Getting ready to re-furbish the engine compartment before new engine install. I do have some surface rust and one small hole in the frame rail under the battery tray, but overall, the metal is surprisingly solid. I plan on cutting the frame rail to good metal and welding a patch in where the hole is, but my plan at the moment is to have the engine compartment sandblasted to get the rust out of the cracks and crevices (mostly around the radiator support). Once it is sandblasted, I want to treat the areas where the rust was (again, mostly the cracks and crevices and in/around the radiator support) with a rust converter, then epoxy prime and paint. Also, there are a couple areas that look like they could use some seam sealer before paint in order to smooth some of the deeper cracks and crevices in order that water not congregate there in the future? I will add a couple of pictures of my engine compartment for reference.

Is this the proper procedure? I am no paint/body guy, so I would appreciate any feedback from those who are!

That's a decent plan but I suspect there is some significant rust at the front of the frame rails where it meets the radiator support...

Just a note: If you sandblast, you will always have sand - somewhere - always. And you can blow and clean and blow and clean and suck and clean and when you shoot paint in there there will be sand in the paint. Not the biggest deal since it's the engine bay but don't yell at your painter because "he got nibs in your paint!"... Better way to strip the paint? They ALL have their drawbacks - choose the one you can live with. Soda maybe - it'll dissolve with water - but probably won't do the best job.

Appreciate the feedback. After countless hours of, "internet research" and also discussing with local paint/body shops, then the head-spinning "analysis paralysis", I've come to the conclusion that there are many ways to skin a cat.......

Obviously, the BEST way would be to have the complete car stripped and properly chemically dipped. That ain't happening. Since I will be doing the engine compartment only, and since there is no major "cancer", I think I will be media blasting it and doing the best I can at converting any rust or areas that could hide rust, then epoxy priming and painting.

I know it is impossible to remove ALL remaining media from blasting, but I think I should be able to keep it to a minimum since it is just the engine compartment.

Hope I'm right....LOL

I bought walnut shell for less than glass bead at Harbor Freight. Sand is cheap but it's harsh. Best of luck, you're doing great work.

I know lots of people say not to use play sand, but that is what I typically use for an engine compartment. Regular sand has larger grains, and thus more mass. Spraying at 80 psi, It will damage thin sheet metal. Same for coal dust - "Black Diamond" is the name of what is sold near me at Northern Hydraulic. It is great for stripping parts made out of thick sheet metal, like suspension arms, cross members, etc.

Research the purchase of a high quality mask/respirator and do the blasting on a windy day. You will be breathing some silica which does damage lungs. Do your best to keep that to minimum.

Edited September 15Sep 15 by inline6