Engine cleaning... what about rust?

So I started cleaning my engine on the engine stand. Read all the threads about degreasing. That's the easy part.

What about the rust? Especially around the heads where the paint was gone a long time ago. Anybody got any good ideas on how to get it out of all the nooks and crannies?

 

Wire brush, dremel moto tool, wire brush on a drill, wire brush on a right angle grinder, etc.

 

elbow grease....

 

Yah, I started that and thought "this is going to take forever". Might be quicker to tear it down and have it hot tanked...

 

Acid and a thorough washing

 

naval jelly...rinse it off....

 

hmm.... (scratches chin). With steel wool maybe?

 

I use muratic acid. Remember, safety goggles and a respirator, then rinse with water.

 

Don't mean to sound like a wuss, but will this discolor the cement in my garage? I'm trying to sell my house right now.

 

it will make it brilliantly white. just dont let it set to long or it will make it brilliantly rough.

 

Try not to get it on your cement, put down a tarp or something.

 

Use 50-50 mix hot water and Metal Prep (phosporic acid) will dissolve rust. Phosphoric acid is a mild acid that can be used bare handed without a respirator. Bottling companies even put it in soft drinks. Phosphoric acid will dissolve the rust in one hour without using a brush. Aftwards take the engine to a car wash and rinse off the residue.

Muratic acid is the commercial name for hydrochloric acid. That stuff will attack and weaken everything it touches, including the threads in cast iron. The acid residue is difficult to remove, and even when you think you got it all, it comes back to etch the metal. I nearly ruined a fan blade with that stuff.

 

Mol***es and water mix.

I Just pulled my Desoto Hemi out of the soup after a 2 weeks soak and rinsed it clean. No rust and squeaky clean water jackets as well.

Then to prevent flash rusting and enable it to be painted in and out, I gave it a light mist coat of rust killer, let it dry and wiped off the excess with a damp sponge. Done, ZERO rust and ready for paint.

When finish pour it into the garden - its eco friendly.

Do a search on here, heaps of info !

Rat

 

Dang that looks good and no bad fumes, how much mol***is to how much water?

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=312793&highlight=mol***es

Rat

 

if 4 parts water to one part mol***es took a month, would 3 parts water to 1 part mol***es take 3 weeks?

 

***orted wire brushes for your 4.5" side grinder, drill motor.

 

That looks great. Problem is, my engine is not apart.

 

Buy new gaskets an take it apart.

 

So if it isn't sticky, how am I going to get it to stick to the engine?

 

Soak rags with Evapo Rust, apply to rust, cover with plastic wrap, keep them wet, rust will be gone in a day.