how to clean the parts
 

I am thinking to rebuilt the 3.2 in my own garage, just a basic question is all fellow pelicans send the parts to mechine shop or clean it yourself if clean it what kind of chemical ? or do i need a part bin with nozzle (local shop sell for $200) thanks for your input

Tons of threads on this for a variety of parts; search away. Most concentrated about cases. In Wayne's book he lists what can and cannot be blasted etc etc. I suggest you buy it and read it like a bible.

I had my case tanked and then soda blasted as well as my cam towers. I then did a bunch of hand work. Worked great. Otto's in CA can tumble the parts and they come out looking new. $100 for a case. You still have to ship it there. Lots of people just use their muscles and time with sponges and razor blades. Just beware that citrus based cleaners can work wonders, but you must clean it off off AL parts or it causes some issues. One thing I learned was if you plan on taking two years make sure to store the parts in a DRY area to prevent corrosion. I'm talking about the AL parts...

Best regards,

Michael

P.S. I bought a media blast cabinet (~$180). works great! Just be aware that there are several engine items that have delicate surfaces you can NOT blast.

The case and cam towers are extremly hard to clean when comparing to most typical cars Chevy, Ford, Honda, etc.. I used a dry ice blasting machine on my case and cam towers. We rented one at work so it didn't cost me anything. I think it is good to have a parts washer but I would put the money into a bead blasting cabinet & compressor. A typical parts washer will not get off the black grime on the aluminum found on these engines. I would bring the case, cam towers, chain covers to a professional machine shop to get cleaned and spend yout time cleaning all the the other parts.

What about internals, i.e. on the case...even if you get it back cleaned up don't you have to make sure the internals are all spotless prior to reassembly. What is the best way for this to be achieved? I think Wayne points out that just b/c it looks likes it's been through the parts washer there can still be bits of metal/sand/dirt, etc. that can wreak havoc on a rebuild.

Taking them to a machine shop with an aluminum safe parts washer is the best way to start. Then, like Buck points out one needs to get the final cleaning done. I like having the stuff degreased before I start with the detail work.

Cheers

thanks

Professional cleaning is good but it would not be my last step. I would take a can of carb cleaner and spray it in the oil passages and then blow out with filtered compressed air.

After the bead blasting, parts washer, and the compressed air to clear all the galleries I put my parts in the dishwasher on "heavy". They came out sweaking clean but it went over like a lead balloon.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f310/gigem75/2_2.jpg

Parts washer for anything that can't bead bead blasted. Well worth taking it somewhere to have done. I was wet from head to toe using a heated power washer on the case and didn't even come close to getting the light coat of varnish off the internals on the case. My case came out looking new. I used a shotgun cleaning kit, carb cleaner followed by brake cleaner sprayed on shot gun bore wipes for the oil passages. Many, many hours spent cleaning everything. The engine rebuild book is priceless.:cool:

If you decided to get a parts washer for the "other" parts not listed in the replies above, make sure you choose the right solvent. Some degreasers are harmful to aluminum parts.

I bought a $50 parts washer from Northern Tool, then put in mineral spirits. Make sure to put a 1(water):3 (spirits) ratio in it so the spirits stay clean. The spirits will float on top of the water, and the water will alow the grime to float to the bottom.

"The spirits will float on top of the water, and the water will alow the grime to float to the bottom."

Nice idea, but the water at the bottom might create some corrosion in the tank. You don't want pinhole solvent leaks when you're least expecting it.

Sherwood

Maybe put some soluble cutting oil in the water.

I bought a concrete mixing tub from home depot, a set of brushes (nylon, brass, stainless steel) and 2 gal of diesel fuel. It smelled, but I got everything pretty darn clean.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205524679.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205524746.jpg

Jeremy- That is a h^ll of an idea!!!. It sounds WAY less expensive than the way I did it. I bought (it took) 28 cans, the 20oz size of Brake clean from wallyworld @ $2/pop and I was about to puke after doing the cleaning outside. This was just for the engine... trans took another 10 cans.

