How to final wash a block for assembly

[BogusSVO]

How to final wash an Engine Block

You just picked up your block from the machine shop, and your ready to build your engine.
The block may look clean, but it is not.
It still has grim and grit from machining in it.

It is up to you as the builder to final wash the block.

First gather together what you will need to clean the block.
Lint free paper towels, WD-40 , a good degreaser and a can of brake cleaner.

Now find a place to wash the block, a table or engine stand will be fine to use.

Now spray the degreaser all over the block, take good care to get the inside of the block and cylinder walls.
Let the degreaser work for 15 to 30 minutes, Do NOT let the block dry, reapply as needed.
Now spay the block down with clean water till the water runs clear.

Now quickly blow the cylinders and main bearing saddle surfaces dry with compressed air.

Now spray WD-40 in the cylinders and main bearing saddle surfaces to prevent rust.

Now spin the block around and spray brake cleaner into the oil galleys, I would recommend that any oil galley plugs be removed for this step if they were not at the machine shop. Just make sure to install them back.

At this point, take compressed air and blow through all the oil galleys,

main and head bolt holes.

Repeat till all signs of grit and old oil is removed.
Now take a couple paper towels and fold into ¼ and spray WD-40 on them, soaking them well.

Now wipe the cylinders down

Look at the paper towel now. This is hone stone grit and rust. Leaving this in the cylinders can cause issues with the rings glazing and not sealing.

Keep flipping and folding the paper towel and soaking with WD-40 until the paper towel comes back out clean!!


Now look in the corners inside the block and in general give the block a good look over for anything missed.

Make sure any oil galley plugs that were removed are replaced.

You can not get your block too clean!!

 

[toybreaker]

wear safety glasses when performing this task!

[edit]

Please do this task before installing oil squirters or you will drive all the contaminates in the oil passage down to them, *potentially* clogging them, or even worse, allowing something to get inbetween the check ball and seat, hanging the checkvalve open.

really bad sh*t happens when a checkvalve (or two) hangs open when the oil volume is low, like at an idle.

your crank won;t walk, it'll fawkin run

 

[raptorWagon]

I think someone should start adding his threads to the How To & Tech archive, good stuff for referencing back to.

 

[prove_it]

Quick question,

Do you recommend painting the block after a wash down like this? If so how would you tape everything off if you've used wd-40 on the surfaces?

 

[iceman69510]

What do you do for cleaning the oil galleys? I use gun cleaning tools in both the horizontal and crank feed passages, with solvent. I then do the air blowout after all of that cleaning is done.

Prove it, I wipe any surface you want to tape with brake cleaner prior to painting. I actually grind, deburr, remove casting sand blobs, etc. on the inside surface of the block and then paint it as well for any real high-performance build I do. Promotes oil drain back to the pan.

 

[curtis]

your best final assembly friend Yea pricey but works and been used in hot rods forever.

your best cleaner friend
I keep the totally awesome on hand constantly. You can soak a blower case in it for a day and comes out spotless. Don't breath the vapors when sprayed or used in hot water without ventilation, nasty stuff but 3 dollars a gallon or a dollar a spray bottle, actually cleans wheels better than eagle one.

 

[James]

Totally awesome is just as the name says.

It cleans anything.

 

[BogusSVO]

I have never heard of totally awesome before. Ill have to pick up some and give it a try.

I paint after the wash, and before the freeze plugs are installed. As far as over spray on a gasket surface or bearing surface, That has always been wiped of with a clean shop rag and acetone. I tend to wipe down major gasket sealing surfaces with acetone to remove any oil.

As far as gun brushing oil galleys, that was done at the first cleaning of the block. I typically wash a block 3 or 4 times before it makes it to an engine stand for assembly.

 

[JNR]

I'd add to rinse with at least "soft" water, but best to use distilled and there are much better things to use than wd-40 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif