Sandblasting the valve cover? [Merged 11-8] sand glass bead beads media baffle grit

[xxShaneOmac]

The question,
How do you remove and reinstall the baffles

 

[99gst_racer]

The question,
How do you remove and reinstall the baffles

The baffle is all one piece. Grind down those aluminum "buttons" to remove the baffle. Then, when finished cleaning, reinsert the baffle into it's original position. Then, using a welder and a small tungsten, build the material back up where the buttons were, and use a ball pein hammer to slightly mushroom/flatten the filler material.

Some guys don't run a baffle though. If you don't plan to reinstall the baffle, you can use a large flathead screw driver and simply pry the baffle off. This worked well for me, but it mangles the baffle, making it unusable. For mine, I plan to fabricate my own, smaller baffle and weld it back in.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

Why is there a baffle anyway? What would be the harm of not having it?

James

 

[500orbust]

valve cover baffles help keep engine oil out of your catch can or intake tube,

 

[99gst_racer]

Why is there a baffle anyway? What would be the harm of not having it?

James

It's there to keep the separation of oil and crankcase pressure.

Otherwise, your crankcase vents are going to make a mess of their destination point.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

Thats why we have catch cans.

James

 

[99gst_racer]

Thats why we have catch cans.

James

Not nessacerily. The catch can catches what little bit that the baffle does not. Without a baffle, your catch can would fill up extremely fast, and it might even negate crankcase evacuation.

 

[blktalon3]

I had a sand blasted valve cover once. After it was blasted I took it to a car wash and and washed it with pressure. Stick the nozzle of the gun as close to the openings in the baffles as you can or in them if it will fit and just keep blasting until clean water comes out. I did it to mine and never had any problems.

 

[AlaskanDsm]

So I mainly just want to know, can the baffle be full enough with sludge and other normal wear materials cause the baffle to work less than it should be? I am just wondering because my breather likes to chirp occasionally and also the breather line seems like it has more oil in it than it should. I have a stock VC and I was just curious as to the difference between the properties of one that was new or cleaned to the ones that are just used normally. Car has 97,000 miles on the VC. engine has under 3,000

 

[TiradoCC]

Whenever you guys buy powdercoated valve covers make sure to ask if they sandblast or not. I would say about 90% of the "big companies" that are powdercoating valve covers use sandblast, and have no way of telling if all of the sand is taken out from underneath the baffles.
I powdercoat valve covers and only use chemical stripping, that means no media blasting. There are shops that use chemical stripping, but because of the price of the chemicals there are only a few.

canadiandsm11 the only thing you could do is soak the back side of the valve cover with some simple green solution overnight. There is NO way of telling if you got all of the sand out without removing the baffles. To shave a valve cover I use a belt sander and then hand sand as necessary.

 

[tsunari]

I had a sand blasted valve cover once. After it was blasted I took it to a car wash and and washed it with pressure. Stick the nozzle of the gun as close to the openings in the baffles as you can or in them if it will fit and just keep blasting until clean water comes out. I did it to mine and never had any problems.

I would have to say that thus far you have probably been EXTREMELY lucky in that perhaps not much media got trapped in the baffle to begin with. I cleaned mine several times with pressured water, simple green, dish soap, soaked it for hours until everything came out clean. . . 4 motors later (Yup- four motors destroyed . . . oil pumps were trashed) I decided to remove the baffle and see exactly what was under there- quite a bit of sand trapped in little corners. Enough had collected, it looked like mud.

My suggestion- if the VC has been sand blasted- hang it on your wall and go buy another one. It is just not worth the headache.

 

[99gst_racer]

So I mainly just want to know, can the baffle be full enough with sludge and other normal wear materials cause the baffle to work less than it should be? I am just wondering because my breather likes to chirp occasionally and also the breather line seems like it has more oil in it than it should. I have a stock VC and I was just curious as to the difference between the properties of one that was new or cleaned to the ones that are just used normally. Car has 97,000 miles on the VC. engine has under 3,000

You'd be surprised at how much junk builds up behind the baffle on an otherwise clean valve cover.

If the baffle is installed, then it's doing it's job. It would have to be completely full of sludge and/or foreign material to not allow crankcase evacuation. I've seen some pretty crusty valve covers, but never one that was "non-functional" due to being filthy. Cleaning it isn't going to make it perform better, but rather, keep from depositing any garbage into the crankcase. IMO, larger breather ports would improve it's design though.

