Engine block cleaning advice?

[NJBronco]

So I just had the neighbor hone the cylinders for me and and we had it in a pretty clean out. Now I'm at the point where I'm looking to give it the final cleaning. From what I see on the net I want to use hot water and laundry soap. I was thinking the cam bearing are with a can or two of brake cleaner and the whole outside with brake cleaner. Then just give all surfaces a coat of assembly lube.

The prior to the hot water I will run some brushes the oil lines Am I missing anything?

My real concern is with the cam bearings. Not sure if I have to worry about eating a coating or something off them

 

[simmsjeremy]

I like to use oven cleaner. Used it on previous engines simple to use and works great.

 

[NJBronco]

Ok I will try that as well. What sealant to I wNt for the freeze plugs? I see 50/50 install them dry and use sealant. I'd rather use sealant just for good measure.

 

[Rustytruck]

I've only used brass freeze plugs with no sealant. What ever you do don't knock them in by hitting them on the edge.

 

[needabronco]

First i deburr and smooth out all of the internals, making sure oil drains back freely to the pan, then I use hot water and dish soap, and stiff brushes. Clean out all of the oil galleys with a rifle bore brush and a drill, and when done blow it all out and dry with air then lightly oil the cylinder bores when done. Before your final assembly I blow everything out again, clean out the bores with brakleen and re-oil.

 

[Teal68]

Oven cleaner is my go to, make life easy cleaner for sure, but Don't get oven cleaner on the cam bearings.

 

[NJBronco]

That's my biggest concern is the cam bearings. May try brake cleaner first see how clean the white rags come out. If not I will be onto the oven cleaner. I found a new shotgun cleaning kit in my gun cabinet so I have that end covered

 

[needabronco]

Brakleen won't do half of what good ol' Dawn dish soap and elbow grease will. AND you know it won't hurt your can bearings either!

 

[Teal68]

I don't know if brake cleaner is safe for cam bearings or not. Be careful.

 

[R.P. Coltrane]

I would use the dawn (or purple power) water wash methods mentioned earlier and have some type of light oil in a spray bottle to follow up.

Cylinders and gasket surfaces can be cleaned as you are ready to use them. The light oil that was applied earlier will have penetrated any contaminants to make 100% final cleanup a breeze. Denatured alcohol is a good alternative to brake clean and a little safer health wise.

good luck with the build!

 

[chadomatic]

I lock tite all of my frost plugs. Always have.

 

[DirtDonk]

The one thing I'll add is that if you use anything water based on those newly honed cylinder walls, as soon as you get it even remotely dry, slather some oil on them puppies. But quick!
And I'm not kidding around. While you can get away with it sometimes, I've literally had cylinders flash-rust in less than two minutes. I actually thought that was impossible until that moment. But not any more.

Never again will I get water near a bare cylinder without a handy supply of oil or oil-soaked lint-free cloth ready to hand.

Paul

 

[DJs74]

I would give each cylinder a coating of oil/light grease to repel the water prior to the washing and try not to spray any water directly at the cylinders

DJs74

 

[R.P. Coltrane]

I would give each cylinder a coating of oil/light grease to repel the water prior to the washing and try not to spray any water directly at the cylinders

DJs74

A main reason for water washing is to flush out all the debris which was embedded during honing.

Light flash rust on the cylinder is not an optimal outcome, but not a real big deal either. Most times it'll completely remove with some penetrating oil and a coarse rag.

 

[turbotim2]

I took mine to the local machine shop and they threw it in there cleaning machine for $30. It comes out spotless, totally worth the $30.

 

[Broncobowsher]

No oven cleaner if you are saving the cam bearings.
Lots of water, brissle brushes, throw in a pressure washer if you have access to one. So long as you keep it wet it won't rust. As soon as you are done break out the WD40 (I get 2 fresh new cans as part of my prep) and soak everything.

 

[ft bronc]

Why are you trying to save the cam bearings?

Assuming you're starting with a high mileage engine, there will be crud behind them - the same crud you're working so hard to get out of the oil galleys. Why risk having a chunk of hard stuff back there come out and ruin all the work you're doing now? Take them out & get the block cleaned at a local engine shop. As said before, we'll worth the 30 or 50 bucks to start with a perfectly clean block. Remove all oil galley plugs - front and rear - freeze plugs and cam bearings before cleaning. And you can remove the freeze plugs by knocking them sideways. Usually, they stay sideways in the hole & you can grab them with some channel lock pliers and pull them out - which you can still do even if they get knocked all the way in. Just be careful not to drive them into a cylinder wall and crack it, which I have seen done.