Cleaning and preparation you block for assembly
With your engine block back in your garage after the workshop a proper cleanup is a must. The amount of tiny metallic pieces lurking around in the oil and water passages can ruin your big buck redo within minutes of its first startup.
We will work on the assumption that there is no hot tanking service in your area.
- To ensure the cleaning reaches all corners of the block you will need to remove all the core plugs. Depending on the year of your block you will have 2 or 3 core plugs on each side. These are the main water passages.
- Also on each side of the block are two brass threaded fittings which allow you to drain the block of the coolant. These are normally rusted up and blocked. This is the right time to sort them out.
- At the front of the block on either side of the camshaft hole are two small core plugs. These allow access to the oil passage gallery. Open these up to get any grime out.
- The back of the block has 3 core plugs. The center one you can safely ignore as this is the camshaft rear plug. The other two on the right and light should be opened up. If you peep through the opening you will see that there is an allan head screw. This provided access to the other end of the oil galleries. Open this up.
- You are now ready to start the cleanup.
While doing the cleanup is the best time to sort out and old / loose paint. You should start you applying liberal amounts of paint stripper to the block . Let the paint stripper do its stuff for 20-30mins and rub the block down with a wire brush. Repeat this part as many times as required until you have stripped down all old paint. Its now time to give the block a shine.
Get your hands on various sizes of wire brush and brush down all the external areas of the block to bring out the bare metal finish and remove any surface rust. Pay extra attention not to run your brush over the bores, bearing seating and similar.
Degreaser
Soap and water
Power wash all galleries
Cloth dry