Block cleanliness

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360moparjunkie

360moparjunkie

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Soon I will have my block back from the machine shop after having it square decked, new cam bearings, also had one rod shortened.

Prior to final assembly I want to meticulously clean my water jackets and oil galleys.

I have a fashioned a sloped drip pan below the block on my engine stand (used a road sign) I have been finding large chunks of dislodgeed rust scale falling out of my water jackets when its upside down.

How do I get these large rust scales out of my water jackets? They are like small rocks. I dont want these in my motor....dont want heating problems or blockage either. I do have a pressure washer.

Would that hurt my block to use a gas powered washer to spray into the water jackets?

I plan to use dishwashing soap and bottle brushes to clean all my oil galleys and crank prior to assembly as recommended by one of our members.

Thank you.
 
Fishthatkills said:
Did you have the block hot tanked at the machine shop?

John B.
Click to expand...

I believe I did years ago. The build was never completed that time.

I could be wrong though. I am locked into not tanking it now. I have had all this work done to the block and don't want to mess it up.

Would tanking it have effectively removed all those pieces?
 
Fishthatkills said:
Did you have the block hot tanked at the machine shop?

John B.
Click to expand...
Ditto on that question... No, it should not hurt to blow your pressure washer in the water jackets. I am assuming you do not have the freeze plugs in it yet...

I am surprised with all the junk falling out of it if you had it hot tanked.... I have never had one do that after being tanked...
 
I would scratch as much out as possible around the cylinders with a screw driver or something and then blow it all out with a compressor. If you get water on the finished cylinders you will probably get flash rusting in them along with the new deck............I would stay away from the water!
 
69B-Cuda said:
Ditto on that question... No, it should not hurt to blow your pressure washer in the water jackets. I am assuming you do not have the freeze plugs in it yet...

I am surprised with all the junk falling out of it if you had it hot tanked.... I have never had one do that after being tanked...
Click to expand...

Boy am I a little embarresed.

Oh ya. All my new brass freezed plugs have been proudly installed...Damn.

Do not want to take them out but I will if I have to. Not much use for already used freeze plugs once I remove them....lol.
 
Mad Dart said:
I would scratch as much out as possible around the cylinders with a screw driver or something and then blow it all out with a compressor. If you get water on the finished cylinders you will probably get flash rusting in them along with the new deck............I would stay away from the water!
Click to expand...

I going to generously coat my cam bearings and new cylinder walls with petroleum jelly prior to "the wash". Frequently monitering my protective coat during the bath. Sounds like I'm gonna get a little wet as well. Think I'll do it on the front lawn. My neighbors should like that.
 
So the bottom of the motor is already done correct? If so then just proceed with the build and do a flush once installed and running. That is the only choice I see other than breaking down the block to bare and tanking it.

John B.
 
Ha ha ha ha ha... front lawn.....LOL.

"Howdy neighbor, just washin my block...thats all...do do dod od od oooo dee dooo"

Have a compresor ready to bvlow in dry.
 
If you have a big rubbermaid tub, you can fill it with washing soda/water, and use a battery charger with a coiled piece of copper pipe to electrolytically clean the rust from it.

I've seen a few examples of this and it works incredibly well.
I don't know if it will harm cam bearings, maybe someone knows about that.
I want to say it wont. But not sure.

Small example...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6b_oGQAFFM
 
Fishthatkills said:
So the bottom of the motor is already done correct? If so then just proceed with the build and do a flush once installed and running. That is the only choice I see other than breaking down the block to bare and tanking it.

John B.
Click to expand...

When I pick it up it will be still a bear block. Only bearings in it will be my new "high performance" cam bearings. (fell for buying more expensive cam bearings) No crank. I will just coat all my freshly machined surfaces with petroleum jelly.

BTW, what do they do to the bottom of the block to correct it? Do they rebore the main saddles?

I thought they just shaved the deck to correct the relationship between the deck and the main bores. Clearly I am not totally clear on what they do when correct decking and squaring the block.
 
POS Dakota said:
If you have a big rubbermaid tub, you can fill it with washing soda/water, and use a battery charger with a coiled piece of copper pipe to electrolytically clean the rust from it.

I've seen a few examples of this and it works incredibly well.
I don't know if it will harm cam bearings, maybe someone knows about that.
I want to say it wont. But not sure.

Soda wash? Baking soda?...sodium bicarbinate? Or is it a wash solution you buy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6b_oGQAFFM
Click to expand...
That was awesome. Wish I would have put the cart behind the horse.

Sounds like this would not be good for my new high priced cam bearings. Did I mention they are high performance? LOL. oh well.

Great info.
 
they should have 'COOKED' the block if that much crap was in it.

thats how I do it.

I clean mine in my drive way even after the jet wash.

I use soap and water with galley brushes and blow it out with air THEN immediately WD-40 it.

once together, I lightly spray it off with non chlorinated brake cleaner and paint it.
 
if it has been sitting long enough to get that much junk in it again, it may be best to have it tanked again and new cam bearings and soft plugs installed, I do not think that will hurt the bores, or, as was suggested previously, wait till you get it all put together then flush it out real good.
I would remove the soft plugs to get it cleaned out better... they are CHEAP compared to plugging up your radiator and heater core and possibly overheating your new engine!
 
Hot tanking when done right won't hurt your block. It will however wash off the petroleum jelly or whatever you use to try to protect your bearings. You can either wash the water jackets out right now, or (the better option) just knock the freeze plugs and cam bearings out and have it hot tanked or baked (even better). Better to do it once and do it right, right?
 
Hot tanking doesnt really remove rust and scale well unless it flakes of the iron as a result fo the heating. I have my blocks washed/degreased and then they are airless shot blasted. The vibrations from that, and the shot bombing thru the jackets, does clean the vast majority of rust and scale away. Then it gets washed again. But you have to machine the block after. If it was me, I wouldnt touch it at this point. But if you want to... I'd take the core plugs out and use a hanger or some sort of stiff wire to scrape loose as much of the crap as you can and then wash it out. The heavier particles will stay in the bottom of the cooling jackets if they dont fall out during the washing and assembly. There's not enough current to wash them up and out so they settle there (like the factory casting sand you sometimes find...). I would leave well enough alone because the block should be bare if you're washing it prior to final assembly. Particles can become trapped behind the bearings in the oil passages and creat havoc when the oil starts to flow.
 
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