parts prep cleaning

[grumpyvette]

" hey grumpyvette?
I have a new Melling oil pump for my engine rebuild. All other new parts I have installed, I washed first - pistons, cam, pushrods, rockers - with some pretty dirty looking crud coming off most of it.
I wash things in clean mineral turps in 1 half of a 20 litre plastic container that's cut down lengthwise, and all the dirt/metal/whatever shows up pretty clearly in the bottom of the clear liquid.
Should I pull a new oil pump apart, or install it as is? I don't have a small inch/lbs torque wrench and don't know what the torque would be anyway for the four small bolts that hold it together. Are they Loctited?
Or can I rely on it being clean enough from the factory?"
if you just assume that the machine shop must have cleaned the parts they worked on carefully...

this is a HUGELY over looked subject, thanks for bringing it up,for discussion.
anytime you want to see just how much craps trapped in those coatings on the surface, of a part, right out of a package, use a carefully cut, and cleaned, clear milk gallon bottle, or clean plastic dish pan or clean plastic bucket and a brush with solvent to clean a brand new part like an oil pump, so the sludge draining off the part leaves the residue in the bottle, youll be amazed at the trapped crud in many products, crud that would shortly be embedded in bearings if not removed prior to assembly.
parts like oil pumps and timing chains are very commonly coated with micro crud from shipping
most metal internal engine parts come from factory packaging with some type of wax or grease film on the surface to reduce or repel rust or oxidation forming on parts during shipping and storage , most of these protective films collect grit dust, dirt like a huge vacuum cleaner so yes its USUALLY mandatory to clean and inspect parts, before they get installed, now most people would be absolutely shocked to find the total amount of crud trapped in many new parts, Ive seen parts come back from machine shops so full of metallic dust, chips and grit it would destroy bearings in a new engine if the parts were installed as they came back from the machine shop and I have zero doubt that does occasionally happen
as always, ITS STRONGLY SUGGESTED you read the packaging instructions from the manufacturers, and never assume any new parts are clean as they come out of packaging

in most cases a paint brush can be used to spread a cleaning solvent with a solvent like mineral spirits and high pressure air, or a clean lint free shop rag can be used to remove the dissolved surface rust retardant, but obviously these formulas vary wildly so thats not 100% sure to remove all shipping coatings on parts.and remember most of the common petroleum based solvents are flammable

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200365419
ULTRASONIC CLEANER?
Max. Capacity (gal.) 1
Tank Dimensions L x W x H (in.) 9 7/16 x 5 1/2 x 5 15/16 (Inside dimensions: 9 1/10 x 5 1/2 x 5 9/10) $250

obviously what your willing to spend, the size limitations and how often you need to carefully clean parts,
has a huge effect on what ultra sonic cleaner your likely to want,
or can afford
most larger shops have a parts cleaner, soak parts in solvent , wash off and use the ultra sonic cleaner with approved cleaning liquids

http://ultrasonicsdirect.com/ultrasonic-cleaning-solution.html

http://ultrasonicsdirect.com/12decacl.html

http://ultrasonicsdirect.com/sharpertek-solution-cleaner-model-sh1831.html

http://ultrasonicsdirect.com/shclsoforreo.html

IF CASH IS TIGHT A GALLON OF WHITE VINEGAR WITH ONE OR TWO DROPS OF DAWN DISH SOAP WORKS AMAZINGLY WELL IN MANY ULTRA SONIC CLEANERS(don,t exceed that or you get a foamy mess )
AFTER YOU FIRST REMOVE GREASE WITH A SOLVENT WASH

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/40-Gallon-Parts-Washer

in any parts cleaner, that cleans with a stream of solvent,
youll want a solvent that does not cost very much,
one that will not evaporate rapidly and you damn sure don,t want,
a fire hazard, or something extremely toxic,
nor do you want it to start leaking because the solvent eats the seals.
yes youll want to add 10-15 gallons of water to get the required volume of cleaner solution

I poured one of each of these, two gallon containers of de-greaser, from home depot in mine and added several gallons of water,and it seems to work fairly well

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Formula-88-All-Purpose-Cleaner-and-Degreaser-128-oz-04312/100145974

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-128-oz-Fast-505-Degreaser-ZU505128/202790160

http://www.yescomusa.com/products/3...5-1144287761&gclid=CPeD57itscwCFQUFaQodtdoLgA
Tank Size 9 1/2" L x 5 1/4" W x 4" H 3/4 gallon $168

http://ultrasonicsdirect.com/ultrasonic-cleaner-sh180-6l.html
HEATED WITH SWEEP AND DEGAS XPS360-6L 1.6 GAL. TANK DIMENSIONS 11.75" × 6" × 6" (TANK L × W × DEPTH) - MADE IN USA
Sale Price:
$477.00

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/parts-prep-cleaning.6255/#post-21692

5 BOLT COVER BIG BLOCK PUMPS HAVE 12 TOOTH GEARS THAT WORK BETTER, than the smaller 4 bolt pump 7 tooth gear pumps at providing a smooth constant flow of oil, and CAN BE USED IN BOTH SBC AND BBC APPLICATIONS

