Sand Blasted Engine parts ?

Tiny Yokum

Tiny Yokum

Member
What are some popular opinions on using engine parts that have been sand blasted?
I know it's a fast and easy but can you ever get rid of all that sand and does some always end up in the oil ?
I've seen valve covers, intake manifolds and other parts advertised that were sand blasted but I've stayed away so far.
It was always a big no no at the pors... Shop, but were not building stienways here.
 
Any abrasive blasting media will leave microscopic particulate embedded in the pores of the base material,...silica sand, glass bead, walnut shell, steel shot, etc.

For general cleaning where the surface finish is not precise or a consideration, that is not an issue if all traces of media is removed. One never blasts a precision surface anywhere except to clean it in preparation for a "refinish" (such as welding up cam lobes for re-grind, etc.

Silica dust left embedded will prevent paint/coating adhesion unless removed, plain and simple. The best solution is plain old hot soap and water applied with a pressure washer. I also put the parts in the dishwasher if they will fit. If your significant other has a problem with that, then find another one (significant other I mean, not dishwasher!). I wash carb parts, tranny parts, ignition parts, etc. All the time in the dishwasher!

Any media blasting process used in a machine shop is always followed up by a hot water/detergent trip normally in a large dishwasher-type machine made for that purpose.
 
Maybe the only reason the parts are being sold is because they have been sandblasted...

Personally, I think all parts with mating surfaces should be "hot-tanked"... Does not matter which "brand"...
 
Thanks to the treehugger movement that manages the epa, "hot tanking" is no longer an effective cleaning process fopr anything unless it's a bootleg machine hidden out in the woods that is still using the good chemicals. Otherwise it's totally ineffective and has killed the radiator service industry.

That is why machine shops and manufacturing facilities have had to spend billions of dollars on "modern" cleaning methods. Thus the most effective method of cleaning engine parts in preparation for machining or surface coats is the "bake and blast" with a detergent bath before and after.

Caustic soda in a hot tank never did clean rust/scale inside engine components anywhere near as effectively as bake and blast...but at the time it was the best effort/process for most materials.
 
Yeah, I figured the "method" I saw used on corvair engines must be illegal long ago. Worked real good on aluminum pieces... But, I could not think of the terms for the "modern" processes

most wives would not "humor" the practice of putting auto parts in the dishwasher:rolleyes5:. Or, do you have a separate one for parts?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top