Block cleaning.

When I have mine done I'm just gonna pop the freeze plugs out and have the bare block hot tanked. That should work well.

A lot of time the heavy chunks can't get out. Need to inspect the water passages with a light and run a wire to check. Don't assume anything.

As a owner, you need to control your own destiny. Some details are just to time consuming for a shop to charge you and too hard for a customer to accept.