[PMD1969]

I have accumulated a good pile of spare parts that need some clean up. Being that I have never had it done or done it myself I am unsure what to do. I have found a local company that has a mobile soda blasting machine that do the blasting of cars in your driveway. I certainly don't need that service but rather 4 I/E manifolds, pulleys, head, block, etc.

Outside of the block I can take all of this stuff to a shop if necessary and if they are close enough. Remember this is Texas and nothing is close by.

What would be the best and cheapest path for me to get these parts cleaned up so I can paint them?

[Radman]

Soda Blasting does a great job of removing paint without hurting glass or shiny trim like the door jamb latch. It will not remove caked on dirt and grease, or heavy rust. Even Sand blasting has a problem with caked on dirt and grease. If the parts are clean with just a light coat of rust soda is the way to go. Heavy rust you will want sand. Heavy dirt and grease, get a wire brush and a degreaser.

[PMD1969]

Originally Posted by Radman

Soda Blasting does a great job of removing paint without hurting glass or shiny trim like the door jamb latch. It will not remove caked on dirt and grease, or heavy rust. Even Sand blasting has a problem with caked on dirt and grease. If the parts are clean with just a light coat of rust soda is the way to go. Heavy rust you will want sand. Heavy dirt and grease, get a wire brush and a degreaser.

All of the parts are degreased but a few are rusty, not sure if soda will take it off.

What will sand do to the appearance of the metal. The three parts that are rusty are a balancer and two manifolds.

[lust4speed]

Everything but the block and heads would be best cleaned by media blasting in a simple blast cabinet. Glass bead does a good job on paint, rust, and light grease without altering the surface of cast or mild steel pieces. Light grease or muck can be defined as scraping the big stuff down where you can see the metal before putting it into the cabinet. The blast media can also be altered to arrive at the finish you want using anything from walnut shell to aluminum oxide - although medium glass bead works for the majority of the cleaning.

Block and heads would be best cleaned by a machine shop doing a "shake and bake" where the cast pieces are heated up to about 400° and then transferred to a machine that will tumble the pieces with steel shot. This removes everything from the outside of the block, and about 95% of the buildup in the water jackets. This has to be done before the parts are machined.

[GOAT WHORE]

Originally Posted by Radman

Soda Blasting does a great job of removing paint without hurting glass or shiny trim like the door jamb latch. It will not remove caked on dirt and grease, or heavy rust. Even Sand blasting has a problem with caked on dirt and grease. If the parts are clean with just a light coat of rust soda is the way to go. Heavy rust you will want sand. Heavy dirt and grease, get a wire brush and a degreaser.

Dont know who tod you soda will not remove dirt and grease but that is false, it will absoultely remove dirt, grease, paint, bondo, undercoating and seam sealer. Aslo gets surface rust but will not do much to deep rust.

[lust4speed]

Pretty time intensive to remove bondo or seal sealer with Soda. Most of the guys I know remove the paint from the bondo and knock any loose bondo off, but move on after that. Then they come back later with the DA. I agree that dirt or grime is going to come right off with the soda.

[Kokamo]

Originally Posted by GOAT WHORE

Dont know who tod you soda will not remove dirt and grease but that is false, it will absolutely remove dirt, grease, paint, bondo, undercoating and seam sealer. Aslo gets surface rust but will not do much to deep rust.

X2 with personal experience. FYI, I used dry soda. Makes the surface smooth as a....piece of glass. One note if I may, it does take longer on the bondo/filler, but it will get the job done. Also, be sure to take note on the deep rust thing above.

~Joe