BIG block pumps have 5 bolt covers and the pick-up in the pump body

there are pump rebuild kits but in most cases a pump thats worn enough to require a rebuild kits best replaced

smoothing and radiasing sharp edges helps increase oil flow rates

small block pumps have 4 bolt covers and the pick-up in the pump covers....BRAZING the pick-up to the pump body, after verifying a 3/8"-1/2" oil pan clearance, helps prevent a common issue of having the oil pump pick-up move over time

oil pumps should be disassembled cleaned and inspected, the gear edges deburred, then carefully washed the end cap to gear clearance should be checked to be at or under .001"-.0005" and the bolts holding the cover should have lock- tite thread sealant on the threads and or lock wires the gears should be re-installed with Vaseline on the surface to insure a quick prime, and the oil pumps pick-up to oil pan floor clearance should be verified then brazed in place, Ill post related links below that you should read thru
obviously what your willing to spend, the size limitations and how often you need to carefully clean parts has a huge effect on what ultra sonic cleaner your likely to want or can afford

YOU'LL MISS A GREAT DEAL OF INFO,
IF YOU SKIP READING LINKS AND SUB_LINKS ,SCATTERED THROUGH MOST THREADS

http://www.yescomusa.com/products/3...5-1144287761&gclid=CPeD57itscwCFQUFaQodtdoLgA
Tank Size 9 1/2" L x 5 1/4" W x 4" H 3/4 gallon $168

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/bio-friendly-parts-cleaner.11547/#post-53360

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/does-this-rust-matter.14050/

http://ultrasonicsdirect.com/ultrasonic-cleaner-sh180-6l.html
HEATED WITH SWEEP AND DEGAS XPS360-6L 1.6 GAL. TANK DIMENSIONS 11.75" × 6" × 6" (TANK L × W × DEPTH) - MADE IN USA
Sale Price:
$477.00


[/b]

http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-36 ... -4181.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-t ... 95947.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/20-gallon- ... 98332.html

READ THESE

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=3774&p=10002&hilit=taps+dies#p10002

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=4306&p=11353&hilit=lock+wire#p11353

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=2187

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ing-cast-iron-can-make-a-preacher-cuss.12647/

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2886&p=12701&hilit=parts+washer#p12701

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=1800

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=1257&p=2704&hilit=shimming#p2704

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=3834

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1264&p=2715&hilit=taps+dies#p2715

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=53&p=64#p64

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=615

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=852&p=21611#p21611

 

[Indycars]

They are new parts, I don't need to clean them!

After looking at the picture below, this should change your mind. The parts washer was new, the solvent
was new and ALL the parts were new that I washed. It was never left open when it was not in use.

 

[grumpyvette]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EH6atYy ... _embedded#!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CxQzfrj ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YbzAGa5 ... re=related


READ THRU THESE
http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2009- ... her-filter

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Giant-Part ... sbs_misc_3

http://www.harborfreight.com/20-gallon- ... erralID=NA

result of a serious lack of regular filter and oil changes
its a very good idea to buy and use disposable plastic gloves when working with solvents

https://www.magidglove.com/Magid-Co...itrile-Disposable-Gloves-by-Magid-T9339L.aspx

you might find these videos interesting
while I totally agree its not ultra sonic , at about 170 pulses per second vs something like 30,000 for a good ultra sonic cleaner, it gets a thumbs up for red-neck ingenuity

RELATED THREADS AND LINKED INFO

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=6255&p=21695&hilit=cleaning+parts#p21695

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=6847&p=22254&hilit=parts+washer#p22254

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=6255&p=19681&hilit=parts+washer#p19681

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2886&p=12701&hilit=parts+washer#p12701

There are an awful lot of greasy parts in the world. Cheap parts washers barely filter the cleaning chemicals and recirculate a solution of sludge. The nice parts cleaners have a filtering system, but cost hundreds of dollars. This is a simple design for a filtering system that will make up most of the gap between your cheap parts washer and the professional units without stressing your wallet.

The $50–$100 parts washers on the market consist of a tank, a pump, a hose and a brush. Only a small piece of gauze serves as a filter, and it is almost totally ineffective. In the parts washer of the $1,000 price range, the used cleaning solution drains into a barrel on which the parts washer sits. Cleaning solution is drawn through a filter element before recirculating back through the parts-washer brush. The filtration makes all the difference. So this design swaps the crappy gauze filter for an automotive oil filter and a remote oil-filter mount, mimicing the high-end mode of operation for around $75.

Ingredients:

(If you would prefer to purchase the parts for this conversion all at once, I've put together parts washer filter kits available in the TE eBay store.)

A cheap parts washer. Presumably you already have this. I used mine, a well used Northern Tool 20-gallon model.
Perma Cool model 1213 remote oil filter mount. Jegs p/n 771-1213 $15.99
Chevy 2 Quart Oil Filter. Napa Oil filter 21794 or equivalent. $9.16
Around 10 feet of 3/8" Air, Water, and Oil hose. McMaster p/n 5138K64. $0.84/ft
Pipe to 3/8"-hose adapter suitable for the outlet of the existing parts washer. Most of these, including mine, are 1/4" NPT, which is McMaster p/n 5346K18. $9.19/10
1/2" NPT to 3/8" hose adapter. McMaster p/n 5346K21. $11.07/5
Hose Clamps for 11/16" OD hose. McMaster p/n 5388K16. $5.28/box
Rubber Grommets for 11/16" OD hose. McMaster p/n 9600K55. $5.89/25
4x 5/16" NC bolts 1" long, 4x 5/16" washers, and 4x 5/16" NC nuts

Parts Washer Filter Holes: Vin Marshall

First, we'll need two holes in the side of the parts-washer tank through which the hose can pass. Drill these above the normal fluid level of the tank so that a perfect seal is slightly less important. The outer diameter of your grommets will determine the size of these holes. If you use the ones I specify above, the hole size should be 1". You can drill this with a holesaw.

