chance of little abrasive bits left in your engine.

I can forward you some info on it. I beleive you can use your standard siphon blaster to do it.



BORN TO LURK, FORCED TO WORK.

 

[joe c]

cool, post up bitch!

jc

 

[jbranson]

Last time I bead blasted a set of cases I spend more time getting out the bead than I would have cleaning the engine. The problem is the bolt holes. It gets in all the bolt holes, you think the engine is really clean after you wash it off...go do bolt it back together and there is grit in the holes. Just takes a little to trash the aluminum threads. Can be done...but the washing has to be very very thorough.
JohnnyB

 

[ROSKO]

(from a post on chivinmoto)

"I can't remember the name off hand, but the guys at Ryan Equipment can
give you the info on the soda with bleach. That stuff works incredibly
well.

> Do you have a trade name for your soda media with bleach? I use two
> products with one being more aggressive but I do not think they have
> bleach in them.
> Soda blasting also is the way to go for removing carbon from piston
> tops and cleaning carb bodies as shown in this link:
>
> http://springvinmoto.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=R90S&id=DSCN2868
>"

seems to work pretty good eh?

Edited by - ROSKO on Sep 30 2006 12:34:50 PM

 

[Geeto67]

soda blasting uses ordinary baking soda. What makes this the best way for engine cases is that it disolves with water (or gasoline) and you don't have to worry about an errant bead or grain of sand causing you to strip a thread in your cases.

It does take a really long time and if you are going to try it with your home blaster you will need at least two water seperators on your compressor to make sure there is no moisture in the air at all.

The only down sides I have heard form frequent soda blasters I have talked to are 1) The soda leaves such a smooth finish on metal surfaces that it usually has to be scuffed up with 300 grit sandpaper to be painted, and 2) that on aluminum it will not always remove the old coating the factories put on the cases (but it will polish the shit out of them so you won't notice).

 

[jbranson]

There's always walnut shells...but I haven't found them to be very effective on things like the outside of cases. Better than nothing though.
JohnnyB

 

[ROSKO]

Interested in getting a dedicated set-up? Ace makes a cheap small blaster:

http://www.ace-sandblasting.com/soda-blasting.html

If soda blasting is a process where virtually any surface or substrate may be cleaned or depainted, I would assume it will be able to remove the clear finish on yer engine.







BORN TO LURK, FORCED TO WORK.

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
Interested in getting a dedicated set-up? Ace makes a cheap small blaster:

http://www.ace-sandblasting.com/soda-blasting.html

If soda blasting is a process where virtually any surface or substrate may be cleaned or depainted, I would assume it will be able to remove the clear finish on yer engine.

That is a big assumption as I know there are some primers that if properly applied soda blasting will not go through (or take so long to go through it isn't worth it - epoxy primers come to mind). I imagine that if the clearcoat on engine cases has yellowed it has oxidized and is lifting off the aluminum and therefore will probably be pretty easy to remove, but if it is like new that stuff is pretty hard to strip no matter what.

Oven cleaner was always the cheapie way to do it back in the day but you had to work fast as oven cleaner corrodes and erodes aluminum quickly.