Cleaning Engine, need some help

[fastrat350]

Hey folks, I'm tearing down an old 350 motor my dad pulled from a running van, it ran fine but body was shot and trans blown, but started up fine on first try. I'm gonna put my vortec heads on it. And pul new oil pan with seals, new timing cover, and new cam and valve train. I'm not doing a full rebuild, leaving crank and pistons in place. What's the best way to clean the engine? I just want to clean intake galley where the lifters go, some dust/loose dirt fell in while removing intake. I figured rotating upside down and spraying it down some engine cleaner or wd40 and also using a vacuum. I forgot how I cleaned my last engine in the same manner, don't remember what I used, but didn't have any problems with it. This is going into another malibu project I'm starting. Other things I'm doing are new oil pump also. Any help or tips on cleaners or methods would be great.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Don't use a vacuum, especially after spraying it down with anything aerosol. Your vac may turn into a flamethrower. :lol: Take the oil pan off, flip it upside down, leave the heads on if possible & spray the valley with something innocent like Oil Eater or Simple Green. Brush brush brush, rinse, blow it out with compressed air from the crank down into the valley if possible. Visually inspect the bottom end to see if any crud got into the bottom end. Wipe, don't blow, off anything you find. Blowing it off may force junk into a bearing. Flip it right side up, & liberally spray it with something that displaces water like WD40 or Wurth Rostoff...

Tommy

 

[fastrat350]

What about using some engine cleaner/degreaser? That overkill?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

You could, but they're usually made to be used on the outside of an engine. They can be pretty potent. The others I listed are water soluble, so they shouldn't leave anything behind that may hurt your oil. I used Oil Eater many times to degrease some pretty sloppy things, including the entire front end of Madge When I took her off the road to start the project. It works really well.

Tommy

 

[fastrat350]

Well before getting responses I went to town on short block with engine degreaser/cleaner and also wd40. Some of the deposits of on the crank got wiped off. I also used a lot of wd40 to rinse off the the degreaser. I pulled the heads, and found some water in 1 of the cylinders, I believe it got in there while sitting since it ran fine before pulled a couple years ago. But that one cylinder looks a little iffy, it is smooth, the crude and water in there was minimal but I cleaned it off but it looks like some rust stayed behind, the cylinder feels smooth, but what do you think?

I want to try a deglazing cylinder tool that cylinder. Here's how most of the rest are:

What do you think? Can I get away with it? This motor needs to make it for about another year of use at least, while I build an lsx 5.3 for my malibu.

 

[lilbowtie]

You are this far - I would personally re-ring it, you can get a re-ring kit from Northern Auto for about $100 which includes bearing and a gasket kit. Stick a good set of heads on what you have and the rings might not handle the extra compression. Been there and
done that.

 

[lilbowtie]

quote: (I want to try a deglazing cylinder tool that cylinder. Here's how most of the rest are)

If you are dead set against re-ringing, use some scotch bright on that cylinder.

 

[fastrat350]

Spoke with my cousin that's an engine tech, and I think we are just going to clean that cylinder up good without the deglazing tool. I need this motor to last at least about a year, and we are gonna put it together with new gaskets and run it as is. I have another block that I have as backup that I rather rebuild, that one is bored .030 over already and is 4-bolt mains. I just need this motor to get the malibu running while I either rebuild that other blo or find an ls motor.