964 case cleaning question

[Tbone425]

On the main journals how aggressive should I get on cleaning them? Should they be clean and bare? Green sponge and acetone on the sealant residue. I just don’t want to get into the material. Any suggestions and guidance would be appreciated

Thanks

[stownsen914]

Definitely want all sealant off, but definitely also don't want to remove any metal. Sounds like you have the right idea on cleaning materials. I go through a few plastic scrapers on an engine rebuild/cleaning, they dull quickly.

The surfaces on those webs may look a little funny even when completely clean due to the fretting (rubbing) that happens during engine operation.

[reclino]

Yeah lots and lots of time with little plastic scrapers. Leave those machine marks on the webs, your cleaning, not polishing, not removing any metal, unless there is some random ding or scratch leaving "high metal" you would want to remove local areas of high metal (the metal displaced by a scratch or ding.
I used some aircraft paint stripper on a cotton swab on bits of sealant that gave me trouble. Didn't use it much but just on the tough spots.
It's hours and hours of fun.

[Glennshelto]

Originally Posted by Tbone425

On the main journals how aggressive should I get on cleaning them? Should they be clean and bare? Green sponge and acetone on the sealant residue. I just don’t want to get into the material. Any suggestions and guidance would be appreciated

Thanks

When cleaning main journals, it's important to be thorough but also cautious to avoid damaging the material. A green sponge and acetone can be effective for removing sealant residue, but it's important to use gentle pressure and avoid scrubbing too aggressively. It's also a good idea to test a small, inconspicuous area first to make sure the cleaning method doesn't cause any damage or discoloration to the material. Ultimately, the main journals should be clean and free of any debris or residue that could interfere with their function, but it's important to take care when cleaning to avoid any unintentional damage. I hope this will help you. upsers

[brighton911]

If by "green sponge" you mean scotch brite pads, do not use them. They will remove case material.

[Tbone425]

Originally Posted by brighton911

If by "green sponge" you mean scotch brite pads, do not use them. They will remove case material.

Green dish sponges

[stownsen914]

Good point about not using abrasives. Better to find the right chemicals to soften/melt the sealants (while not hurting the case) and work at it as needed with rags, plastic scrapers, or other non-marring tools.

[Tbone425]

Thanks all!

[mikedsilva]

Have you measured your main bore?
Bolt the case together, mount the #8 nose bearing, and torque your through bolts and run a bore gauge and let us know how it measures.

[Tbone425]

Case went out to my machine guy, checked out fine. It has less than 70k miles on it. Only reason it had to come apart was it sat for 20 years in a wrecked car that it didn’t know.

[PeteKz]

Then reuse the main and rod bearings if they are not scored or worn. That's not just to save money, those bearings have already stood the test of time. I don't know about the 3.6, but some replacement bearings for the 3.0 and 3.2 engines have had problems with fit and the fine points of construction. If you have known good bearings, keep using them.