Bottom end clean up

[cgk_iii]

Hey r3v

So i finally finished assembling my head and want to get everything installed within a week but all the grime on the bottom end and carbon on the pistons is really bothering me.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to go about cleaning up the block/pistons
? My main concern is the pistons i dont want to screw things up there.

I've heard using scotch brite pads is not a good idea.. Would a very fine grade steel wool be effecient?

Some pics:

[jlevie]

Scrape surface of the block and ignore the pistons. No matter how much you clean them they will look like they do now in a few hundred miles.

[delamaize]

I'd still clean up the pistons, just for the sake of cleaning them. When I cleaned mine, I used Seafoam and a stiff toothbrush, I turned the crank so all the pistons were at least a little past TDC, the filled enough of each bore to just cover the pistons, and left it for a few hours, then attacked it with said stiff toothbrush. did that a few times, adsorbing the used seafoam after each treatment. took a while, but got a majority of the carbon off. It don't make that much of a difference, but I look at it as you already got the motor apart, might as well.

As for the block, I 2nd what Jim said, scrape the surfaces, maybe use some degreaser or something like that. I used a degreaser, simple scraper and a wirebrush. be sure to clean off ALL the degreaser if you are going to paint it.

[digger]

carby cleaner works ok (better than regular degreaser anyway) and elbow grease. oven cleaner reportdely works ok. dont waste too much of your time cleaning it 100% though. just get the excess/thick build up off that can create hot spots. a thin layer that doesnt come away when scrubbing is ok. if some of the heavy deposits are due to an oil control issue the refreshed head will hopefully rectify this so i would not leave it as is.

[AwakenNoMore]

I cleaned the top of the block/pistons with a brass wire wheel on a drill. It's important to get a brass wire wheel due its softness.

Pic from my thread:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpost.php?p=3685705&postcount=22

[Jaxx_]

cleaning, and potentially polishing, the pistons prevents hot spots--and thus detonation if your final application is a turbo setup. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

With that said, make sure to wipe the walls with WD40 after cleaning.

[digger]

cleaning, and potentially polishing, the pistons prevents hot spots--and thus detonation if your final application is a turbo setup. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.
With that said, make sure to wipe the walls with WD40 after cleaning.

As Jlevie alluded to on an engine that doesn’t get rebuilt every couple thousand miles there is going to be carbon build up. Polishing may slow it down but in the end.....

ive heard from some pretty respected people that a nice bead blasted texture promotes a nice uniform coating of carbon buildup that acts similar to a ceramic coating providing an insulating layer

Getting rid of sharp edges is certainly going to lower risk of detonation more so that a shiny finish but its not something you'd do in situ.

[cgk_iii]

Thanks for the tips. Honestly im doing it since im in there. Im just using this as an opportunity to clean things up. Im saving up for a 2.8L build but thats not going to be for a year or so, ive already purchased the 2.8 crank and eta rods but just need to spend the money on the machine work. I figure while I've spent this much money and time already i may as well not be lazy about it and clean it up.

Going to head to Home Depot tonight or tomorrow and get a brass brush and then get some carb cleaner from the auto store and hopefully have some results by Wednesday. I'll keep you all posted.

Running HD rockers, 274 bimmerheads regrind, all new hardware, and about to purchase a sssquid chip so hopefully that will hold me over for now, in regards to HP, until i save enough money for the machine work.

[cgk_iii]

I cleaned the top of the block/pistons with a brass wire wheel on a drill. It's important to get a brass wire wheel due its softness.

Pic from my thread:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...5&postcount=22

That looks real good!