Next, we will mount the filter housing. Place this housing somewhere out of the way. I chose to mount it on the back leg of the parts washer. I chose the perma-cool remote oil filter mount used here because it will fit a two-quart oil filter used on diesel trucks. The inlet and outlet ports are 1/2" NPT. Thread into those two ports 1/2" NPT to 3/8" hose-barb adapter fittings. Use teflon tape or pipe dope on all of the threaded fittings in this project. The filter mount comes with the threaded filter mount separate from the housing. Install this threaded nipple into the filter housing as per the included instructions.

The outlet from the pump on my parts washer is 1/4" NPT. I suspect most of these cheap parts washers are made using the same pump. Check the outlet of your pump to be sure and determine exactly what fitting you need here. From that fitting, adapt to the 3/8" hose with a barbed fitting. For my setup, that meant a 1/4" NPT to 3/8" hose barb. Install that NPT to hose adapter into the outlet of the filter pump using teflon tape or pipe dope. Run a length of thye 3/8" hose from this adapter through one of the holes in the side of the tank and onto another barb to NPT adapter already threaded into the "IN" port on the top of the filter mount.

From the hose barb on the "OUT" port of the filter mount, run a hose back into the parts washer tank through the other grommet. Leaving enough hose to move the parts washer brush around, run that hose to the original brush. Use hose clamps on all of the hose connections.



5. Changing Filters

Depending on how filthy your parts are, you'll periodically need to change filters. If the filter head is mounted below the level of the parts washer tank as mine is, you'll need to clamp off the "IN" hose to stop the siphoning of liquid as you remove the filter. I use vise-grip pliers for this. You could also install a valve - if you find that you are changing filters very frequently - or just mount the filter higher than the tank.

Your parts washer is now ready to use. For around $75 in parts, your parts washer is filtering the cleaning solution like a pro.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/7-Gallo ... stem/H8140

READ THRU THIS SUB LINK

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=6093&p=18813&hilit=chips+filter+mill#p18813

 

[Indycars]

Interesting......now that's thinking outside the box! Wonder how well it worked?

 

[grumpyvette]

I used the parts cleaner for at least a couple hours, off and on today, after throwing a bunch of assorted bolts, and small metal parts, in a mix of diesel fuel, carb cleaner acetone and toluene in a 1 gallon can to soak over nite, I then removed the bolts and washed them in the parts cleaner , and used my drill with a wire brush to remove stubborn residue, separated by dunking parts in solvent and use of a drill and wire brush again,to remove crud from bolt threads and today . its absolutely amazing how much better parts go together and how consistent torque readings are if the parts are properly cleaned and lubed before assembly.

https://www.harborfreight.com/engine-brush-kit-20-pc-63732.html

http://www.mcmaster.com/#thread-forming-taps/=ke38k5
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-taps/=ke36u2
USE a thread cleaning tap and high pressure air to clean female threads, that works fine on female threads, but a wire rotary brush on a drill after soaking the bolts in a 50%/50% mix of diesel fuel and acetone for at least a few minutes,(throwing the bolts in a stainless steel pot you buy for that application, as they get removed so they soak the maximum time before you clean them is a good Idea) to loosen or dissolves crud and rust, (I purchased this set, gave the wife the smaller three and use the larger one as a bolt box thats almost always 1/2 full of diesel/acetone mix)

http://www.harborfreight.com/stainless- ... 94829.html
obviously if you use power tools a face shield is a good idea.
you can,t get anything close to repeatable torque wrench readings unless all the threads are clean and your using the correct sealants or lubes

http://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable ... 46526.html

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/does-this-rust-matter.14050/

any time your working around power tools especially cutting tools a face shield is a good idea, cutting discs on die grinders and similar tools can shater UN-expectedly with painful results

BTW I have on several occasions seen guys who complain about various oil leaks on valve covers and rear seals ETC.
Used, engine parts will have oil embedded deeply into the micro surfaces.
almost all replacement parts will have a wax or grease preservative coating to prevent corrosion during shipping!
IF YOU simply wipe off oil soaked surfaces with a paper towel, who then smear on the sealant of there choice and proceed to install gaskets,
YOU WILL OCCASIONALLY HAVE LEAKS!
and then they wonder or maybe be in shock when you find the seeping oil leak has returned in a few weeks time!
metal surfaces may look smooth as glass but under a microscope they look like the surface of the moon , with lots of jagged surface cracks, so you really need to wash out the micro lubricants trapped in those cracks with a thin fast evaporating grease solvent and a lint free rag , followed by a second repeat of the process and in many cases a few minutes with a heat gun to dry and evaporate the solvent in the micro cracks ,
STOP AND READ THE SEALANT PACKAGE DIRECTIONS!
you'll generally find some rather amazing , bits of info such as temperature requirements, temperature limitations, what solvents work best to remove the cement or sealant, only after reading the directions, do you then smear the gasket sealant on both mating surfaces before bonding the two gasket & metal surfaces.(and in many cases you use a brush as dirt or oil on fingers prevents a good seal!)
youll occasionally find uses for a high temp rated silicone sealant
like ultra-copper that has about twice the temp tolerance of the common black RTV

 

[grumpyvette]

POSTED BY "TRIPLE5"
"I've always believed in washing and cleaning new parts before they go into an engine, and today, I did a little experiment that demonstrated the value of this practice.

The picture below is of a container in which I just washed 8 new valves and springs (half a set).

