GLASS BEADING INSIDE OF VALVE COVERS AND OIL PANS

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CFD244

CFD244

"I LOST MY ID IN A FLOOD"
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Hi Folks

Can any one advise if there is a coating or treatment on the inside of OEM valve covers and oil pans? I would like to know if the insides should be glass beaded when I do the outsides. I have a tiny bit of surface rust that needs to be dealt with. Thanks.
 
There's no coating on the inside of the valve covers, just bare metal. 65'
 
You can glass bead the inside of them but if there is a baffle it can trap media. I would advise against it on a baffled valve cover. A little surface rust can be removed with phosphoric acid.
 
No way I would ever chance putting all the grit inside the motor.
To many places to not get it all out.
 
Oil pan is ok in my opinion, you have full access to clean out any blast media residue after blasting. Valve covers are a bit trickier. I agree that the baffle in the valve covers is a natural trap for blast media residue and would nor use an abrasive media. Soda blasting is safe but won’t do anything against rust. I have degreased and then soaked in evapo-rust with good results.
 
CFD244 said:
Hi Folks

Can any one advise if there is a coating or treatment on the inside of OEM valve covers and oil pans? I would like to know if the insides should be glass beaded when I do the outsides. I have a tiny bit of surface rust that needs to be dealt with. Thanks.
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I ruined an engine once by bolting on an aluminum intake that had been blasted with glass beads. I cleaned it and blew it out prior to install, but somehow some still ruined the engine in less than 250 miles. Don't know if high pressure somehow embedded it into the aluminum and heat from the engine helped release it or what.
 
Anything media blasted for an engine. Intakes, heads, Blocks, must be put into a hot tank, then a wash cabinet, then a rinse booth , Blow dried and put in a engine tumbler and rewashed then blow dried again. Every thread hole must be chased and every baffle removed. This is usually my job in the shop when he lets me. Race engines he does himself . He don't trust anyone when it comes to cleaning internals.

Tumbler Below, Oscillates and vibrates while spinning. Shakes the ground with a Cummins block in it. You would not believe the **** that comes out even after it is media blasted, then Hot tank, Then Wash cabinet, and blow dried.

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I sandblasted a pair of valve covers a long time ago.Decided not to use them and after some thought was afraid to sell them in case some sand was left as mentioned under the baffles.
I trashed them and slept good!
 
I have done a lot of oil pans and valve covers. Let me suggest this method. After blasting in the cabinet, thoroughly pressure wash the parts with the hottest water you can use; paying particular attention to the nooks and crannies and any baffles. Then place any items with baffles in the sun or use a heat gun to dry (I use my powder coating oven). Then squirt plenty of lacquer thinner in and around the baffles to loosen up any oil trapped crud. Then pressure wash again. I appreciate what you are all saying, but I think it can be done if you are diligent with cleanup. I have never had a problem, but I am totally anal about cleaning parts.
 
Yall know who we should ask don't you?

*hint...its a cleaning job, so im talking about a lady*
 
Glass bead has its uses but doesn't provide enough "tooth" on the metal for my powders to last decades.

You might be surprised how many shops simply "blow it off" after blasting instead of actually washing parts. The amount of grunge in the sink that comes off with industrial cleaner and a scrub brush will let you realize just how much crap they're trapping under their paint or powder ... and the fact their work only lasted a few months is a mystery to them.

Welded oil baffles can trap blast residue so extra care needs to be taken. Bolted baffle plates and intake accessories / fittings are always removed first and cleaned separately.

Intakes often get washed in my bathtub -- seriously! -- to ensure it's immaculately scrubbed and rinsed.

Oil pans take some blasting but don't typically trap dust. You have a few minutes when working with porous aluminum but wet steel needs to be dried immediately to avoid flash rust.

Simply put, there is no such thing as parts that are too clean for refinishing. Do it now or suffer premature finish failure and possibly catastrophic engine issues as well.
 
i do lots of covers and intakes for customers as well as myself. zero engine failures. usually on covers i blast and then have them hot tanked as the baffle inside the cover will hold media especially when they are oil covered. i would not use them if it was just blasting and no hot tank afterwards.
 
FWIW the exterior of these were soda blasted before repainting. Dont think I have any photos of it raw or before.
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For metal use a 50/50 mix of molasses and water then let it soak. Apple cider vinegar also works or muratic acid.
 
Mattax said:
FWIW the exterior of these were soda blasted before repainting. Dont think I have any photos of it raw or before.
View attachment 1716025665
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I would call soda blasting acceptable for the inside. When it makes contact, it turns to dust and that can be washed out easily. Unless you have a way to totally submerse it though, I'm not sure I'd use glass bead or anything heavier.
 
Musclesigns said:
Oil pan is ok in my opinion
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I thought so too but I was wrong. My 440-495 could have been destroyed if I didn't have such good luck.
I started up a fresh rebuild and found a rear main seal leak. I pulled the pan to get access and in the pan I found blasting sand from when I cleaned all the paint from the pan a month prior. Sand must have been trapped behind the baffles. I had rinsed the pan out with a hose but obviously didn't get it all out.
 
Soda blasting works well, but you must thoroughly clean very well. I had my brand new NHRA Pro Stock chassis soda blasted and when it was electrostatic epoxy paint every place that had a particle of soda remaining left a depressed puck mark in the paint.

I also use molasses, but it must be farm grade molasses that is sulfated. The sulfur makes the reaction work. Human food grade will not work because it's void of sulfur. Also I would never mix it to a 50/50 ratio. I like to use a 1 part molasses and 5 parts water. It removes rust, but does nothing to oil, so you must be oil free before dipping the parts in the mixture.

Tom
 
If there is rust on the inside I would just use Evapo-Rust. I have gallons of that stuff sitting in the garage, and I immerse rusty parts in it, and when I remove them a couple of days later the rust is gone. Have had it for years, and since it is reusable it is mostly a one time investment, but an expensive one as one gallon is like $30. Since it last basically forever, in the long run it is not too bad of an investment. On the outside of the valve cover you can use a wire wheel on a drill, sandpaper, etc...
 
PROSTOCKTOM said:
Soda blasting works well, but you must thoroughly clean very well. I had my brand new NHRA Pro Stock chassis soda blasted and when it was electrostatic epoxy paint every place that had a particle of soda remaining left a depressed puck mark in the paint.

I also use molasses, but it must be farm grade molasses that is sulfated. The sulfur makes the reaction work. Human food grade will not work because it's void of sulfur. Also I would never mix it to a 50/50 ratio. I like to use a 1 part molasses and 5 parts water. It removes rust, but does nothing to oil, so you must be oil free before dipping the parts in the mixture.

Tom
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A friend of used this method, yes farm grade from Tractor Supply. I may be mistaken on the mix. He said it makes metal look new, BUT don't use on aluminum. He said it works especially good on oil pans.
 
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