Pro Engine Block Cleaning - How good?

[Dusty]

Pro block cleaning – just how good is it?

Obviously the quality of block cleaning can range from near perfect to less perfect than we would like. The problem is knowing where you stand with your block!

Any serious engine builder today spends countless hours measuring and inspecting components to insure trouble free operation. Once assembled we protect these parts with the finest oils and filtration systems available. Equally as important as what we put into our engines is what we take out before assembly. I’m talking about dirt here, colloquially referred to as grit, junk, spooge, and crud. Personally I like the term spooge it best describes the hardest to clean most difficult to remove mixture of oil and debris that always seems to be stuck in some near inaccessible spot in some oil galley. It seemingly won’t flush through with soapy water and can’t be reached with a rifle brush.

This block had been through two different the pro cleaning processes. It looked really clean so we went ahead and started work on assembly. After a dyno session and teardown we were left with the suspicion that it was not as clean as we had previously supposed.

So what do I do about this cleaning problem? The answer, at least to date, is simple. Delegate this grueling and thankless task to someone else. Professional engine shops spend big money on block cleaning equipment from the age old hot tank to the ultra modern ultra sonic solvent tanks. It makes sense to leave this job to the people with the proper tools for the job despite costing more than a few cents for the service ($40 - 60 is typical).

So what’s the purpose of me writing this article you ask? Well recently I have been disgruntled by the damage to some main bearings with only a few minutes of runtime. The damage was not terminal but it was far more than I was prepared to tolerate.

We had the block hot tanked and then rinsed with hot soapy water and yet this still wasn’t sufficient toward removing all the spooge from the block. Keeping with GFN spirit not to be beaten easily I resorted to the age old adage “If you want something done right you got to do it yourself.” With DV’s approval to make what might end up as a big mess in the shop I decided to clean the oil galleys to bare iron. So I broke out the block cleaning tools and went to work on a freshly pro cleaned 350 block with the goal of removing every last bit of hidden spooge. An hour later all I had was a shirt reeking of solvent, a messy shop, and not a lot of spooge to show for my efforts. Obviously the use of the “bigger hammer” has failed here.

Sometimes it helps to stop and think and a margarita over lunch at the local Mexican restaurant may have contributed a little the extra serenity and inspiration to help out in the ideas department. Watching the bartender blend my sorrowful morning away became the source of my inspiration and that’s what I’m going to share with you today.

My big idea was to make the block self cleaning. All the parts already exist to make the block pump solvent through it’s oil system. Simply by installing the oil pump, lifters, plugs and rear main bearing, solvent can be pumped through the oil system from the pickup out through the mains. With addition of the camshaft to seal it’s lubrication holes a lot of flow can be had at the mains. An MSD priming rod with a cordless drill was used to power the oil pump and voila, we had solvent just gushing out the mains.

To insure the three galleys that run the length of the block purged themselves a set of dummy pipe plugs were ground with a flat on the treaded section so that they had a healthy leak. When installed the flat was positioned at the bottom so that the leaking solvent would carry out any debris. This worked so well that we had to put a timing cover on to deflect the solvent back into the tub.

So for about 20 bucks for a plastic tub, gallon of solvent, and a few wasted pipe plugs, a complete engine purging kit was created. What’s really trick about this setup is the oil filter serves to clean any grit suspended in the solvent before it goes into the galleys! After about 10 minutes of purging DV grabbed a magnet and collected all the heavier bits of grit that sunk to the bottom of the tub, what he collected was alarming.

It’s hard to believe that all this came from a block that had already been through a bake and shake clean plus a hot tank and hose clean.

The block might not be the only source of unwanted matter. Cranks in engines that have had infrequent oil changes can bake stuff into the oil ways. A cheap parts washer as shown here can be a big help.

We were more than pleased with the results of this experiment. It took only a trip to the hardware store and a couple of minutes of setup. The result was a sense of security that the block was now truly clean and ready for assembly.

I am so pleased with the results of this little experiment I plan on developing a pro quality purging kit for both Ford and Chevy that operates hands free. I hope this little tech tidbit has raised some eyebrows and give you some ideas of your own to make your next engine spooge free.

Dusty Kennett

[Devious]

Simple, effective, and thought provoking.

THANKS!

[seattle smitty]

One development I don't like is the "environmentally friendly" solvent that machine shops are being forced to use in their parts-washing tanks in place of good old Stoddard Solvent. This citrus-smelling, soapy-feeling stuff is harder on your bare hands than the old stuff ever was, but it doesn't clean cruddy parts worth a d@mn . . . unless you buy a tank-heater.

Steam-cleaners are also being forced out of shops.

[comp]

Originally Posted by seattle smitty

One development I don't like is the "environmentally friendly" solvent that machine shops are being forced to use in their parts-washing tanks in place of good old Stoddard Solvent. This citrus-smelling, soapy-feeling stuff is harder on your bare hands than the old stuff ever was, but it doesn't clean cruddy parts worth a d@mn . . . unless you buy a tank-heater.

Steam-cleaners are also being forced out of shops.

Hmmmmmm maybe a solvent artical

[FlowSpecialist]

I agree entirely that the standard of cleaning of many (most?) engine builders leaves a lot to be desired. Sticking parts in a glorified dish washer and hoping for the best is the usual way and not the best. I personally think you can't beat going down every oilway and orifice by hand with a pipe cleaner or test tube brush and that nothing short of clinically clean is acceptable. That takes time though and time costs money so most people opt for the automated approach.

Having seen their efforts over the years I believe that most engines built by amateurs and even many pros rely largely on the first oil change to flush out the crap they've left in there at build time and that by then there is already substantial damage. It's more a testament to the general ruggedness of engines that they usually survive this abuse.

DB

[Cammer]

I use up to eight hours labor to prep a race block after machining. This includes deburring, weight reduction, and cleaning. Machining swarf left on surfaces for long periods of time is hard to remove. Steel shot and core sand are commonly found and are often painted to the surface. Casting flash can be found anywhere. I also rework the water jackets and all oil passages to my specifications. Casting flash and fins abound in the water jackets. All holes are cleaned, chamfered if required, and checked for size and depth. The finished block looks like jewelry!

It is important to note that finished threads should never be chased with a tap as this can damage them!

Keep those red shop cloths away from your engine parts!

Everyone wants to do the flashy parts of engine building but it is the details that separate the men from the boys!