[Vid]

Hey cold climate guys. I shut off my outdoor water last October and it’s like 24 degrees outside right now. I’m getting ready to start assembling my short block and I’m used to doing the big soapy splashy wash in the driveway to get the block nice and clean before assembly. Obviously I can’t do that right now. What are your tips and hacks for good, thorough block washing without a garden hose and mild temps outside?


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[Stuart]

Can you take it to a self serve car wash?

[BILL BOWMAN1]

I run the garden hose into the house to the fitting on the bottom of the home water heater. Steam clean! Then blow the hell out of it with shop air. Wipe bores and machine surfaces with WD40 soon after.

[Vid]

Originally Posted by Stuart

Can you take it to a self serve car wash?

That’s a thought. I could put a rubber mat down in the bed of my truck.


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[Vid]

Originally Posted by BILL BOWMAN1

I run the garden hose into the house to the fitting on the bottom of the home water heater. Steam clean! Then blow the hell out of it with shop air. Wipe bores and machine surfaces with WD40 soon after.

Love it! Sounds worth a try but I wonder if my “Zero-G” lightweight hose would melt, haha


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[Mr Twister]

I put mine in my parts washer that had fairly new mineral spirits in it. My parts washer is pretty big though..

[mysticmissle]

I have taken hot soapy water in a 5 gallon pail and done it that way. Just spend extra time blowing it out and oiling the spots you don’t want to rust
Have done the car wash thing too. Got dirty looks 20 years ago. Lol
Is there anyway you can do it in your basement? It’s a mother to get out in one piece but then you have a nice stable temp for checking clearances and gaps etc

[Joe's Garage]

If not, you might try someone like these guys:

SteamWorks Pressure Washing 775-351-4377
https://steamworksservices.com

Even though it's not their core business, they could definitely clean it.

As a side-note, it was down to 28* on my pack porch at 745am this morning......in Las Vega$ !! Gotta be a little colder up there where you are......

Good luck!

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Joe's Garage

As a side-note, it was down to 28* on my pack porch at 745am this morning......in Las Vega$ !! Gotta be a little colder up there where you are......

Good luck!

I think the high today was around 20*.

[AG]

If you have any device that makes hot air then put a bag around the block on an engine stand and pump hot air up through it until its very warm. Make two 5 gallon buckets: one with the hottest soapy sink water you can make and another with the biggest container of hot water on the stove. Thoroughly wash the block using a bristle brush for the cylinders and rifle brushes for the oil gallerys. Then rinse with the hot stove water, spray down with acetone or methanol in a spray bottle followed by compressed air and then immediately with WD40 on all machined surfaces. Bag and you are ready for assembly.

[Vid]

Originally Posted by mysticmissle

I have taken hot soapy water in a 5 gallon pail and done it that way. Just spend extra time blowing it out and oiling the spots you don’t want to rust
Have done the car wash thing too. Got dirty looks 20 years ago. Lol
Is there anyway you can do it in your basement? It’s a mother to get out in one piece but then you have a nice stable temp for checking clearances and gaps etc

This is what I was originally thinking to do. One pail filled with hot soapy water for washing and one filled with clear warm water for rinse off. Follow with lots of compressed air and space heaters, and oil where needed.

I am kind of liking the coin op car wash option provided I don’t blast out the cam bearings, ha. Good news is the forecast is calling for lower 50’s middle of next week. I’ll wait for the heat wave.


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[Vid]

Originally Posted by AG

If you have any device that makes hot air then put a bag around the block on an engine stand and pump hot air up through it until its very warm. Make two 5 gallon buckets: one with the hottest soapy sink water you can make and another with the biggest container of hot water on the stove. Thoroughly wash the block using a bristle brush for the cylinders and rifle brushes for the oil gallerys. Then rinse with the hot stove water, spray down with acetone or methanol in a spray bottle followed by compressed air and then immediately with WD40 on all machined surfaces. Bag and you are ready for assembly.

Sounds like the voice of experience talking! What exactly does the acetone do?


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[Dragncar]

I have had too many parts rust with WD-40 on them.
I use it after washing with water but them finish with something like PB Blaster or better yet, Fluid Film.
Then bag it, you might have to clean off some Fluid Film but you will not have to worry about rust.
I had a fresh crank with WD-40 in a bag. Had to have it polished. Dumped WD-40 for any go to anti rust.
It does do a good job of a water dis-placer and is safer than some others on your skin-fumes ect.

[Sirrotica]

WD 40 displaces water, then it evaporates. It's really over rated for softening rust, or protecting metal from rusting from moisture in the air, but it was never meant to do what many people think it does. Originally formulated for drying out electrical devices that had gotten exposed to water.

Fluid film will stop rust, yes you'll have to wipe it off with some kind of solvent, but it won't be rusty when it's cleaned off. In the North salt country, people use it to rustproof cars. They spray it on in the fall, and reapply it the following year before winter, it does work that well.

[AG]

Originally Posted by Vid

Sounds like the voice of experience talking! What exactly does the acetone do?


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The acetone or methanol will help remove water, spray it down and blow it off with compressed air.

[NeighborsComplaint]

Take it to a transmission shop. They typically have a cabinet style case pressure washer/drier that is large enough for an engine block if they rebuild truck transmissions.

[Formulas]

The bathtub is the clear winner here solid hot tap water Mr Bubble shotgun brush's