When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I'm tearing apart a 1964 394 that's as filthy as anything I have ever seen, and I'm scrubbing parts until my fingers are raw- and there's still so much more to clean. I've used shop rags, wire brushes (brass) on my drill, a tooth brush, plain old sand paper, a pick, screw drivers, a plastic body filler spreader... Dawn dish soap, Comet, TSP in hot water, brake cleaner and carb cleaner (sparingly- it's nasty stuff for the environment). I don't have a parts sink- I use empty buckets and storage bins. I don't want to take it to a machine shop because I believe it runs really well, and I'm told the heads were done. I'm pulling it apart expressly for cleaning, and replacing leaky gaskets- and a good visual inspection.
Any great ideas for cleaning parts, something that doesn't leave my fingertips raw and my hands, wrists, and elbows sore? I've heard the dish washer will do a good job. I've considered oven cleaner, even baking the parts in the oven. I want to paint the engine before it goes in so it has to be "paint worthy" clean. Next part I have to clean is the oil pan, and the valley pan. Today I worked mostly on the manifolds. I still have to clean the block.
And when I'm done, I'll pull out the trans and clean that too. Also the entire engine bay. There's at least a 1/4" of old grease and oil caked onto everything.
There's got to be a better way to clean all this stuff!
Some machine shops will just clean items if that is requested. Diesel fuel or kerosene works well if you can use it outdoors and have a way of disposing of the waste.
For rusty items an electrolysis bath is cheap, effective and non-toxic.
Soak it in the parts store degreaser and then pressure wash it. You'll get 97% like that. It's still not a particularly enjoyable job.
I have a pressure washer, but all the water ends up on the floor- and all the crud. I thought about the pressure washer but I can't collect the waste. Scraping it into a drop cloth allows me to collect it and dispose of it. Parts store degreaser or diesel might be a thing. I can soak it, rub it with a brush and collect the drippings, or do it in a tub. Then, wash it with a degreaser and prep for paint. Anything to cut through the crud so it's not all "elbow grease". There's just so much to collect- the oil, trans fluid, coolant, then the degreaser, all the crap that gets scraped off. It becomes a hazardous waste site in my work shop. What a mess. I wish I could post a picture of the trans and cross member- it's nearly an inch thick under there, no lie. You can't even see the heads of the bolts until you gouge out the crud that's caked on everything. And of course I don't have a lift- I'm lying on my back and everything falls in my face. I just have to embrace it- get filthy, no quit! It's going to suck doing it, and no one will appreciate what it took to get it clean once it's done, but any fool can see a filthy greasy mess of a car, no matter how well it might run.
Use a gasket scraper and putty knifes to scrape the heavy oil and grease off that is caked on stuff. Then lift engine over a plastic tub and use Gunk Engine Cleaner. Works best when stuff is warm. Lights will heat the parts up. Then use parts cleaner brushes and keep at it. Power wash is final stage of cleaning. Use good primer and paint. High Heat paints work good.
Not related to the cleaning .
But did you do a compression test to evaluate the condition of the rings and valves?
It's not too late if you put the starter back on.
Try the test dry, then add an ounce of oil to any low cylinders and see if the pressure comes up.
If it does, then the rings are leaking and it's a sign it needs a complete overhaul.
Not just a valve job.
All compression pressures should be within 10 percent of each other, in a healthy engine.
Use these to protect your hands and don't over think it. Your engine rebuild is probably one in 100,000,00. In a world with over 8 billion people. Your enviro impact is almost nil.
I would think an engine that filthy has a lot of miles and not much lovin. The inside might look as bad as the outside. I would do a complete tear down and inspection.
I would think an engine that filthy has a lot miles and not much lovin. The inside might look as bad as the outside. I would do a complete tear down and inspection.
I would think an engine that filthy has a lot miles and not much lovin. The inside might look as bad as the outside. I would do a complete tear down and inspection.
If the engine had good oil pressure and wasn’t burning oil. Leave the internals alone. At the most I would replace the head gaskets if the rest was healthy.
My first round for the heavy stuff is usually a paint scraper, broad flathead screwdriver....or a wire whell.
The gear oil, road grime, sand and stones on this trans was just incredible. Never saw anything like it. It was 3/8" and solid!
Wire wheeled it with a drop cloth underneath.
Pressure washer but after that I use a parts brush and other things but the the main thing I do is dangerous if you are not paying close attention. I use a really large pan under the engine outside with about a gallon of gas. I use a parts brush and start cleaning. The greasy nasty gas drips into the pan and I just keep reusing it till the majority is clean. Then have to do a final cleaning with a little fresh clean gas. There are many things you can use safer than gas and nearly as good.
January 14th, 2024, 01:01 PM
