Advanced Techniques for Cleaning Engine Parts

1. Cleaning engine parts • Debris often missed • Under side of intake • Leading cause of bearing failure • Particle contamination • Oil pump pick-up screen

2. Cleaning engine parts • Solvent tanks • Small degreasing jobs • Safe for all metals in engines

3. Cleaning engine parts • Cold tanks • Safe for all metals in engines • Slow soaking process

4. Cleaning engine parts • Hot tanks - Used for ferrous, nonferrous, or both • Ferrous - caustics for iron and steel only (pH 12.5) • Both - detergents for all materials • Working assemblies may bind in hot tanks • Corrosion may take place after cleaning • Rinse with water and spray with rust inhibitor • No cleaning solution dissolves carbon

5. Cleaning engine parts • Ovens for degreasing • Environmentally safe process • Primary chamber for cleaning • Exhaust afterburner to control emissions • Process • Primary chamber heats to 375F to start vaporization • Exhaust afterburner (1300°F) oxidizes vapors in stack • Primary chamber continues to heat to 700°F for iron • After cleaning, the sludge is left as ash • Aluminum should be limited to 500°F • Slow cooling prevents distortion

6. Cleaning engine parts • Shot blasting • For iron and steel only • Shot .030” or larger • Minimal labor • Parts must be degreased and dry • Tumble cylinder heads to • remove shot or beads

7. Cleaning engine parts • Bead blasting • Parts must be degreased and dry • Avoid threads, oil passages, and cooling passages • Glass beads used to remove carbon • Tumble cylinder heads to remove shot or beads

8. Cleaning engine parts • Bead blasting with baking soda • Water soluble • No shot retention

9. Cleaning engine parts Tumbling small parts • Small valve train parts agitated in tumbler • Parts are tumbled with small media • Agitation in solvent to wash away debris • Protect valve stems

10. Cleaning engine parts • Ultrasonic cleaning • High frequency sonic generators • Cleaning agents and heat add efficiency

11. Cleaning engine parts • Other cleaning tools • Ring groove scraper – ring grooves • Wire wheel – piston tops • Bore brushes – oil galleys • Flare brush in a drill – combustion chambers • Cold acid descalers – removing rust