Glass beading crankcase

[Steve Galli]

A friend, as an experiment, blasted a piston. He then scrubbed it with detergent and hot water. He then put it in a pot of water and boiled it. When he finished, there was sand at the bottom of the pot.

Wow! would never have expected that! Thanks!

[tfburke3]

I would put the cases in front of a space heater ,then hit with a foam type degreaser and scrub brush..Dont glass bead.
Tom

[T. Cotten]

Cotton,
Have you done any tests on Ethanol free fuel?

That would just be more junk science, Mick!

There are over a hundred and fifty Federally-allowed additives, and combinations are more digestive than any alone.

Injector cleaners, mandated Intake Valve Deposit inhibitors (IVDs), "detergents", etc. are why plug reading is now futile.

Ethanol just makes them all worse.

....Cotten
PS: Even if ethanol-free fuel was available, who wants to only ride in a circle around that pump?

[Steve Galli]

I would put the cases in front of a space heater ,then hit with a foam type degreaser and scrub brush..Dont glass bead.
Tom

Awesome Idea!! Thank you!!

[TomL]

Glass beading will close the pores on aluminum castings so it will capture the beads. If you have to clean use silica sand for the media, it will not close the casting pores and leaves a satin looking finish. Silica is another grit that must be removed from the castings before use as in scrubbing, washing very thoroughly.

[T. Cotten]

The sharper the media, Folks,..

The more it tends to embed.

Beads are round, and unless they are quite well used, only embed when the pressure is too low.
They are supposed to bounce.

Who cares on the outside anyway?

....Cotten
PS: Here's one of my favorite glass bead pics.

[41craig]

Steve; I have used Gunk Engine Degreaser or Gunk Engine Brite for over 40 years. You just spray it on and let it work for about 15 to 20 minutes and then hose it off. It cleans up the aluminum nicely. For real dirty or greasy spots, just spray it and use an old toothbrush to work the cleaner into the grime. it may take a couple of cleanings for tough grease, but it works great. Just be sure to quickly blow dry the cases or the steel will start to rust. Most auto parts stores sell this.
Craig

[larry]

Soda works nicely on Linkert bodies.

[T. Cotten]

How well does it hold paint, Larry?

Looks rough enough.

I have four cabinets with four different media, and there's still always a lot of prep and detailing afterward.

....Cotten

[Steve Galli]

The sharper the media, Folks,..

The more it tends to embed.

Beads are round, and unless they are quite well used, only embed when the pressure is too low.
They are supposed to bounce.

Who cares on the outside anyway?

....Cotten
PS: Here's one of my favorite glass bead pics.

Hi Cotten
Not sure what lm looking at....

[Steve Galli]

Soda works nicely on Linkert bodies.

Looks gorgeous! Thank you!

[Steve Galli]

Steve; I have used Gunk Engine Degreaser or Gunk Engine Brite for over 40 years. You just spray it on and let it work for about 15 to 20 minutes and then hose it off. It cleans up the aluminum nicely. For real dirty or greasy spots, just spray it and use an old toothbrush to work the cleaner into the grime. it may take a couple of cleanings for tough grease, but it works great. Just be sure to quickly blow dry the cases or the steel will start to rust. Most auto parts stores sell this.
Craig

I know gunk very well... definitely will try this... thank you!

[T. Cotten]

Hi Cotten
Not sure what lm looking at....

The three arrows point to beads, Steve!

Trapped in the idle bleeds of a Linkert.

Note they are different sizes, and the big one fits a .052" hole.

No wonder it needed fixed.

....Cotten
PS: Its a common problem, often from the gas tank. But the strainer would have caught that big one.

[Steve Galli]

The three arrows point to beads, Steve!

Trapped in the idle bleeds of a Linkert.

Note they are different sizes, and the big one fits a .052" hole.

No wonder it needed fixed.

....Cotten
PS: Its a common problem, often from the gas tank. But the strainer would have caught that big one.

Definitely not blasting my Bike! Thank you!

[T. Cotten]

Definitely not blasting my Bike! Thank you!

I wouldn't even pressure-wash a vintage machine, Steve!

But blasting has its time and place;

A well-engineered cabinet in an appropriate place away from 'sanitary' operations,..

(Plus proper media, proper masking,... etc.,... )

And time spent religiously prepping the hardware afterwards.

....Cotten