4.0 Block Washing

[comanche1989]

Hi everyone, I'm in the middle of replacing my piston rings and connecting rod bearing, and the exterior of my engine is very oily and dirty. I know if you have the crankshaft removed you can wash the whole block with warm water. I am not replacing crank bearings, so I am wondering the best way to wash the block. Thanks. :cheers:

[Biotex]

I'm confused by your question. Is the block going to be bare or not?

If bare, then pretty much anything goes. If you have the crank installed with the bearings, then you really don't want to get dirty anything splashing around. Best to start with a bare block. Oven cleaner is cheap and works good with hot water.

[Akula69]

  On 1/13/2013 at 5:39 PM, Biotex said:

I'm confused by your question. Is the block going to be bare or not?

If bare, then pretty much anything goes. If you have the crank installed with the bearings, then you really don't want to get dirty anything splashing around. Best to start with a bare block. Oven cleaner is cheap and works good with hot water.

Do not use a caustic (read: oven) cleaner unless you plan on replacing the bearings, including the cam bearings. The caustic cleaner will ruin them.

 

I am getting ready to clean the block in the conversion my son's truck is undergoing - starting with a bare block and using naptha (in a spray bottle), scrub the really greasy spots with a chip brush, then pressure wash, then soapy water wash (with Purple Power). After all that I will go through the oil and water passages with nylon brushes to clean them out, then use taps to clean out all the bolt holes.

 

a large plastic container (like at Lowes for $ 22.00) can be placed under the block on the stand to catch the drips and keep Momma happy.... :thumbsup:

 

Purple Power @ Autozone $ 12.00 a gallon

Naptha @ Lowes $17.00 a gallon

Chip brush @ Harbor Freight $0.69

Nylon brush kit @ Harbor Freight $ 6.00

Tap and Die Set ` varies. I got mine at Autozone for about $18.00

[Biotex]

That's why I said " best to start with a bare block" before I mentioned oven cleaner. Oven cleaner won't hurt a bare block and I find is a pretty darned good degreaser. You don't want purple power to touch bearings either do you? But I'm glad you re-emphasized the point. Sometimes stuff we think as common sense knowledge isn't and so it is worth emphasizing.

[Akula69]

  On 1/13/2013 at 11:59 PM, Biotex said:

That's why I said " best to start with a bare block" before I mentioned oven cleaner. Oven cleaner won't hurt a bare block and I find is a pretty darned good degreaser. You don't want purple power to touch bearings either do you? But I'm glad you re-emphasized the point. Sometimes stuff we think as common sense knowledge isn't and so it is worth emphasizing.

 

Yeah - know what you mean. Its a great degreaser but I killed a set of bearings before I found out. :doh: From what I understand from the engine shops around here, the EPA won't even let them use caustic soda any more. Seems it offends the ants or something.

 

Purple power is bad for bearings? Didn't know that, but then again have never tried. Like you, I always start with a bare one.