A terrible use for sodium silicate

[CraigD]

Yesterday, I heard on the radio a profoundly ugly sound: that of a car engine being disable according to US “Cash For Clunkers” (CARS) program procedure (follow the link for details).

 

As the purpose of the program is to remove lower-mileage cars from service, I can understand the need to assure that the traded-in “clunkers” won’t simply be resold, and how scouring every engine oil-lubricated bearing in an engine for a couple of minutes with a couple of quarts (roughly liters) of about 50/50% sodium silicate (“liquid glass”) and water will do this handily.

 

Still, the sound of the doing is horrendous, enough to put a chill in the spine of anyone vaguely auto mechanical, or even just anyone who’s every operated a car. It’s an ineffably sad, forlorn sound, a sort of assault on the dignity of clunkers the world over. :cup:

 

It’s also vaguely worrisome that this quick & easy engine killed technique is getting so much public press – so, of course, in reaction, I’m posting it on the internet. ;) I shudder to think of some dire enemy or evil prankster creeping up on and slipping a few ounces of sodium silicate solution into a hapless victim’s car’s oil. :)

[Theory5]

Prankster wouldnt it be more like a vandel? Doesnt that render the car unable to start, thus forcing somebody to replace the oil lines and tank? Or can it be washed out like sugar or water in the gas tank?

And arnt they going to recycle the cars as well? Would the solution be troublesome to clean out of the parts?

[freeztar]

Waste not, want not, right? :)

 

That's just sad to hear.

 

How does sodium silicate work with the "recycling" process? :)

[Moontanman]

I saw the program, the cars they were destroying were better than any car I've had for the last 10 years! Disturbing to say the least.....

[CraigD]

Doesnt that render the car unable to start, thus forcing somebody to replace the oil lines and tank? Or can it be washed out like sugar or water in the gas tank?

The sodium silicate solution is highly abrasive – basically the same stuff used in a sandblaster. It doesn’t clog the car’s lubrication system, but rather grinds the bearings until they can no longer turn. After the 2+ quart procedure described at the link from post #1, the engine’s starter can't turn the crankshaft at all. The engine’s basically a solid, inert brick. :dog:

 

Some of the outer bearing surfaces in a typical car engine – the camshaft, lower connecting rods (connecting rod to crankshaft), and the crankshaft bearings (crankshaft to engine block), but not the wrist bearing (piston to connecting rod) - are fairly thin, removable inserts. The inner ones are precision machines steel. In principle, you could take one of these ruined clunker engines completely apart, re-machine the non-replaceable bearings, replace the replaceable ones with oversized ones, remachine and replace the oil pump, and make it run again – though if the bearings are too torn up, I’m not sure this’d be possible. Practically speaking, these engines are completely ruined – the only reason I can imagine anyone trying to fix one would be to prove what a superb mechanic and machinist he or she is.

 

My guess is that a slipping a small amount of engine-killing solution would result in a pretty quick low oil pressure/check engine warning, and require a full overhaul, with at least main and lower connecting rod bearing replacement – pretty severe prankster/vandalism, by any account.

And arnt they going to recycle the cars as well? Would the solution be troublesome to clean out of the parts?

As best I can tell, recycling in this case involves pulling any reconditionable/sellable parts (eg: batteries and airbag cartridges), then shredding and melting down the rest. A couple of quarts of silicate glass is no more difficult to separate from metal in this process than any of the other non-metal parts that go into the crusher/shredder.

[Theory5]

As best I can tell, recycling in this case involves pulling any reconditionable/sellable parts (eg: batteries and airbag cartridges), then shredding and melting down the rest. A couple of quarts of silicate glass is no more difficult to separate from metal in this process than any of the other non-metal parts that go into the crusher/shredder.

 

Wait, so they are crippling cars that have low gas milage to help the economy and the environment, but then they are taking those car parts and selling them to others with those types of cars that were made around the same time? I thought that the hybrid and newer cars use different batteries, and that the airbags are designed differently now to fit in these newer cars. Wouldnt a regular car battery wear out after a couple of recharges?