I remember the diesel idea but I thought it didn't cut throught the crap very well. Your pics show otherwise.
Great idea!! I wonder if jet fuel would be better?? What is it about the diesel that works so well? Any ideas??
Thanks, Bob

Well the beauty with diesel is it acts more like kerosene - nut super dangerous - lower flash point.

#2 with the tub I was able to soak parts overnight - the next day - a little scrubbing and gone.

#3 - it's light - so a little squirt with brake cleaner and it was degreased.

So is diesel a little more earth friendly than other cleaners or not?

As in dumping into the ground? Uhhhhh, no.

Pour back into original containers and take to the recycling center. No harm, no foul.... water.

Sherwood

No, I was not referring to dumping in the street...I was referring to the health issues of using certain things like brake cleaner, etc. many of which are very dangerous.

I have an arrangement with an Automatic Transmission builder in my town. The AT rebuilders have these large "dishwashers" that are magnesium,/aluminum friendly. That is usually the first clean that the parts get.

When I get the parts back I can then do a nice inspection and further final cleaning.

Best of all the cost is free (in my case)

So If you have an independent Auto transmission repair guy near you, go have a talk and let the guy know you have some parts that need cleaning, and see if you can work something out. Even if he charges you $25 its better that you having to buy chemicals, brushes. Saves you from making a mess of yourself and your driveway etc.

Also I only have things like the case,cam towers, valve covers, chain housings cleaned like this.

thanks alot

On small stuff that's really got it baked on, I start with oven cleaner, then diesel, then soapy water. The oven cleaner seems to really penetrate the hard gunk. On a big project I'll start with the oven cleaner and a putty knife, and then I'll take the whole mess to my friend's shop who has a giant dishwasher type of a parts cleaner. It does a really good job, but he charges me $20.00 to plug it in to heat it up, and it's 15 miles away, so I only do that when it's really worth the effort. Wear gloves like those playtex gloves that your mom used to wear.

yeah that is better. Dont try to flush the diesel via the toilet.

Is oven cleaner ok to use on aluminum or just steel?

I've used it on aluminum, steel, magnesium, and fiberglass. I wasn't ever looking for a concourse finish, just looking to remove all of the gunk, so If you're looking for perfection I'd recommend that you test a small area first. I didn't notice any changes in color, but I wasn't looking for it. I was looking for gray metal instead of black crust. It gets spray paint off of fiberglass engine shrouds better than the new environmentally friendly paint stripper, that's for sure.

I took my engine cases to a local transmission shop and he put them in the cabinet that he uses to clean transmission cases (most are aluminum). He charged me $10 to clean the case ($20 for two). He did a great job for cheap. I use two cheap bead blasters to clean other stuff. One has glass beads as the medium and the other one has crushed walnut shells. The walnut shells are not nearly as abrasive as the glass beads and do not leave a rough surface on aluminum.

Tom

I have not started cleaning my 3.2, but I was assuming that kerosene would do the job.

I do put in some ATF to make it a little easier on the hands, also cuts down on flash rust.

When I had my engine apart I jet washed the cases, on the hard encrusted bits I used paint stripper to loosen it and then jet washed it again , and repeated the process until it was clean and then for the internal parts etc. and the final wash on the cases I used diesel in the parts washing.

hope this helps

Mineral Spirits. Doesn't corrode. Cuts the oil and varnish. Doesn't turn the gunk into cement.

Mineral Spirits.

+1/2 ... 'odorless' mineral spirits ;)

-michael

Don't do what I did...trusting the douche at Shuck's and using a water based degreaser. That sh--tuff cases aluminum parts to "fur up" in the blink of an eye. Thank goodness I have a soda blaster. YECH. Mineral spirits are a great idea!

Here's my case and cam towers back from the soda blasters:

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/346/dscf0462ci8.jpg

andy

I tried to find a dry ice blasting service near here.. northern CA - no luck anyone know of one?

Possibly a stupid question but does mineral spirits go by any other name? Is this the same thing as paint brush cleaner? Is there a chemical name I can look for on the can to see if what I have is the same thing?

TIA

Paint thinner, turpentine, white spirit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_spirits