Bead blasted engine

[mgabl072]

Bead blasted an engine for a restoration project. This restoration project is mostly show but a little riding too. My question is should I spray some type of sealent on the bare aluminium I just cleaned up.. I figure by bead blasting I just opened up the "pores" of the aluminum so to speak and it will be really easy for grime to stick to it now.

If so what have people used?

Thanks for the help in advance
Matt

[Liquifire 4/6]

I assume the engine was completely dismantled prior to beadblasting it? I see no reason to coat the aluminum with any type of sealant, but I can't emphasize enough the importance of washing it very thoroughly before reassembly. Also, if you did not thread some old bolts into every single threaded hole in the cases and cylinders, etc, you should consider running a tap thru all of them to clean up the threads which often end up getting ever so slightly distorted from the blasting process. They may look fine and you may find that the bolts screw into them in what feels like a normal way, but my experience with blasting aluminum components is that threads will distort enough to cause some inaccuracies when doing the final torquing of the bolts.

[mgabl072]

Thanks for your thoughts on a sealent. Any other one? I do not even know what type of sealent you could use.

Yep all tore down to nothing. Taped up the cylinders and crankcase so only bead blast the outside portions. And I did put the bolts back in the pieces before blasting.

Lots of air, carb cleaner then parts washer.

[AMG]

sealing your engine with high temp 500 degree clear coat is your best bet. IT will keep the engine from oxidizing and make it easier for you to clean later. The small amount of clear on the engine will not affect your cooling ability of this engine......

I have restored many musclecars and have done excactaly what I have instructed you to do..... just my .o2

James
Duluth, MN.