Block cleaning

[Kahuna]

I'm about ready to assemble my engine. All the machine work is done.

How do you guys do a final cleaning? My block is on an engine stand in my small shop.
Thanks a lot
Jim

[blykins]

If you don't have access to a jet wash, take the block to a car wash, and hit it with hot, soapy, high pressure water. Take some brushes and brush through all the oil galleys, brush the lifter bores, cylinders, etc. At the final rinse, squirt the machined surfaces down with WD-40, then blow everything off with compressed air.

[fdicrasto]

Be careful about car washes. Some have strict rules regarding cleaning auto parts, etc. Also you have to be fast after final rinse to prevent or at least minimize surface rust. Before you start assembly, many passes on cylinder walls with clean,lint free cloth or towels and a thin solvent concoction until you don't see crud on the cloth. Of course any machined surface needs attention. Phil D.

[rfoll]

I don't care how good your pressure wash/car wash is, you will still need to put some elbow grease into the block. The cylinder bores etc. will have residue the pressure won't remove.

[Keith Morganstein]

I'm about ready to assemble my engine. All the machine work is done.

How do you guys do a final cleaning? My block is on an engine stand in my small shop.
Thanks a lot
Jim

Did the machine shop already jet wash all the parts? If so then you still need to brush out all the oil galleys (with long nylon brushes for the purpose) with mineral spirits solvent. Use a small container and keep going and changing the solvent until it doesn't get dirty when the brushes are rinsed in it. periodically blow out the brushes with compressed air. Wipe all the cylinder bores and lifter bores with clean white manufactured rags (shop towels) wet with solvent. Follow that with WD 40 and then trans fluid on the towels. Clean until dirt is not getting picked up. Blow out with compressed air. Clean the crank oil holes well with brushes too.

If the Block was not washed (and bores cleaned) first, all honed bores need to be cleaned with hot soapy water and brushes, then blow dry with compressed air, spray with WD40, blow dry again, then continue as outlined above.

[dave brode]

A leaf blower is handy at the car wash, rather that waiting until you are home to blow it dry. I buy wd-40 in gallon at Walmart and use spray bottles from dollar store.

[wyrmrider]

wd 40?
and or solvent sticks particles down in the hone marks and other rough spots
I use ATF -till lint free rags show clean red
Have you painted the block with glyptol?

then clean it again

[Kahuna]

Thanks everyone.
The block was cleaned at the machine shop and I have cleaned all the oil galleys as well, using rifle cleaning supplies.
I've also done a bit of porting and work with Splash Zone. I just want to get it as clean as possible before I stick it together.
Thanks again
Jim

[BigBro74]

I always soak the block (or other castings, heads etc.) with half a can of engine-brite (I use the original not the foamy) before I final wash by scrubbing like heck with the brushes and hot soapy water, then hit it again with engine-brite before I do the final rinse (with my garden hose and sprayer). The engine brite makes the castings NOT RUST for quite awhile longer than without it while trying to blow them dry.

I'm sure some will say I am all wet and there is some down side, but that's what I do.

I do this even when my machinist has run the block in the jet washer and says the block is as clean as he would get it to do the assembly, and it is always MUCH cleaner after. Jason

[Kahuna]

BigBro
What is engine bright?
Never heard of it
Thanks
Jim

[BigBro74]

GUNK brand Engine Brite, you buy it at the parts store to clean engines with, it comes in a spray can. I know it sounds terribly redneck, but it works VERY well for a hobbyist operation like me..... it really keeps the casings from rusting, and breaks down any oil holding grit in the block. you still need to scrub a lot and get all of the honing grit out of the bores with hot soapy water. J

[Kahuna]

Thanks Bro
Appreciate the info
Jim

[peejay]

GUNK brand Engine Brite, you buy it at the parts store to clean engines with, it comes in a spray can. I know it sounds terribly redneck, but it works VERY well for a hobbyist operation like me..... it really keeps the casings from rusting, and breaks down any oil holding grit in the block. you still need to scrub a lot and get all of the honing grit out of the bores with hot soapy water. J

I've had lots of luck with regular old laundry detergent for the soap in the soapy water. I noticed a long time ago that when I'd clean with laundry detergent, iron would not rust even when left to dry naturally, or even after sitting in a humid garage or basement for years. Someone told me that it's the phosphorous in the detergent.

[BigBro74]

That is interesting- probably smells nice too

[rfoll]

40 years ago they told us in my environmental technology class that the government made them take the phosphates out of the laundry soap. It doesn't come out in standard waste water treatment, and produces algae blooms in the receiving stream. The result was clean water and dirty clothes. That being said, if you can find real TSP, (tri-sodium phosphate), it would be the ideal for cleaning.