Block cleanup

[69volunteer 84]

I have two blocks that were purchased as complete non running engines. They are both very oily and dirty. I spent the weekend completely tearing them down and have them down to the bare blocks. I would like to degrease/clean these at home and was wondering what the forums thoughts are:

 

I thought about putting them in a large plastic tub I have and spraying them with degreaser then power washing them. Compressed air dry and finish with a coat of oil or WD-40. One block I would like to keep and the other I plan to sell. The for sale block is a non Ford block.

 

Thoughts? The end goal is not to 'avoid' having them hot tanked at the machine shop but to prep for storage and prep for sale. When time to build, I will definitely have mine hot tanked.

[jmlay 80]

Should work fine. I would hook the pressure washer up to your water heater if you have the option. Make sure you blow them out with air & apply some protector to prevent rust.

[Caseyrhe 650]

I would load them up in the bed of a truck, spray down with easy off, then go to the car wash and spray them down.

[Brian Conway 264]

I would get them magged before storage. Let the shop cook them, measure, check threaded bolt holes and verify what they will clean up at and cover them with cosmoline. Probably less than a hundred each. Just me. Brian

[69volunteer 84]

I like the car wash idea....i have one of those plastic bed liners in my truck.....there is one close enough that I could get home to blow them dry and oil them down.

 

Brian I agree on getting them magged and cooked but I have this bad habit of buying stuff thinking, I'll re-sell that and make a few hundred bucks. Doesnt usually work that way. I may try it on the one I am going to sell and then see how it works.

 

Never used easy off--thought it would need heat to work?

 

Unfortunately, I dont have the ability to connect to my hot water heater (tankless).

[Caseyrhe 650]

I know it raining today, its November..... but it's Texas and it'll be 95 next week. Ha ha. I have found that "oxygen orange" from dollar tree works really well and it's cheap. Worked better than "Gunk". I use the Weber grill spray, like Pam, to keep my engine parts from rusting after painting the exterior surfaces of course. WD-40 is not good on rubber seals, will eventually peel the paint, and don't like the mess it leaves on the shelf after it sets for a while.

[RPM 1,190]

I would get them magged before storage. Let the shop cook them, measure, check threaded bolt holes and verify what they will clean up at and cover them with cosmoline. Probably less than a hundred each. Just me. Brian

Ditto. Why store and take up space if it's no bueno?

[1969_Mach1 333]

My thought is why spend that mony on something that will be stored.  Just clean them as best you can for now.  When you are ready to use them spend the money for professional cleaning and crack checking.  Also, if you have them professionally cleaned now, a machine shop clean them again and charge you again when it's time for the rebuild.  If they were running motors without issues before being pulled from a car or truck, probably no cracks.

 

When it comes to preliminary checking the bores, many times a deep nick or something doesn't show up until the motor is being bored.  For example, maybe preliminary measurements indicate 0.030" is needed, but then one or more cylinders have a nick or something that won't clean up at 0.030".  I guess all I am saying is the preliminary measurement for cylinder bores isn't always a definitive check. 

[69volunteer 84]

Every motor that is for sale came out of a running, non-smoking, recently tuned vehicle.....dont you guys know that? :-)

 

Actually the one for sale came from someone I trust who did see it running (truck drove into his shop) so I feel good about it. The other one i'll take a chance on and store until my wife threatens to divorce me or I get around to that project one day.

[barnett468 418]

Soak them in water and old school plain white powdered tide at 1/2 cup per gallon for 24 hours . NOTHING will remove oil better than this . Also, if your seat belts are old and grungy, you can do the same thing with them.

 

Remove the galley plugs before soaking.

 

If they are rusty, use 1 lb oxalic acid per gallon of water and soak until clean . ALL heavy rust will be removed in 3 days . Light rust takes less time . Neutralize the solution with 1/4 cup baking soda per gallon or soda ash before removing the block. 

[69volunteer 84]

interesting. Thanks Barnett.

 

Now I need to find a barrel of some sort that will fit a SBF

[barnett468 418]

interesting. Thanks Barnett.

 

Now I need to find a barrel of some sort that will fit a SBF

 

easy, i think home depot sells tubs that are the ideal size . check for them online.