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Media blasting engine parts - How to clean?

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JimLaney

JimLaney

Senior Member
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Before I ruin my engine under reconstruction, how do I clean the engine parts well enough to repaint without leaving media/grit in hidden places? The engine has been waiting assembly for 15 years in someone else's garage with tape over the mating surfaces of the head and the block. I would like to clean and paint the appropriate parts.

Better to assemble then paint or clean and paint as I go?
 
Jim,
Got a picture? Do you need to remove paint, grease, rust? If a little bit of everything I like to use SuperClean straight and soak it really good followed by wire brushing. For rust I love Evaporust and soak a lot of rusty things in it, works great. Another option that I use a lot for big items that can’t be soaked is phosphoric acid (KleenStrip prep and etch) spray it on and let it work. After the loose stuff is removed the phosphoric acid can be sprayed on and left to dry as a primer. Make sure everything is sealed up before doing any cleanup on an assembled engine and I like to paint mine while it’s apart.
Rut
 
Thanks Rut! Right now the block is assembled (crank, rods, pistons,cam and lifters, oil pump and pickup) except for the back plate. Head has valves guides, springs and keepers installed. I will wire brush the head portion of the combustion chamber as there is a little surface rust there (but nowhere else). When you paint, do you just tape off everything you don't want to paint (with masking tape)?
 
No paint on gasket surfaces. If you are going to sand/glass blast in a cabinet, I take the part to the machine shop to have them hot tanked after blasting. This removes the grit from areas you can't see, or reach.
 
Jim,
At this point with everything assembled I would put some painters tape along the edge of the block(where the head gasket goes), install the head without nuts, install valve cover, tape off any openings and spray with an engine primer before the topcoat. As previously mentioned you want to tape off any mating surfaces. Is the rear plate installed? If not and it’s stock I would install it after cleaning, but before painting.
Good luck, Rut
 
Thanks for the added information....and to Rut, Roll Tide! 1972 finished grad school in Tuscaloosa. I'm long since retired and work part time at UAH sculpture studio.
 
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