 

[TiradoCC]

I would have to say that thus far you have probably been EXTREMELY lucky in that perhaps not much media got trapped in the baffle to begin with. I cleaned mine several times with pressured water, simple green, dish soap, soaked it for hours until everything came out clean. . . 4 motors later (Yup- four motors destroyed . . . oil pumps were trashed) I decided to remove the baffle and see exactly what was under there- quite a bit of sand trapped in little corners. Enough had collected, it looked like mud.

My suggestion- if the VC has been sand blasted- hang it on your wall and go buy another one. It is just not worth the headache.

 

[AlaskanDsm]

So the baffle's purpose is to keep oil and other debris material from entering the crankcase? From reading through this thread most of it is about media blasting and preventing how to ruin your engine. I understand all of that. I just didn't understand what the purpose of the baffle was in the first place or if not having mine clean as stock would make a difference in the way it performed.

 

[tsunari]

So the baffle's purpose is to keep oil and other debris material from entering the crankcase? From reading through this thread most of it is about media blasting and preventing how to ruin your engine. I understand all of that. I just didn't understand what the purpose of the baffle was in the first place or if not having mine clean as stock would make a difference in the way it performed.

Purpose of the baffle is to separate the liquid oil that is being squirted/slung around the head from the crank case vapors that rise to the top. This is done so the vapors can be mixed with fresh air (drawn in from the fresh air vent) and expelled out through the PCV and eventually burned.

If yours is excessively clogged, the crank case vapors may not be properly expelled and will contribute to excessive crank case pressure. This could lead to blowing oil seals or popping the oil dipstick out under high loads.

 

[DGajre777]

Post from a vendor...

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/ven...-introducing-jnz-finishing.html#post151419731

 

[Marcus92]

While it kinda pertains to the same thing. Would it be dangerous for me to blast my intake manifold before i re-powdercoat it?

 

[tsunari]

While it kinda pertains to the same thing. Would it be dangerous for me to blast my intake manifold before i re-powdercoat it?

Probably not as bad . . . I would still stuff it with rags and block the ports off with tape or something before doing it (Limit the amount of media that actually makes it inside the manifold). But there are far less places inside a manifold for media to get trapped, so you'll probably be fine.

 

[Marcus92]

Probably not as bad . . . I would still stuff it with rags and block the ports off with tape or something before doing it (Limit the amount of media that actually makes it inside the manifold). But there are far less places inside a manifold for media to get trapped, so you'll probably be fine.

Yeah not like it would make a difference but i was going to soak/clean it in the parts washer then blast it inside and out, then re-wash

 

[viperlp01]

Ya i spent 3 hours painting my valve cover white with red letters and then i crack it on install.... sooo my buddy has a VC and he said i can have it because he doesn't want to use a VC that has been bead blasted before it was powder coated. What can present a problem with it?? I don't see one. Any insight of why this can present a problem.. Thanks guys

 

[JFatch1890]

Can't see it being a problem.It don't damage it at all,And or change its chemical reaction to the power coat (that I've ever heard about).

 

[JFatch1890]

Bead Blasting

 

[Ravenous]

It could get some grit in the baffling in the top of the cover(for the pcv and breather) which could then dislodge and get in the motor... however if it is cleaned correctly it should not be a problem.

 

[datrip]

Recently cracked mine on my EVO, so I feel your pain with the exception of no one has used evo valve covers. I took mine to a local shop and they were able to weld it back with magnisum or something. Had it painted and bead blasted before that and it turned out great.

 

[andy4g63]

As far as filters go, you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. You shouldn't need one in your oil line. Failures occur due to dirt/grit in the oil making it into the turbocharger. Failures also occur due to plugged filters. We have seen it both ways. If you are going to use a filter, check it often. The most important thing you can do to avoid oil contamination of you turbo is to THUROUGHLY wash everything more than once before assembling your engine. Avoid sandblasting anything that goes inside or onto the engine. Specifically avoid sandblasting your valve cover. If you suspect that the machine shop that did your valve job sandblasted your head then make sure you remove the 4 plugs from each end of the head that cover the ends of the oil gallies and wash the gallies out with HOT SOAPY WATER. If you do this you will be amazed at what comes out of your beautifully machined freshly rebuilt head.

This info I took from FP website. I really wonder, why you guys blast the valve covers anyway???
I allways use Paint Remover/ Stripper from paint store and then steelwool and clean it with soap and water, works great.