After I washed them, the liquid still looked clean and I couldn't see anything in the bottom but, when I put a magnet under the dish and swirled it around a bit, this was the result.

These parts were brand new and went straight from their boxes into the washing dish.

I did the same with a new Melling camshaft and got even more from that, but didn't take a picture.

I'll now be taking all my new lifters apart and washing them too before the go in. And of course, I'll change the oil and filter after the first 30 minutes running.

Don't trust new parts for cleanliness.

Mike."

 

[Indycars]

I have a couple of those high strength neo magnets from KJ Magnetics in my parts washer to pick up any metal. There was no doubt they were doing their job, because you could not see the magnet for all the metal attached to them.

I was changing out the solvent and wanted to clean the crud of the magnets, but could only get some of it off with a rag. I wanted to be perfectly clean before I start cleaning the valve body for my 200-4R trans. Then it hit me that I might be able to use the same modeling clay that I used to measure engine clearances with to wipe the magnet on to remove the metal.......it worked!!!

The clay would have looked a lot worse, but I had removed 80% of the metal with my rag before I used the modeling clay. Plus there is alot you can't see, since it's on the other side and internal to the clay.

 

[grumpyvette]

good idea!
Ive never tried that, and it is SO OBVIOUS, now that I see you do it!
I have usually just poured melted a 50%/50% mix or bees wax and paraffin I use as the basis of most cast bullet lube I use.
over the magnets, let it cool /harden and peal it off, after its hard, it surrounds and captures the fine metallic dust, locks it in place and once its hardened makes removal fairly easy, and you can use a heat gun to heat the wax in an aluminum muffin pan later with a magnet under the area holding the wax,this allows the fine metallic crap to sink and separate to the bottom, once cooled the ingot of wax can be removed and the bottom layer with the trapped crap is easily cut off, thus allowing re-use of the wax mix for its original intended use.
I have the wax mix handy because its used as part of the bullet lubricant and muffin pans and a furnace are used to melt lead ingots for bullet casting

 

[Indycars]

Sounds like the wax would work even better if you have it handy, but either way, it gets the job done!

 

[chromebumpers]

As I'm reading through all of this great information I was trying to answer on my own why are you usng an oil filter and not a fuel filter? Is it because of the filter mount available only with oil filters? Wouldn't a thin liquid, filter more efficiently through a fuel filter?

 

[grumpyvette]

As I'm reading through all of this great information I was trying to answer on my own why are you using an oil filter and not a fuel filter? Is it because of the filter mount available only with oil filters? Wouldn't a thin liquid, filter more efficiently through a fuel filter?

I think I know what your thinking, but an oil filter generally has many MANY times larger filter medium surface area. larger in and out flow path openings and can hold a great deal more crud than a average fuel filter can before it restricts flow, plus the thinner fluid viscosity flows thru it with almost zero restriction, because of the much larger filter surface area, the only potential problem I see is that the cheap oil filters use a paper filter medium that may fall apart if submersed in a mixture that might be partly detergent, and water based, but the synthetic filter mediums should not be as fragile

HERES WHAT THAT OIL FILTER ELEMENT LOOKS LIKE UNDER A MICROSCOPE

 

[grumpyvette]

a few useful, related videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GdTFwmnoDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cSdL7I4AHM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4yYF8gSHdA

 

[grumpyvette]

thinking ahead to result of block prep
I recently helped a guy disassemble and inspect an engine that had had a cam he install fail, the internal damage to the bearings and block walls was very obvious, he thought we could just change the oil and flush the block with some diesel fuel, and install a new cam and new lifters and resisted my suggestion that we pull the block out, carefully clean and inspect it after removing all the oil passage plugs and bearings and pressure clean it before we carefully measured and ordered new bearings, passage plugs etc.If your rebuilding an older engine, especially one that's been sitting for years , in a car or in some guys shop, or had a bearing or cam fail, like an early hemi, or Pontiac 421 , or ford 427 that you just got a deal on, that sat in some guys shop for decades, be sure you totally dis-assemble and clean each of that engines component parts an amazing collection of crud can be , or have collected inside the rocker shafts and push rods and in places like the blocks oil passages in any engine thats 40-60 plus years old,.... get out the rifle bore brushes solvent and high pressure air , and solvents and REPEATEDLY CLEAN THE PARTS , several times.
the old oil mixed with metallic debris can be a hard or clay like mass clogging passages that hot oil will eventually dissolve and transfer to the bearings and cam/lifter contact area, piston rings etc, insuring rapid wear, or parts failure, and internal damage, if not removed prior to engine reassembly
its amazing the amount of metalic debris, that can be generated during the manufacturing and shipping processes,
and you might not believe the quantity thats all too frequently left behind on many common engine components.
a couple gallons of solvent ,and an air compressor, hose and nozzle , a few brushes and some idea of the places where fine metallic trash, bits of micro gasket and sealant and burnt oil sludge and similar crap can acumulate inside an engine sure helps.(placing several good magnets in the engine will also help prevent some metallic debris from entering the little nooks and oil passages in an engine)

if you just assume that the machine shop must have cleaned the parts they worked on carefully...

