Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: Wire brushing engine pulleys
pdm

posted on 24/11/09 at 09:14 PM Reply With Quote
Wire brushing engine pulleys

Evening all,

I've been wire brushing off the rust from the outside of my stripped engine block and also a couple of the brackets. Engine is a silvertop zetec.

I have a few questions before I carry on:

1) I don't seem to have done an awful lot but the wire brushes aren't really making much of an impact anymore - do they normally wear quickly ? (they were cheap ones I got from the newark autojumble).

2) Should I use wire brushes on the main outer crank pulley (for the auxilliary belt not the timing belt) seems to have a rubber seal around the middle and I am worried about damaging it ?

3) Will I be ok wire brushing the other pulleys without damaging them/affecting their strength ?

4) Should I wire brush the grooves where the pulley sits arond the outer diameter of the pulleys ?

5) In normal engine rebuild would you normally reuse the pulleys anyway ?

6) Should I not use wire brushes on aluminium parts - e.g. rocker cover (?), short part of inlet manifold ?

thanks in advance as always,
Paul

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
snapper

posted on 24/11/09 at 09:26 PM Reply With Quote
Just finnishing a 2.1 Pinto rebuild and have used wire wheels, abrasive wheels and all sorts on the pulleys and the block.
Any ally stuff has had brass wire wheels used instead of steel then autosol (metal polish) on buffing wheels.
I would be carefull around any rubber on the pulleys with wire brushes.
Wire brushes tend to loose the effect when they twist up tight so i then use abrasive wheels. I love my dremell for the smaller bits but have bought about 6 assorted packs of abrasive wheels, wire wheels and polishing wheels.
Steel can take a lot of punishment but be carefull with ally as it is so soft.





I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
pdm

posted on 24/11/09 at 09:36 PM Reply With Quote
Great thanks - didn't realise you could get brass wheels for ali, I'll have to have a look for some. I've got some autosol so I'll give that a try as well.

Thanks again.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
designer

posted on 24/11/09 at 09:37 PM Reply With Quote
1. Wire brushes do wear out very quick.

2. You should be OK to give the rubber a light brushing over.

3. Should be no problem

4. Light brushing, just to clean.

5. re-use is OK if the setup is the same.

6. Never use steel brushes on aluminium, or magnesium; use brass.

Overall - Never use the same brush on different materials, and be gentle when wire rushing.

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
pdm

posted on 24/11/09 at 09:44 PM Reply With Quote
Thanks for the response
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
dhutch

posted on 25/11/09 at 12:22 AM Reply With Quote
For the record as well what you have there is a rubber bonded pulley.
- The pulley is in multiple parts, bonded together with rubber.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
40inches

posted on 25/11/09 at 09:00 AM Reply With Quote
THESE are good for ally.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
pdm

posted on 25/11/09 at 10:44 AM Reply With Quote
Thanks chaps

Those fine brushes do look good - might give those a go on the rocker cover etc

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.