Cleaning a bare block - hot tank or elbow grease?

[eBronc]

Just curious what method those of you that have built a few engines prefer - having the block hot tanked, or cleaning it yourself with degreasers, brushes, and lots of elbow grease?<br><br>I've rebuilt a number of different engines over the years, from VW's to Chevy's to Pontiacs, and have always had success with just cleaning the block, heads, and everything else at home. Of course, I wasn't building racing motors or expecting to get another 100,000 miles out of them, but they all ran just fine for years, and made plenty of power. <br><br>The 351W I'm currently rebuilding for the eBronc project is the DIRTIEST engine I have ever worked on, though - I mean, it took a putty knife to scrape the sludge off the block, both inside and out. I've run through a gallon of Castrol Super Clean, and even hit it good with a pressure washer, and it's finally looking pretty clean. I picked up some bore brushed to run through the oil galleys, lifter bores, and whatever else I can find, so I'm not too worried. The water jackets, though, I can't really get to very well.<br><br>The eBronc is just going to be a trail truck, (maybe driving around town a little, but not much)...should I go ahead and spend the money to have the block, heads, and crank hot tanked? Or just clean them as best I can and not worry about it too much?

 

[j2hang]

I don't have the same experience with engine building as I just finished my first...I had the block hot tanked and blown out. I saved money and didn't have the crank or heads tanked.<br>Results, I could have scrubbed the crank and heads with degreaser and wire brushes for 2 days before they were as clean as the block.<br>If the block is that nasty...tank it (then hot soapy water and compress air dry) , shouldn't be much more than $35.<br>Jon<br>

 

[Explore74]

tank it dude. The only places you can clean are the ones that you see, and if the engine is that nasty, you may miss something that the tank will get clean for sure.

 

[Blueoval4me]

It will save you time and cost about the same (by the time you buy degresaser, brushes, etc) to tank it. I would also consider having othe parts tanked. I know a head shop by me that will tank big stuff (intakes, heads, manifolds) for $10 a piece and they come out like new, they will usually throw in small stuff for free. I enjoy building MUCH more when all my stuff is clean and new looking. Plus is a no brainer on helping gaskets seal.

 

[lpsolo]

The TANK really degreases the block - easier to paint. Don't forget, even if you tank it to get the wire brushes and clean all of the oil passages.

 

[74bronc]

Definitely TANK it dude. What does it cost, like 45.00 or so. What is that compared to a bunch of crapola in the galleys that you couldn't get out. Dirt and grime is the #1 killer of new engines, so if you do it yourself, you have to make sure it is VERY clean, inside and out. On something as grimey as the W that you describe, I wouldn't think twice. My motto, do it once and do it right.

 

[Madgyver]

Hot Tank it and Magnaflux it!!! Cleaning it at home will not show you cracks in the block (if there is any) that will ruin your investment in time and money especially if you don't know the history of the motor.<br> I've done rebuilds with just cleaning the block with soap and hot water (it works) but these motors were clean to begin with and it was a simple rering and new bearings kind of job. Anymore than that the block will get a full treatment.

 

[DPM77]

Several years ago, I had an assignment that involved a machine shop, and we had several dozen blocks that had been in a building that burned. Lots of rust, soot, and dirt. We researched, and found that there is a process using baking soda to blast clean. Man, it worked great! The guy we hired was an independent contractor but I have seen trucks with the Arm & Hammer logo on them here in Seattle. I think you would still have to have the internals tanked, but for cleaning the externals, this was very effective. Has to beat the heck out of scraping. Anyone ever use this process?<br><br>Dan

 

[74bronc]

[quote author=dpm77 link=board=5;threadid=12430;start=0#92568 date=1040235655]<br>Several years ago, I had an assignment that involved a machine shop, and we had several dozen blocks that had been in a building that burned. Lots of rust, soot, and dirt. We researched, and found that there is a process using baking soda to blast clean. Man, it worked great! The guy we hired was an independent contractor but I have seen trucks with the Arm & Hammer logo on them here in Seattle. I think you would still have to have the internals tanked, but for cleaning the externals, this was very effective. Has to beat the heck out of scraping. Anyone ever use this process?<br><br>Dan<br>[/quote]<br><br>Yes, my dad and I are going to have the paint on our 1964 Cessna 172 stripped using this process. A guy out in Apple Valley, CA or somewhere like that does it. No chemicals and it works great, I guess. Probably a project for next summer.

 

[eBronc]

Sounds like tanking is the way to go. <br><br>Sometimes I tend to take the "budget" theme a little too far, I guess. <br><br>The block, heads, and crank are all headed for the machine shop to get cleaned and checked for cracks - thanks for the responses, guys.

 

[semprbronc]

One other thing I just learned, When you hot tank it, It eats the cam bearings and freeze plugs. If you are replacing these anyway, no biggie. I wound up paying another 35.00 to have cam bearings installed after tanking mine. It was still WAY worth it.

 

[67ster]

HOLD IT !! If your bores are OK, don't let the shop use the bake oven to clean it . Because of the EPA laws , most shops don't use the boiling caustic soda method anymore . That stuff would take a block down to clean cast iron and eat any soft metals like aluminum or cam bearings . Now most shops use a pressure wash cabinet and then bake the block to remove any scale or sludge . It's like a self cleaning oven , high temp . but it will distort the bores . I use oven cleaner for cleaning a block for an overhaul but be sure to use rubber gloves and a face mask . Don't get it on aluminum .

 

[eBronc]

I was planning to take it to a machine shop I know that does Porsche and VW engines, as well as Detroit iron. The tanks they have use a much less caustic cleaning soloution, due to the magnesium and aluminum engine cases of the air-cooled motors. It cleans well, and doesn't eat the cam bearings.

 

[thesnake]

I'm too cheap I guess, elbow.<br><br>snake