Ive seen cylinder heads returned still coated with valve grinding compound in the ports, and blocks with easily a teaspoon worth of mill chips in the crank case area.

theres options

just remember that a thread chaser tap is not a thread CUTTING TAP
http://www.jegs.com/p/ARP/ARP-Thread-Cl ... 8/10002/-1
http://www.jegs.com/i/ARP/070/911-0006/10002/-1

http://www.mcmaster.com/#thread-forming-taps/=ke38k5
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-taps/=ke36u2
THESE ARE THREAD CHASERS NOT TAPS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO REMOVE METAL

if you use taps youll need several sizes of tap holder t-handles

Lisle 70500 Tap Socket Set (this square drive socket set, socket set allows you to use swivels and ratchets on thread taps)
if youve ever chased threads in a block thats still in a car you have very likely found the typical taps T-handle can have clearance issues
https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-70500-...65953&creativeASIN=B0002SRFOE&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
well once the old head, and head gasket was removed there was a bunch of old gasket sealer left on the block and head surface,
and BOB reached for a rotary brush on a 1/2" chuck drill which..

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...am-lobe-rod-or-bearings-fail.2919/#post-23384

I'm certain has been done by thousands of guys, in the past, but its a darn good way to screw up the gasket sealing surface.
(yes I know its been done thousands of times but its also resulted in dozens of guys with unexplained head gasket failures)
the problem is that its absolutely impossible to remove the old stuck on gasket material with a drill and rotary wire brush without doing at least some minor damage to the sealing surface and its all too easy to do damage that can cause head gaskets to leak

brass being softer is a marginal improvement over steel wire rotary brushes

an extended air power die grinder used with a nyalox synthetic brush is useful for removing old gasket material
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-die-gr ... 99698.html

steel wire rotary brushes can rapidly damage a block or set of cast iron cylinder heads , and will very rapidly do so on aluminum, thus should NEVER be used , to remove gasket residue
the correct route is to spray the surface down with a gasket solvent spray, let it sit 15 minutes, re-spray , it may take two or even three coats of solvent but the residue will tend to wipe off with minimal force once soft and partly dissolved and then use a 6 inch wide (minimum ) , under gaskets but over the bores without tipping a sharp edge, of the thin flexible blade edge into a bore,while using minimal pressure , THIS IS EXTREMELY CRITICAL ON ALUMINUM HEAD GASKET SURFACES,

held almost parallel to the surface, the flex blade used with minimal pressure is used to loosen the old gasket residue, by slicing the loose gooey, mostly solvent soaked and mostly dissolved residue off the machined surface then wipe off the surface with a rag soaked in acetone. to remove any remaining residue, that way the mating surface is less likely to get gouged

Item number :
CRC-03017

Dynatex 49673 Gasket Remover

be careful don,t get it on your skin, use plastic gloves
https://www.gtmidwest.com/2328353/Product/CRC®-03017?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuLy_n8uv2QIVnLjACh2hgQ_vEAQYAyABEgLNDvD_BwE

using a decent shop vacuum while you remove gaskets tends to greatly reduce the chance or odd debris getting into places you don,t want or need that crap to get into
THIS IS THE ONE I PURCHASED AND I RECOMMEND IT, remember to change filter elements frequently and a couple quarts of water and a couple drops of dawn dish washing liquid in the water traps a great deal of dust in the lower body before it gets to the filter
http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-16-Ga ... 5yc1vZbv79

if you want to be sure you get all the metallic trash removed,removing gaskets and using a thread tap to clean bolt holes followed by a solvent spray wash and a long tip high pressure air nozzle blowing the passages dry and clear, of solvent and clear of debris, along with the ling spray nozzle ,high pressure air, solvent and the vacuum is a hard combo to beat

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...oving-gaskets-the-wrong-way.10464/#post-43788


http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/does-this-rust-matter.14050/

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...-offer&affiliate_id=43737&click_id=1651994748

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/40-Gallon-Parts-Washer

its a very good idea to buy and use disposable plastic gloves when working with solvents

https://www.magidglove.com/Magid-Co...itrile-Disposable-Gloves-by-Magid-T9339L.aspx

many guys fail to realize the huge amount of grease,dirt sediments, and metallic trash, sealants and gasket fragments that can and frequently are trapped in the blocks oil passages oil coolers connecting lines, push rods, oil pumps oil pans etch that will REQUIRE a MANDATORY high pressure cleaning with a pressure washer, solvent soak, brush and high pressure air with a long reach air nozzle.

READ LINK
http://www.enginerepairshop.com/cleanin ... parts.html

CLEANING ENGINE PARTS

Cleaning engine parts is one of the most basic procedures that your machine shop will do, yet it is also one of the most important parts of the engine repair procedure. Before you can really inspect the parts for your engine to determine what will need to be done to them, they have to be cleaned. If the parts aren’t clean, it’s hard to measure them and inspect them for defects etc.

If you are restoring an engine and want it to look original, then it must be completely cleaned of all rust, old paint etc so that you can refinish it after it is assembled.

Cleaning engine parts is also one of the most time consuming parts of the engine repair procedure so anything that can be done to make it easier will help reduce costs.

There are several methods that are generally used to clean parts in a modern Automotive Machine Shop.

THE SPRAY WASHER

Most shops have a “spray washer” that is used for quickly cleaning engine parts prior to inspection. This machine is basically a big dishwasher type of cabinet that has a strong soap and hot water solution in it. The parts are placed on a turntable and the solution is sprayed at them under very high pressure. This gets most of the oil, grease and other road dirt off the parts so that they can be worked on. This is what we use to clean cylinder heads before we check them for cracks and resurface them. We also use this machine to rinse engine blocks after machining to remove honing oil etc.
HOT TANK

Hot tanking is the traditional way to clean dirty cast iron engine blocks, heads etc. The hot tank is just a big metal tank with a very nasty, caustic hot water solution in it. The parts are submerged in the solution and allowed to soak for many hours with the solution slowly circulating around them. This is sometimes referred to “vatting” or "boiling" the block, because it is being soaked in a large “vat” of almost boiling liquid. A hot tank does a good job of cleaning engine parts but does not always remove all of the rust and old paint. Because of environmental rules and regulations, a lot of shops are doing away with this method of cleaning.

