The BB valve covers I have need repainting. The local shop uses glass beads in their blaster. Are glass beads OK for stripping paint without damaging surface of valve covers or should another type of media be used?
Thanks.
Thanks.
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Re: Blasting BB valve covers.
Rick-----
If it was me, I wouldn't bead blast them. It will slightly change the surface texture and it may be visible even after re-painting. For something like valve covers, I'd chemically strip them with a product like Jasco Paint Stripper. Now, this assumes that the valve covers are not sufferring from any corrosion. If they are and the corrosion is minor, I'd use a wire wheel on a drill to "treat it". If it's more extensive, then you'd have to go with bead blasting and suffer whatever consequences that entails. A media like plastic or walnut shells might be less aggressive if you could find anyone that does it. Like I say, though, a chemical stripper will be the best and it's easy and cheap.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: Blasting BB valve covers.
any painted steel parts that you want to remove the paint take them to your auto machine shop that has a "hot tank". i always used this to clean oil pans because of the good job the "hot tank" does if you are trying to clean a oil pan from a "blown engine"Comment
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Re: Blasting BB valve covers.
You have the option of using old, worn glassbeads that will not etch the surface and regulate the pressure.
Remember that the bead blast is not necessarily intended for the removal of paint. Most suppliers recommend removing as much as possible prior to bead blasting. I do this routinely with excellent results
jerComment
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Re: Blasting BB valve covers. *TL*
I would be a little cautious of abrasive blasting of engine parts. Regardless of how careful you are to control where the abrasive goes, and how carefully you clean the part afterward - you will not get all the abrasive off the part. With subsequent heating and cooling cycles the abrasive will come loose. I don't want abrasive particles floating around inside my engine with the oil.
I do like Clem's idea though.
TerryComment
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Re: Blasting BB valve covers.
I have had excellent results using beads in my own cabinet at lower pressures to prevent too much abrasion. For BB valve covers, I would worry about getting beads under the dripper that could later work into the oil during operation. I would duct tape the bottoms to prevent beads from getting into the dripper area, then use the cabinet with AC Balontini beads at 40-50psi. The hot tank and Jasco approaches are also excellent....CraigComment
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Re: Blasting BB valve covers.
terry you are right about the glass beads as they have static electricty and they are hard to remove. hot water and soap work the best. here is a little tid bit,the chevy engine factory fill the water jackets of the heads with aerosol shaving cream to prevent any debris in the head water jacket from falling into the cylinder bores when the heads are installed. i was told this by a GM engineer when were discussing how to keep the chips from surfacing the heads that end up in the water jackets from falling out when i was installing the heads. it seemed no matter how much you cleaned the water jackets with water,solvent and air pressure you always had chips in them. the shaving cream worksComment
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Re: Blasting BB valve covers. *TL*
Clem there was a photo of this in a story about Tonawanda that Corvette News printed in the 1966-67 time frame. It is an interesting story and contains a color photo of engines exiting the spray booth, complete with exhaust manifolds painted red.
TerryComment
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looks like a tech tip
terry looks like a tech tip for restorers,paint the whole manifold and start the engine and let it burn off the correct amount of paint.Comment
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