best way to clean engine

[RBDIVE]

Following on from my Humber 14/40 i am almost at the point of needing to clean the old engine out now most bits have been removed.
now as the engine has sat around since the 60`s this realy needs every oilway etc cleaned out and then cleaned out some more. The crankcase is made of some type of alloy with some bronze type bushes/bearings not to mention the odd bit of steel. what is the best way to clean this lump.
I have been thinking leaving in a big plastic tub and filling this up with a liquid that will disolve the oil/sludge but what do i use that will be safe on the block?
Or do i sent it away, but what do i ask for? will it be better than doing it myself?

thanks in advance

 

[FranV8]

I'd take it to your nearest engine rebuild place and get them to put it in their hot tank. Might cost £20 but everytime I've done it I've wondered if they'd sent me back a new engine...

Take out all the blanking plugs on oilways etc. for a thorough clean though.

Alternatively, if by hand, I'd go for Gunk (expensive) or even white spirit and do it with a selection of old toothbrushes, wire brush and some bottle brushes.

 

[tigler]

Second the hot tank method.

 

[Wedg1e]

By hand, Jizer or paraffin would be my choices.

 

[iwoo]

Yeah hot tank, as i was buying the bits from Cleasbys at Durham they put my block and head through for a weeks worth of washing for nowt.

 

[Chipper]

Just a thought but is hot tanking OK on ally blocks? Being a strong alkali. Or do they use something else these days.

 

[fuff66uk]

This might sound stupid but my steam wallpaper stripper has an attachment for hand steaming,would that work?

 

[zzr1200]

An old boy near me, who re-bored engines for years at the bottom of his garden as a side line, had a soaking tank.

All the cylinder heads he worked on went in there for 24 hours, they came out like brand new....the fluid was expensive, but worked a treat.....

And for those who aren't PC/Green........celluose thinners work well with a bush.....

 

[KennyC]

Soda blasting seems to be very popular these days. Nobody near me does it though

 

[langy]

Hot tanking is by far the best way but it will eat the cam bearings

 

[Ducati]

I'd take it to your nearest engine rebuild place and get them to put it in their hot tank. Might cost £20 but everytime I've done it I've wondered if they'd sent me back a new engine...

Take out all the blanking plugs on oilways etc. for a thorough clean though.

Alternatively, if by hand, I'd go for Gunk (expensive) or even white spirit and do it with a selection of old toothbrushes, wire brush and some bottle brushes.

Don't forget to remove and replace all core plugs in the head and block, there is nothing more disheartening than seeing a steady trickle of water from the bell housing on first start up

The most awkward ones to replace have a mind of there own

 

[^neo^]

Im going to throw vapour blasting into the mix

 

[RBDIVE]

Thanks guys, so in the pot we have
Elbow grease
Blasting
Hot tank,

The hot tank sounds like a good plan, looks like the engine has pressed in bronze type bushes will this stop me dead? need to find out if this treatment will damage anything including the alloy crankcase

 

[langy]

Grit in an engine ??? Not very desirable !!!

Im going to throw vapour blasting into the mix

 

[^neo^]

Grit in an engine ??? Not very desirable !!!

Most people would strip the engine into components first rather than leave it complete and blast it through the sump plug

 

[rtbcomp]

Most people would strip the engine into components first rather than leave it complete and blast it through the sump plug

I know some who'd decoke an engine by blasting through the plug holes.

I made a nifty, if dangerous, brush for cleaning out waterways. Get an old speedo cable, cut about a foot of it off and splay one end like a sweep's brush, put the other end in a drill.

Put the brush into the waterway and switch the drill on. These days a battery drill running fairley slowly would be best, and don't allow the end to come out of the waterway until the drill has stopped.

 

[^neo^]

The engine decoke can be done by spraying water through the intake, as long as you don't go silly so the engine sucks up loads of water, you'd be surprised how well a bit of steam cleans the insides!

 

[langy]

Most people would strip the engine into components first rather than leave it complete and blast it through the sump plug

Obviously you would strip it but it only takes one small particle to be missed, hot tank and flush with water is best in my oppion

 

[KennyC]

Obviously you would strip it but it only takes one small particle to be missed, hot tank and flush with water is best in my oppion

Soda blasting is non-abrasive

http://www.sodablasting.com/applications/category/engine-parts/

Plenty of people in the states/ Oz reccomend it as a safe and cheap option.

 

[etlcsns]

The engine decoke can be done by spraying water through the intake, as long as you don't go silly so the engine sucks up loads of water, you'd be surprised how well a bit of steam cleans the insides!

Yeah, I have water injection on my veg burner, amazing how the crankcase pressure can be reduced with 5lts water and 50 miles.