Aluminum parts cannot be cleaned in a hot tank as they will dissolve.
THERMAL CLEANING and STEEL SHOT BLASTING

Thermal cleaning of engine parts has been used in the automotive machine shop business for at least 25 years or so. In this method the parts are loaded into a large oven and baked at a temperature of about 500 degrees. This basically burns off all of the oil, grease, carbon, old paint etc. This is very similar to using the self cleaning cycle on your home oven. Some of these ovens will bake the parts for 7 to 8 hours, while others are constructed differently and use an open flame which can do the same job in about an hour.

Once the parts have been run through the oven, the next step is to put them in another machine called a steel shot blaster. This machine bombards the now dry parts with very small steel beads. This removes any remaining rust, paint etc as well as the burnt residue of oil and carbon. Once the parts come out of the shot blaster, they look like brand new castings.

One last very important part of this cleaning method is to “tumble” the parts in order to remove any remaining steel shot. Even the smallest particle of shot can cause damage to a new engine so it is imperative that every bit of it is removed. Some shot blasters have a tumble cycle built into them while others require the parts to be put in a separate tumbler that rolls them around to remove the shot. This is the type of system we use and have not had any issues with the steel shot.

The other very real advantage to this method is that there is no dirty cleaning solution to have to dispose of. All you end up with is some fine dust from the shot blaster and it can be disposed of in the trash.

Instead of an oven some shops will use a spray washer with a very strong caustic solution in it to clean the parts prior to shot blasting them. This method seems to work well as long as the parts are completely dried prior to shot blasting.
GLASS BEAD BLASTING

Cleaning engine parts with a glass bead cabinet has been done for many years in many industries. It is really the best way to clean aluminum cylinder heads even though the process of making sure that all of the glass bead particles are removed from the parts is VERY time consuming. This process also works well for many small parts such as engine valves.
SODA BLASTING

Soda blasting is a relative new process, especially for cleaning engine parts. It is very similar to using glass beads, but instead a specially made “baking soda” is used. This soda is coarser than that used at home and does a very good job cleaning parts without hurting the underlying metal in any way. Another advantage to using soda is that it easily dissolves in water so that a quick rinse is all that is needed and you don’t have to worry about left over cleaning material hurting your newly machined parts. This seems to be the up and coming method to clean parts, especially aluminum cylinder heads.
ULTRASONIC CLEANING

This is the same method that the jeweler uses to clean your Wife’s diamond rings.

Ultrasonic cleaning uses sound waves to create millions of small bubbles in a tank of cleaning solution. The parts to be cleaned are submerged in the solution and as the bubble are formed and “explode” they remove any dirt, grease, carbon etc. This method also works very well. The one disadvantage that I noticed with ultrasonic cleaning is that aluminum parts do not come out of the cleaning tank looking like new. They seem to have some discoloration to them even though they were clean. If you are going to paint the parts then this shouldn't matter.
OTHER MISCELANIOUS CLEANING METHODS

Most shops will also have a traditional parts washing sink in which a cleaning solution is circulated through a hose with a brush on the end and is used to manually clean parts. There are times that this is the only method that will really work.

We used to clean valves and some other parts in a parts tumbler type of cleaner. The parts would all go in a basket filled with large steel "beads" and then it would tumble everything together while submerged in solvent. This method worked well but I never liked the fact that it scarred up the valve stems somewhat. They do make little sleeves that you can put over the stems but its a lot of work. We find it easier and faster to just rinse the oil off the valves and then glass bead them. I can clean a set of V-8 valves in about 5 minutes this way and there is no damage to them.

So that gives you an idea as to the ways that your machine shop will clean the parts to your engine.

READ THESE
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2007/07 ... eal-world/

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=2919

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ng-dated-signed-and-pictures.4786/#post-12990


viewtopic.php?f=51&t=125

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=976

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=7703

http://www.eastwood.com/paints/hi-temp- ... aints.html

 

[grumpyvette]

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-900013/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-900012/overview/

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/40-Gallon-Parts-Washer

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...-offer&affiliate_id=43737&click_id=1651994748

its a very good idea to buy and use disposable plastic gloves when working with solvents

https://www.magidglove.com/Magid-Co...itrile-Disposable-Gloves-by-Magid-T9339L.aspx

 

[grumpyvette]

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2007/07/cleaning-engine-parts-in-the-real-world/

http://www.enginerepairshop.com/cleaning-engine-parts.html

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/how-to-find-a-decent-machine-shop.800/
the first few rule's of GRUMPY'S engine assembly

(1) THINK THINGS THROUGH CAREFULLY ,
WRITE DOWN A LIST OF COMPONENTS ,
MAKE DARN SURE THE LIST IS COMPATIBLE WITH,
and AT LEAST SEMI-REASONABLY PRICED WITHIN YOUR BUDGET.
FOR WHAT YOU INTEND TO BUILD AND RESEARCH THE RELATED MACHINE WORK,
RESEARCH CAREFULLY THE COMPONENT INSTALLATION AND INTENDED USE ,
AND POWER BAND THE PARTS WILL REQUIRE
AND FIND AN EXPERIENCED MENTOR.

