18 replies to this topic

[Gaz66]

Im needing a gearbox casing, side case and wok vapour blasting.
Does anyone have a ballpark cost for this?
And do I need to cover bearing surfaces or will they be ok with the vapour jet?

[Shooter63]

The guy I use charges around £100.00 but he double flows it to make sure no media is left behind, you may get it cheaper.

Shooter

[imack]

Not too sure vapour blasting is particularly desirable due to media potentially remaining in the box or engine block. As I understand it they should be aqua blasted or cleaned the old fashioned way using elbow grease.

[Gaz66]

Not too sure vapour blasting is particularly desirable due to media potentially remaining in the box or engine block. As I understand it they should be aqua blasted or cleaned the old fashioned way using elbow grease.

I thought vapour blasting was water vapour?
Have I got it wrong?
I was under the impression it was the least invasive of the blasting cleans?

[Avtovaz]

dont know if this any help but ive just put a K series into a bath of water, put some screwfix all purpose cleaner in it, and the engine has come out like new. 

 

may get you 90% there atleast.

[imack]

Not too sure vapour blasting is particularly desirable due to media potentially remaining in the box or engine block. As I understand it they should be aqua blasted or cleaned the old fashioned way using elbow grease.

I thought vapour blasting was water vapour?
Have I got it wrong?

I was under the impression it was the least invasive of the blasting cleans?

Vapour blasting definitely contains a media.

Watch the start of this MED video where he mentions blasting the case.
https://youtu.be/kwAZBLg_rh0
I watch Barum engines videos where they've just bought a vapour blaster, they spend a long time trying to remove the media (I think they said it's glass)

Edited by imack, 30 April 2023 - 07:57 PM.

[Gaz66]

dont know if this any help but ive just put a K series into a bath of water, put some screwfix all purpose cleaner in it, and the engine has come out like new.

may get you 90% there atleast.

The gearbox case will probably clean up that way as its oily but the side cases have surface corrosion which I want removing.

[Steve220]

Don't vapour blast a gearbox. Soda blast or dry ice blast.

[Avtovaz]

 

dont know if this any help but ive just put a K series into a bath of water, put some screwfix all purpose cleaner in it, and the engine has come out like new.

may get you 90% there atleast.

The gearbox case will probably clean up that way as its oily but the side cases have surface corrosion which I want removing.

 

 

 

Good. post some pics of what you do if you do it! thanks

[ac427]

Sadly Vapour blasting is a catch all term.
Water is used but just as a carrier for some type of media. Usually very small glass beads as mentioned.

VB does produce a lovely finish on aluminium but you have the worry media be left behind or even embedded in metal.

Soda blasting produces a grst finish also not quite as shiny as VB but still pleasing to the eye and a bit less bling.

Because soda blasting only use baking soda it's a lot easier to get rid of. Even if some was left behind, it's less destructive than glass beads.

Edited by ac427, 01 May 2023 - 04:30 PM.

[ac427]

The guy I use charges around £100.00 but he double flows it to make sure no media is left behind, you may get it cheaper.

Shooter

Thanks for the info. What is meant by double flowing?

[Gaz66]

I think I'm going to clean the box myself, or give a go anyway and see how it turns out.
Any tips for removing the corrosion on the side cases?
Wire brush is the way for most of it I think but getting in to the nooks and crannies will be difficult and if not done will make the whole job look a bit half arsed.

[Shooter63]

The guy I use charges around £100.00 but he double flows it to make sure no media is left behind, you may get it cheaper.

Shooter

Thanks for the info. What is meant by double flowing?

He shuts the media off just leaving the high pressure water to remove any media that may be left behind, as others have said, if this isn't done you can have problems.

Shooter

[absx2]

I have personally used a media blaster over probably 20 years with plastic media and I wouldn`t use it to clean the inside of a gearbox, no way.

I learned the hard way and that stuff gets everywhere, I did a couple of motorcycle fork legs and heavily masked the chrome tubes with self amalgamating tape and kept the gun away from the seal area and it still got it somehow and I ended up with scratched tubes.

I seen a couple of destroyed turbo units as they won`t listen.

The machine was bought for alloy wheels only and I can`t see how on a rough cast it is actually possible to remove the media and by the time you gave it a good go you could have safely cleaned it yourself anyway.

People do blast cases and everything else and I guess they get away with it but count me out.

I have soda blasted a few carbs followed by a good soak without issue. 

[Steve220]

The guy I use charges around £100.00 but he double flows it to make sure no media is left behind, you may get it cheaper.

Shooter

Thanks for the info. What is meant by double flowing?

He shuts the media off just leaving the high pressure water to remove any media that may be left behind, as others have said, if this isn't done you can have problems.

Shooter

I had my blaster do the same after the cases were vapour blasted. Still found loads of it in threads and narrow areas of the case. Took a day of cleaning before I was satisfied I'd got it all. Soda blasting, you just dip it into hot water or a light acid and it dissolves.