Anyone used Enviroblast for soda blasting a block?

[bwaz]

I've got advice to soda blast my old block... and seen a listing for a place called Enviroblast on Fraser Hwy in Surrey, anyone ever used them before?
brian Waz

[beetlemandan]

i used caustic ( castrol super clean ) followed by washing it in hot water, then an acid nuetralizer ( wheel acid) then a cold water rinse, with lots of brushing with a stiff plastic brush and got a decent looking , and clean, block. i've blasted a few blocks over the years and its REALLY tough to get all that abrasive media out of all the nooks and crannies. especially if there is any residual oil left on it. if you have to have that "new" cast look. i would reccomend "peening" the block with #8 glass bead at around 30-40 psi. it'll seal up all the pores and give any metal a nice sheen. anything media that cuts just opens the pores up and makes it more prone to corrsion

[bwaz]

My biggest concern is getting all the sludge out of the insides! There was a recommendation to do a hot tank, so I'll have to check that out to see what it does to the inside and out. I am just concerned about doing any damage or removing any metal as it's got some corrosion on the inside and I just want to clean that up.

[beetlemandan]

you can always wash it in diesel, or solvent. caustic will attack any non-ferrous metal ( like your block ) but a couple minutes woudn't hurt it too bad. wd-40 works good for de-sludging too.  trying to blast off oil sludge is not a good idea under any circumstance.

from what your saying i would soak it in diesel or wd-40, then wash it in a solvent tank. then finally , if it still needs it, a very quick dunk in a caustic tank. probably like 60-90 seconds max. caustic tends to boil and foam like crazy when aluminum hits it. magnesium reacts event more violently.

[Darren]

Never use Glass beads on an engine block, the chance of a few beads getting hung up somewhere and will get into your oil, then your bearings are toast.

I have seen wayyy to many blocks destroyed over the years from caustic dipping as well........... it also turns them an ugly grey-black..

Find a transmission shop ( or lordco) that has a jet wash tank for cleaning aluminum transmission cases if they have the right cleaning agants and the water is good and hot ( over 180 Deg, F )  20 minuites will clean up the grungiest of cases...

Cheers

[Chris]

lordco shop in langley did some parts for me, they have all the gear there