Block Final Wash

[EngineerDoug]

Hey folks,

I would like to hear your method of doing a final block wash after all machine work has been done. My block is back from the shop, and I have heard some folks say hot soapy water followed by immediate drying and douse with WD40. But others say water is a no-no, because you can never get it dry enough fast enough to prevent rusting.

Your thoughts? Thanks.

 

[6872n73]

I do the warm water with dawn dish washing soap, rinse, blow off/out with air and coat with WD or oil.
In a pinch I've used about 3 cans of brake cleaner.
If its going to be a few weeks I'll coat the machined surfaces with grease.

 

[zyzzyx]

You can do soap & water and blow it off right away to keep the flash rusting down
and then wipe it down with wash cloths using denatured alcohol. You DON'T want
to use WD-40 or anything that will screw up paint adhesion later. Remember that
cast iron is porous, so once you get it clean, put it in a plastic bag. I think they still
sell them at Summit??? A little flash rust isn't going to kill you. If you like you can
wipe the cylinders and bearing fits with light oil.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Liquid soap and water and blow dry with compressed air.
Wonder if pro's use a washer with a water, detergent with a water soluble oil to prvent rusting.

 

[451Mopar]

I usually use a mix of powder laundry detergent and dish soap in warm water.
Sponges and the pipe brushes to scrub the block and internal passeges with.
Rinse with water from the hose really good, then use compressed air to dry the block and blow out all the holes. Use a rag around the blind threaded holes in case garbage shoots out. Then WD-40 on all the machined surfaces, and I don't worry if the WD-40 gets on the outside casting. I wipe that down with aceatone before painting the block. You may want to wipe the bores with wd-40 several times with a white paper towel until the towel does not show dirt from the honing process.
At assembly time the main bearing surfaces and bearing are wiped clean of all oil / wd-40 before installing in the block. You want the block and caps to be dry, clean, and free of any debris before installing the bearing. After installing the bearings in the block/caps, you can then add some break-in lube to the bearing surface that touches the crank. I have been using the Royal Purple and Red Line engine assembly lubes that are like a thick honey consistency.

 

[Demonic]

Like 451 Mopar, I use detergent and hot water, liquid though. Dry with compressed air and Fluid Film on the machined surfaces.

 

[snakeoil24]

Hot, hot soapy water dawn dish then air blow then spray with wd40 till the sun dont shine. And also remember a very hot rinse water too

 

[steve340]

I use air dry spray parts wash solvent and have done for years. I spray it from a parts wash gun.
I then use paper towels and auto trans oil on the cylinder bores.
Water was a hassle rust wise so I stopped doing them that way.

 

[dvw]

Dx 440 will get the WD40 off. Hot soapy water. Lots of brushing. Blow dry, WD40. Trans fluid on the bores until the white rag remains red, no black.
Doug

 

[66Satellite47]

Have always used hot water & Tide (would use Dawn next time), brush clean all passages & bolt holes. Compressed air blow dry COMPLETLY. Cylinder bores get ATF w/ clean rag & paper towel till no black. Same for bearing bores. Then bag it till final assembly.

 

[Dibbons]

I use soap and water and dry with a leaf blower and hair dryer.

 

[Fran Blacker]

I use air dry spray parts wash solvent and have done for years. I spray it from a parts wash gun.
I then use paper towels and auto trans oil on the cylinder bores.
Water was a hassle rust wise so I stopped doing them that way.

The problem with solvent is it doesn't suspend and hold dirt and wash it away when rinsed. Soap holds dirt away from the surface so the dirt is washed away with the rinse water. Was in dry cleaning business and that was explained to me. Used a petroleum based solvent with a soap that would mix it. Dry cleaning machines work just like a regular water washer but it's a closed system. After cleaning clothes with soapy solvent they are rinsed with clean solvent. The clean solvent is in another tank, 200 gallons and is used until soap reaches a certain level. It's them distilled to remove impurities and soap and reused.

 

[EngineerDoug]

Sounds like the soapy water is the consensus.

I like the idea of using a leaf blower to get the block clean. I also have a big can of WD40 with a fogger nozzle on it.

Once I get this task underway, I'll be sure to move with a sense of urgency....get it washed, dried, and fogged with WD40.

Thanks.

 

[Dibbons]

I also "prep" many hard to paint metal objects with Naval Jelly (then rinse it off), it removes the surface rust and keeps rust from returning long enough to get things painted. And it makes the surface super clean.

 

[BSB67]

The oil passages is my focus. I have a dozen wire brushes of various sizes that I mount on a long medium and short shafts on the end of a drill and use mineral spirits followed by a lighter solvent running in each passage several times. Amazing the stuff you get out.

For the bores, soapy water and brushes. Then ATF on paper towel, repeated several times over a few days. Do it until the ATF soaked paper towel is clean.

 

[RJRENTON]

My vote is the soap/water/compressed air/soap/water/compressed air, plus especially #15 BSB67's treatment of the oil passsges followed by painting the lifter gallery and the blocks internal surfaces with GE's GLYPTAL ( an electric motor insulating material reddish orange in color) to prevent rusting and oiling the bores, lifter bores, and bearing journals.
https://www.eis-inc.com › glyptal
The old addage "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" definitely applies......a little bit of crud can wreck havoc on new bearings..... just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON

 

[Fran Blacker]

Shot gun clean kit with proper sized brushes. Soap+water and how ever you want to dry it.