Technical Ford Flathead Rebuild Candidate - Corrosion Protection for Storage

Picked this C59A industrial engine up just over a week ago, and got it dis***embled too the point I will store it until it is time to rebuild it. I figure I won’t get to it for another 2-3 yrs. Some of the cylinder walls are pretty badly corroded and I see some pitting. I’ve s****ped about as much of the rust off as I can using a OLFA 1” blade. Not sure if that is acceptable, but it works. Now I’m just wondering what are the next steps to prevent further corrosion until it’s time to start the rebuild. The block will be stored inside my heated ba*****t workshop within the next month or so. Right now it’s in my indoor garage. The stuff in the floor is what I just s****ped off the cylinder walls, but there was much more before, but was removed when I knocked the pistons out.

 

Squirt it all over with oil, put a heavy garbage bag over it, **** the extra air out, and tie it up.

 

I use grease because it’s thicker and won’t slide off. But what he said!

 

While it’s not exactly what you asked, myself I would get the block cleaned and thoroughly inspected first then worry about storing it, would **** pretty hard to waste 3 years only to find you have a block that’s not usable

 

That probably is a good idea. Will look into if anyone in town has the proper cleaning equipment.

 

Checking for cracks it would need to be magnafluxed. Not sure if that requires cleaning to get a accurate check?

Mine I put the crank back in with caps & bearings, I sprayed everything with Pblaster penetrating oil.
Then I keep it covered with a heavy old blanket.
Been like this for a couple years, last fall I brought another 318 engine into the hoard and now have both engines sitting on the floor covered with same blanket. ..... Ford engine looked just fine, no rust or anything on the cylinders. ..... This engine was freshly rebuilt or very low mile engine before parked.
It needs to be seriously cleaned, painted and ***embled to be a runner. .... Has 2 stuck lifters.
Naturally when I look at it I do not want to see any rust forming on it .... spraying it with oil works for me.

 

Ounce you get it to the point you want to store it I would spray it with LPS 2. It will dry to a film. As an addition layer of protection you could then put it in a engine storage bag with some vapor paper.

 

Just left the machine shop. Will drop it off next week for hot tank and magna-flux. Same machinist who built my other flathead is now at this shop. No one in the area has one of those machines that can bake the block. I guess we’ll see once it is cleaned and magna-fluxed if it’s any good.

 

I would hone the cylinders with a clean up hone to remove the surface rust and see if there's any bad pits.

I'd think it would be easier and quicker to magnaflux with the rust removed, hopefully saving some time and money.

 

I removed most of the rust with the OLFA blade, and I could see some pretty extensive pitting on some of the cyl walls. I wished I would have taken some pics. I’m sure they’ll do what they need to do to check for cracks. I also asked them to remove the remaining studs. Not sure if they would have had to anyways, but I’m guessing yes based on these engines. The machinist there knows flatheads which is really good, as the owner and his son, likely not. Told them to take their time. Lol!

 

After the block is cleaned well, checked over, & maybe machined, I would use LPS#3 on any machined surfaces - it sprays on similar to a heavy foaming oil, then stiffens into a light almost greasy substance that doesn't drip off after "hardening", that can be easily wiped off later. After that, I'd spray the rest of the bare metal w/LPS#2, as it'll oil-down things lightly, but still protect. Cover w/at least 1(maybe 2) super-duty garbage/leaf bags & tie shut while getting as much air out of it as possible.
Marcus...