(2) if in doubt, about how to do anything, on an engine, do some detailed research,
find and compare at least 3-5 valid trust worthy sources info,
read the instructions over again, several time's very carefully
and if available watch several related videos.

(3) if any component will not easily function as designed or requires a good bit of physical force to install ,
or your not 100% sure your doing something CORRECTLY
STOP, FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW THE PARTS SUPPOSED TO FIT AND FUNCTION,& WHY! YOUR HAVING PROBLEMS
theres a reason, and you better verify your clearances are correct , and your following the instructions before you proceed.

(4) never assume the parts you purchased can be used without carefully , cleaning them prior too,
checking the physical condition, verifying clearances and using the correct sealant, lubricants etc.


(5) the quality of a component is generally at least loosely related to the cost to produce it,
and the amount of detailed research and quality machine work that went into its production.
if you got a significant reduced price, theres typically a reason.
it might simply be because a new improved part superseded the one you purchased,
but it might be a far lower quality imported clone with lower quality materials and machine work.
its the purchasers responsibility to research quality.

(6) if you did not do the work personally or at least take the effort to verify it was done correctly and personally verify clearances
ITS almost a sure thing that it was NOT done , correctly, and yes that mandates you fully understand what your looking at,
and how the components are supposed to function and have high quality precision measuring tools.

(7) ITS ALMOST ALWAYS FASTER AND LESS EXPENSIVE , AND PRODUCES BETTER RESULTS IF YOU,
BUY FEWER HIGH QUALITY PARTS & DO THINGS CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME
RELATED THREADS
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/block-prep.125/page-2#post-48605

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/parts-prep-cleaning.6255/#post-41064

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...on-picking-a-shop-to-do-work.5053/#post-14313

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/machine-shop-sequencing.4460/#post-11720

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/finding-a-machine-shop.321/

 

[Grumpy]

I recently had a guy complain that the roller lifter's he purchased with his new roller cam , barely roll on his fingers when he took them out of the box to inspect them!
I reminded him that ALL roller lifters regardless of brand will be packed in a preservative rust preventative coat of some "grease" thats NOT a LUBRICANT
the lifters will need to be cleaned with something like a brake cleaner spray, to loosen and remove the preservative ,followed by a bath or soak in a good machine oil like M.M.O.
almost ALL new moving machined internal engine , valve train, suspension or brake or precision parts will be packed in a preservative sprayed on rust coat that must be washed off and removed before use

rolling the lifters , roller wheels, after they soak awhile and rolling the rollers on a clean white,
lint free towel shop clothe would be a good first cleaning and inspection, and
youll find the roller wheels loosen up and roll freely after,
they get cleaned of preservative and lubed with the M.M.O.

 

[87vette81big]

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...an-aluminum-intake-manifold.14410/#post-74196

 

[87vette81big]

I was thinking the same here Grumpy.'
The replacement 350 TBI engine for the Suburban.
After this week working with Ed, ample $ funds are there to get it done.

 

[87vette81big]

I will buy more MMO too.
Great stuff !

 

[Grumpy]

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/201...ampaign=PushCrew_notification_cleaning&_p_c=1


The subject of cleaning is never far from the mind of the modern engine builder or machine shop supervisor. Obviously, parts must be as clean as possible so they can be inspected, repaired if possible and reassembled.

The subject of SAFE cleaning is a little less definitive, however. Respondents to our annual Machine Shop Market Profile tell us that the process of preparing an engine for rebuilding takes nearly one-quarter of their time each work day. Disassembly and cleaning are by far the most time-consuming procedure…and they can be among the most costly as well.


Are “safe cleaning” and “cleaning safely” the same thing? Can the two topics coexist?

As it relates to the people, the products, the processes or the profits in the engine building industry, is safe cleaning an attainable goal?

“Absolutely! Not only is safe cleaning an attainable and sustainable goal, it can save time and money,” says Phil Esz, UltraSonic LLC. “Ultrasonic cleaning, for example, is an advanced technology precision cleaning method that saves time, reduces or eliminates hazardous solvents, is employee-friendly and environmentally friendly, and is a great insurance policy for the owner and customer. It is a winning cleaning combination for profit and product insurance.”


Processes continue to evolve and what seemed good enough last year might be totally inadequate now. Although there isn’t one system that will handle every shop’s every cleaning need, systems available today can have a positive effect on shop efficiency, business economics and environmental impact.

“Safe cleaning, in the context of engine building, can mean many things” says Brian Waple, business manager for ARMEX. “The first thought that comes to my mind is personal protection equipment (PPE). Safety first by having proper PPE in place, which include safety glasses or shield, proper gloves for the task on-hand, long sleeve shirts or overalls to protect skin, ear protection when required and steel toe shoes.”

It’s readily apparent that the cost of equipment, chemicals, labor, maintenance and disposal costs can be significant, but cleaning expenses are an important cost of doing business. Doing it wrong can require even more expense in labor or parts replacement.


“I asked a few of my team members what safe cleaning meant to them and this is what they said,” Mike Hansen from ArmaKleen said. “Derek Bryer says ‘Safe Cleaning to me means without fear of consequences to life and health. For example, the product you’re using to clean a substrate will have no ill effects on the person cleaning and/or the environment they are cleaning in.’

“Kyle Bates and Randall Seeley explain it as ‘Using processes and solutions that don’t pose risks to employees, the environment or the customer’s parts.’

“Andy Logan says it involves ‘Cleaning that is not harmful to the substrate and does not create undue hazards to the user.’

