best way to clean/prep engine for painting?

I've been spending the last hour trying to find the right answer to this without real success...
so here's my engine:



it is obviously in need of serious cleaning...lol
the engine is already black but we are going to give it a fresh coat of black paint so what is THE best way to clean and prep it?

so far I've read soda blasting, "easy off" oven cleaner and simple green cleaner?

we have an industrial compressor and all the set up for sand/media blasting so the soda blasting would be a great option for us.

so, do you just go about it like sandblasting? I know you need to seal some areas of the engine but other that that, just blast it? and rinse it with water?
and how much soda do you need? I can't imagine going at the grocery store and buying 20-30 little boxes...lol

and if we choose the easy off way, you go about it like an oven, spray it and let it sit for a few hours and rinse/wipe it with water?

and sandblasting with media is out of the question from what I read... I guess it gets everywhere, even where it's not suppose to go?

HELP!!!!:huh: :huh: :huh:

Soda is available in commercial size bags in various sizes up to at least 50 lbs from sources such as Harbor Freight.

Easy-Off oven cleaner can damage the finish on aluminum.

Good Fortune!

Patton wrote: Soda is available in commercial size bags in various sizes up to at least 50 lbs from sources such as Harbor Freight.

Easy-Off oven cleaner can damage the finish on aluminum.

Good Fortune!

Harbor freight?? no way!! we were there just THIS morning and it's over an hour away!!! GGRRRR...LOL

so this is what you would do, soda blasting?

If it were me, I'd use this method of engine cleaning: www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/soda_blaster/

The blasting medium can be washed off with water,does not leave residue like sandblasting will, and probably leaves an almost paint ready finish.

Was at Harbor Freight a couple months ago and seen that. Bought a bag because of what I read on here. Tore engine out of frame after taking bike completely apart to rebuild from frame up so I know what is there (bought last fall and found some disturbing things collector who rebuilt it did to it). That was a couple months ago and it's still sitting there. Working for a living really eats into my motorcycle time :laugh: but will get to it sooner or later. Hopefully I won't forget where anything goes before I have a chance to work on it again. So much for riding it this year though!!!

Personally - I would tear it apart and clean everything seperately. Takes a day or two longer, but you will be sure to have a sparkling clean motor inside and out. - Your call

I think your best bet is to blast with soda. If you can heat it up or pressure wash it first, all the better and faster a soda blast job it will be.

You can get rubber expansion plugs from a pool store to seal up the intakes and exhausts easily.

Good luck.

KSCanuck, Are you anywhere near a feed store? I found baking soda at my local feed store for 13 bucks, 50lb bag.
But before you blast it with Soda, you should spray it down with engine cleaner and let it soak for a bit, then hit it with a pressure washer. THEN blast it with soda. I tried blasting mine with soda, but it didn't have any effect at all on built up grease and road grime.

yep, we do have a feed store in town here, I will inquire if they have some

and we will clean it before blasting it ! thanks!!