Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

[James G.]

I bought a dry ice cleaner out of Germany and have been playing with it for the last couple of weeks.
The results are pretty amazing, given I had already spent 40-50 hours with rags brushes and simple green -I still swept up a large dustpan full of dirt and crap blasted off the bottom- it will remove most dirt and bugs etc fairly easily at line of sight within 6" away preferrably 3-4" for heavy grease etc. IF IT WONT FREEZE it just pushes it around... think synthetic lubricants we use today .

One of the things I was after was something which is found on many old original cars... the fine dust which accumulates with standing water and becomes concrete like and sticks around emblems on the reverse of trim.
I spent hours with popsicle sticks basically chipping it off the backs of the side vents, the grilles, etc. anywhere water might sit with dust in it and still couldn't get it out of everywhere (I didn't remove the side grates etc as it's a 3 star)
The machine is made for vehicles and electronics and operates on as low as 30# / 8cfm and works to 140# / 30cfm. Anything more than 60-80# will begin to pit factory undercoating. On the exterior I ran at 30# and a foot away, it removes wax residue and years of tiny dust particles around the trim like nothing you have seen, around the emblems, the trim, door handles, the rocker trim, hard water stains, buffing residue.

The only place I could see running over 100# is maybe on the trailing arms or front suspension if it were caked with heavy grease and dirt.
I couldn't see this area, I stuck the wand up between the bumper and the grille...
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[Tim G.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

Wow, we had one of our members put on a seminar at the Texas Regional last month and I'd like to have them clean the undercoating off of my 17,000 mile '70. With how little the car was driven, I'm sure the surface underneath will be very nice.

[James G.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

IF you have an alloy wheel car and the clear coat is intact it will clean anything off... metallic brakedust turned to rust - it will not remove rust from chrome etc, it will remove scale if the ice gets under an edge.
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[Patrick H.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

I bought a dry ice cleaner out of Germany and have been playing with it for the last couple of weeks.

Might I ask brand and/or price?

We were just discussing one of these today.
Feel free to PM or email if you prefer.

[James G.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

It probably took me longer than it should have to do the bottom of my car, however I was leary of using a lot of pressure as I had seen a number of survivor GM cars which had the original sound deadener blown off/removed when they were blasted.
I used 30# the first time and it wasn't very noticable, went back with 50-60# on the wells and around the grilles headlamps, front valence.
Really removes the road grime if you drive a car.
On the photo below you can see where the ice spray doesn't hit the hoses, there is a grime on the tops. I need to put the angle nozel on and go back.

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Here is the back of the rocker molding, you can see exctly the difference, looks nearly new where the ice hits.
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[James G.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

DRY ICE ENERGY -
It was around 6k, exact price I would have to look as I got almost 1k in extra nozzels.
They had machines up to 14k which used more air.
I could have bought a cold jet used for the same, however the air requirements for the Coldjet were double.

I did a lot of research on them and the main problem is that people go into it wuth no idea of what is required in so far as the air quality and quantity.
I saw one person so upset, THEY tried to use a 3 hp roll around compressor without any type of moisture remediation what so ever. it would shoot out a little ice for a few minutes then mostly freeze up/ I cannot believe it at all met the CFM requirements - even bare min.

Your air needs to be really really dry... (-40 dew point) or the line supplying the dry ice from the machine will freeze.

I also bought a 1/2" ID air line and large industrial quick disconnects -
First few times using it when I stopped blasting and heard the wooshing of my air supply refilling the dessicant driers (couple gallons) meaning the air can leave the driers quicker than it could get in... I thought I had 3/4" ID all the way from the one inch 10 foot stick I have mounted to the wall off the flex line BUT the flex line was 3/8" ID with 1" fittings. WTH?
Replaced the flex line and it moved alot more ice.

I already had the following supplying my paint booth, so I had the DRY air supply, which makes the machine cost a little more tolerable.
5hp IR continuous duty compressor which will supply 22cfm @175 - 24cfm @100 I added an air to air heat exchanger a year ago with a water trap between the compressor head and the 140 gallons of storage -then to the flex line, then another water trap, into a vertical 10 foot stick of 1" ID then off that is 80 feet of 3/4" max line to the paint booth, then water trap and oil remover, then into the twin dessicant driers -each holds 10# of activated alumina.

[Sean S.]

https://youtu.be/9-ynwYBl3To?si=c4B2iaJ7pLPBWDHq

Sean

[Tim S.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

James,

Have you tried it on any interior parts yet?

Tim

[James G.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

I have, it will remove gum, grease, chocolate, mold, mildew, everthing I have used it on, except rust stains.
It will just blow the contaminate away so it's best to use a vacuum along side it so you don't blow the junk somewhere else.
If it will freeze it pretty much, it will remove it.
You don't want to use more than 30# pressure in the interior and a nozzel which is a fan pattern, which serves to have more surface area for the same volume of air/ice at a given pressure.
The grime in the comfort grip steering wheels and the turn sig lever etc are incredibly clean. Door jamb hinge pillars, all down in the wiper well, I had polished my windshield and got some of the oxide slurry on some of the actions for the wiper door, I had tried scrubbing etc for the last 2 years and could never get all the white dots... GONE in a few minutes, along with every bit of wax residue around and hard water stains on the bottoms of the body panels.
Exterior on the paint... Start 18" or more away and 30# wax residue on the rockers and around the tail lamps.

My brother walked into my shop and couldn't believe how clean the emblems and all around them were.
Here are a few interior pieces, FIRST is a 69 Camaro A pillar trim, 2nd 68 GTO Parchment door panel - you can see the differences
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Below is the inside rear glass to headliner trim, plastic vinyl like
Last is the edge of the door panel fabric which is folded over and glued, it removed the dirt and glue and left a perfect material to glue back down.
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[Mark F.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

I have been trying to find someone who does dry ice blasting in upstate NY. Having a hard time. Trying to get ready for judging in May.

Thanks
Mark F.

[James G.]

Re: Dry Ice Cleaned my LT1 -

Try the largest auto detailer around the area... otherwise it would be an industrial outfit which would offer the service.
Locally there are a number of industrial companies which buy 2-15 tons per week - 2 tons a week cleaning waffle irons for a company which makes waffles for fast food resturants.
Michelin uses 15 tons a week cleaning tire molds.
IF you find an industrial outfit make sure they do not remove the factory sound deadening.


Here are a couple around the Stingray emblems and rear letters.
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[Mark F.]