“And Danny Thomas says, “Without causing harm to you, the environment or the item being cleaned,’” Hansen says.

“Safe cleaning means attention to safe equipment, as well,” says Waple. “Equipment should be inspected every day to verify all safety guards are in place and the equipment is working properly. Never use equipment that is broken or missing safety guards.”

Truly, the balance between speed and safety is top of mind.

Whether it is due to regulations at the local, state or federal level or recognition that certain procedures aren’t necessarily healthy for the environment and employees, attention paid to the cleaning processes used in engine rebuilding facilities has sharpened. Safer, less toxic methods continue to gain a foothold in today’s professional shops.

Worker exposure means keeping your team from being exposed to caustic chemicals. Experts suggest replacing aggressive cleaners with water-based product or environmentally friendly products including baking soda. Long-term exposure to cleaning products needs to be considered.

Then there is “Safe Cleaning” for the parts being cleaned.The process being used should not remove substrate materials, warp or profile the part being cleaned. By removing substrate materials, warping or profiling a part changes the parts specification and tolerances in essence rendering the part useless. Your cleaning method should preserve the part you are cleaning not damage it. This should be considered when choosing your process whether it’s cleaning with chemistry, manual cleaning or abrasive blasting.

Cleaning Options: Soda Blasting

Many of today’s small parts can be easily damaged by aggressive cleaning procedures such as shot blasting. However, cleaning parts by blasting the surface with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) has proven to be a reliable method.

Baking soda doesn’t etch or work harden the surface of the parts that are being cleaned, is effective on aluminum, and can remove dirt, grease, oil, paint and even carbon deposits from pistons.

Soda can be used with either a dry blast cabinet or in slurry form with a vapor blast cabinet. You also do not have to prewash parts prior to soda blasting as you do if you’re cleaning with glass beads or similar media. Nontoxic, nonflammable soda is environmentally friendly, too, leaving no residue on parts and rinses right off.

Baking soda media is available in a variety of sizes and formulations that may contain other additives to prevent clumping or be more aggressive. Some shops mix other materials with the soda if they want a shot-peening effect while they are cleaning.

It can be used with water or other ingredients to form a wet-blasting slurry. The slurry scrubs as it cleans and won’t peen small cracks together that could hinder crack detection efforts later.

Cleaning Options: Ultrasonics

Ultrasonics is the science of sound waves above the frequency normally considered audible for humans (above 18 Kilohertz). When vibrations at these high frequencies are introduced into liquids, areas of extremely high vacuum and extremely high pressure are generated alternately at any given point in the liquid as the sound waves pass. Under the influence of a vacuum, the liquid is literally torn apart to create what is called a cavitation bubble. As positive pressure replaces the vacuum that formed the cavitation bubble, it implodes, resulting in high pressure shock waves that do the scrubbing.

The energetic disturbances generated by the implosions of countless cavitation perform the cleaning task by providing micro-agitation throughout the liquid volume.

“Ultrasonic can be used for many applications including filters, plastic mold injection machines, compressor heads, medical equipment, food service machines and tools, aeronautic parts, plastic parts, bearings, bolts, rubber parts, internal parts, transmission parts and final cleaning all engine parts for final assembly,” Esz says. “Gentle yet thorough micro-cleaning extends the life of parts and reduces parts failures.”

The process alone isn’t enough, however. “By using ‘green’ ultrasonic cleaning solutions, a company can reduce or replace hazardous cleaning solvents with environmentally friendly water-based soap solutions,” says Esz.

“Super-efficient ultrasonic cleaning not only reduces exposure to toxic chemicals, it can easily cut cleaning time dramatically. Lowered labor costs equal increased profits,” says Esz. “The cost of saved labor can pay for the equipment in a very short amount of time.”

Cleaning Options: Aqueous Solutions

Due to increased concerns about solvents containing volatile organic compounds (VOC) aqueous cleaning has gained a solid foothold in today’s engine rebuilding facilities. There are many different aqueous solutions available for effective cleaning of any type of part, and according to the aqueous-cleaning equipment manufacturers, water-based detergents and washer systems clean just as effectively as solvents – provided the equipment and cleaning solutions are maintained properly.

Aqueous cleaning is fast, too. A typical wash and rinse cycle may only take 10 to 15 minutes compared to hours of soaking in caustic or a solvent tank. Automated spray washers and flow-through systems mean you can load the parts, push a button and walk away, eliminating the need for a lot of manual scrubbing and brushing. This frees up time for other tasks such as billable labor for machine work or assembly work and helps boost overall shop productivity and profitability.

With aqueous-based cleaning processes, choosing the “right” detergent and/or chemical for the application is very important. The same equipment may clean very differently when different detergents are used. Some cleaning products are formulated for specific types of applications like aluminum or cast iron, while others are “general-purpose” cleaners. The best advice here is to follow your equipment suppliers’ recommendations for chemical usage.

There are several different types of spray cabinets and cleaning equipment. A careful analysis of your needs (in concert with your parts and equipment supplier) can help create the ideal process for your needs.

“Safe cleaning practices for operators is a must,” Waple says. “Profitability can never come before employee safety. Safe cleaning of parts is obtainable as well. Cleaning processes must be examined from many different angles not just cost of the actual cleaners but the hidden costs like is your cleaner process on-step or multi-step, waste disposal, resource time for cleaning of the part, rejected parts due to damage during cleaning, potential liability costs just to name a few.”

For the engine builder, the take away should be clear: workers’ safety is first; parts safety is second, says Waple. “Both can obtain safe cleaning through process improvement.” ν