Cleaning up a short block...

[Eric VerValin]

Ok I started to clean up the short block I have, and was wondering what can I use on the mating surfaces to clean them up with? There is some old oil that was trapped under the plastic, and appears a little sticky, I would assume wd-40 or some PB ? and a cotton washcloth or something? Cant imagine any kind of abrasive anything.. Additionally, how 'spotless' do they have to be? Thanks

 

[quikSHOilver]

Simple Green concentrated bottle spray and some sort of brushes like toothbrush then hose down with water 'N dry it. It is safe on all parts especially on plastic and whatnots. Its biogradeable.

 

[sho_sc]

The mating surface need to be "spotless" within reason. I would use a gasket remover spray first (follow the directions on the can), then follow with a spray can of Berryman B-12 Chemtool (Walmart) wiping with a clean cotton rag, and then finally spraying with electrical spray (or a electrical safe brake cleaner) wiping with a clean cotton rag. You don't want to use anything that leaves a residue, [i.e. WD-40 , chemical cleaner] as your final cleaning step.

 

[93rev2sev]

Acetone on a scotchbrite pad FTW

 

[Eric VerValin]

Well, there are only about 2 small areas that arent spotless. Everything else still has swirlmarks from when the block was made. The 2 small spots I can feel with my fingernail, so i'm assuming thats gotta go. But I'll have to look into that cleaner you talked about. Can't say I've heard of it before. Now you say not to use wd-40 on it, but it wont be completely put together for a little while, so what would u recommend to use on the mating surfaces to keep it from rusting? Good old 5w-30?

Also another question... how does Ford do their engine serial numbers? I was told this motor was new, and never ran before, it appears to be new, still have the crosshatches in the cylinder walls, but the tag says "91910 RM5" anyone know how to look these up? thanks..

 

[Racer X]

My 213,000 mile 3.0L shortblock still has the crosshatches in the cylinder walls.

And I too would like to know where to find the VIN/ Serial Number on these blocks.

 

[Eric VerValin]

it would be the rear side (firewall, next to where the mtx mounts up) would have to go outside again to check but i'm pretty sure its the rear..

 

[Paul]

Get the machine work completed and it would be cost effective to take to a vendor that can acid clean it. By far the cleanest it will be. I use a 300 psi natuarl gas fired pressure washer. I get wet. Some elbow grease with rotory tools to get scaled rust off, add a ******** industrial cleaner that is so acidic one should use lung protection. This particular detergent will eat all aluminum parts. On the aluminum parts, Napa puts out a product, or rather a system called "Ozzy Clean" This is a parts washer with a waterbase acidic cleaner that after being skeptial about,I am very impressed with. The parts washer tank has a heating element in it keeping the "Ozzyclean" fliuid at about 110 degress. Altough this is a acidic product as well, it seems much kinder to the alum. parts. I do neutralize all alum. parts with either vinager or battery post cleaner spray and throughly rinse with hot water. They end up clean enough to eat off of. I spend a lot of time on my stuff with scrapers, razor blades, stiff brushes, ect... Whats needed, the end result is good gasket sufaces & clean passages.