Hot Rods Hot Tanking Engine Blocks - Necessary or Pressure Washer Ok?

I kinda hesitate to post this, but in several stock ring and bearing "rebuilds" I used to s****e the pennsoil s*** (1/2" thick) out of the engine, and wash the parts in a large metal pan I had with gasoline. I washed the parts 3 times in gasoline and rifle brushed the oil p***ages. Gas was filtered and re-used for the dirtiest clean ups, but unused clean gas was used for the last 2 cleanings. Water jackets were s****ed and vacuumed. The engines all ran great for thousands of miles. 326 Pontiac, 371 Olds, 289 and 260 Fords. I hot tanked and had machine work (including line boring) performed on my 327 Chevy block but still cleaned parts in gasoline. I guess I should be sick from lead poisoning as I was bathed up to my elbows in gas but at 72 can't ID any residual problems... YMMV

Edited in: this was when I was a kid, I moved on to parts washers...

 

I agree with what you are saying about about ****m clogging, but thats why I suggested the spray type. It can put a very thin highlight on without adding a thick coating......kinda like when you lightly fog primer on a surface. The thickness of the brush on ****m can be as thick or thicker than your surface variations. Anyway, its your choice as to whether to try it or not, myself I haven't had any problems with the spray, so thats all that I use these days. Bout $10 a can.

 

I would NOT use gasoline for cleaning parts. I remember as a kid that my dad used some gasoline to clean something and the friction created by sanding (by hand) ignited the gas. I used to use kerosene before it got rediculously expensive ($5.79). I switched to diesel fuel and found it cleans just as well as the kerosene. You can also spray it on reasonably fresh oil drippings and they will disappear from the driveway as it evaporates.

 

Here's a quick tip for cleaning threaded bolt holes. Use a thread chaser. O'Reilly's and AutoZone will lend you thread chaser kits for free through their tool loaner program!
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...k-1994-ford-f-150?q=thread+restorer+set&pos=8

 

Since I once had an engine with a crack so small it couldn't be seen without being hot tanked and magnafluxed, I wont ever not hot tank and have a block checked for cracks before moving forward. I also have all mains align bored, and that requires machine shop work too. So if nothing else I want a shop to do the hot tank, magnaflux and align bore the mains. If the block only needs honing I'll do that and do the rest of the build.

 

I'll have to try some of that.

Thanks

 

I for stuff smaller than an engine block, I use a parts washer filled with mineral spirits.

I'm not keen on using gasoline to clean stuff. I've spent some time in a burn unit before (Everclear) and it's an overrated experience.

Thanks

 

Yes, I have that kit at the shop and it gets a fair amount of use. Certainly better than using a regular tap.

Thanks

 

Easy to magnaflux at home; I use the electric yoke and the zyglo spray. The yoke isn't cheap, but after a use or two, it'll pay for itself.

Anyway, I already magged the heads on this engine; still need to mag the block. If I find a crack, I've got a spare 360 that should be good.

Thanks

 

I know there are a lot of differences between the actual hot tank process at different shops. But, every one I've had done had all the junk loosened. But not removed! Hard grit was left after the oil was removed by the chemicals leaving whatever was deposited, maybe metal from wear? That was left to me, my pressure washer and gun cleaning tools.

So, I just start with that now and skip the dip. Solvent wash first, pressure wash, run the brushes through all the p***ages and pressure wash again. If any drilling or honing is done, it gets washed again including a hot water hand scrub of the honed cylinders.

 

Not all shop owners change their hot tank solution at regular intervals.

 

If I'm going to have to clean it again after it's hot tanked, it sure makes sense for me to skip the hot tank and just do it myself.

thanks for the input

 

I have used a engine shipping tote and a bucket heater to heater the Purple cleaner boiling hot, a slow process but it works and bucket heaters are cheap. I don't take any chances so I un-plug the heater before putting my hand in the bucket lol

 

A true hot tank, which is a caustic solution heated up, does not remove rust and still requires careful cleaning after it is removed.

 

There probably is not many modern shops using a caustic heated solution for cleaning stuff. But that is the way it used to be done. Pull the parts out sit them over the floor drain and hose it all into the sewer system. Yep that is the shops I grew up frequenting. lol

 

Was my first job in an automotive machine shop.
Got my *** REAMED when questioning why I needed to wash a block three times after a hot tanking.

 

What happened to hot rodders that washed the engines with kerosene and rebuilt their engines on a dirt floor garage?! I remember a few that even built them outside with no garage

 

Those guys don't ask about best practices, they do what they can in the time and with the situation they have.

 

Had an old hot rodder in my neighbor hood growing up who would chase all the threads then roll the block around on a 1/2 inch piece of plywood shaking out the loose crud. Because home pressure washers weren't around much then he would bring it on a trailer to a coin operated car wash, spray degreaser on it and blast it down.

 

Don't recall seeing it mentioned but don't use regular threading taps for cleaning up blocks as they can remove more metal, not good.
Many vendors offer thread "cleaning taps",

 

^^^^ Or one can longitudinally groove a (fairly) soft bolt...

Or even dull an old tap...

 

Thread chasers are not a lot of money. I added metric and SAE chasers to complete the free shipping amount through Summit. Pretty sure less than 20 per set.