Preventing block rust when servicing head

[Eric Urban]

I’m just wondering what are people’s preferred methods of cleaning blocks and is it okay to have the head off for a while? Say a week? Or should you always plan it so you have enough time to get the head on asap? If you can take a bit what should you do to protect the block?

I’ve noticed that when I use brake cleaner to clean components (different bolts, valve cover, etc) they tend to develop surface rust. Sometimes right away. Is that a problem? Is there a way to take care of that or a better chemical to use?

I was changing the head gasket on my old car but I didn’t have that much time to work on it. To make things worse a family problem popped up so the head was off for about a week. I read about putting a thin layer of clean oil on the block surface and shoving oil soaked clean rags down the cylinders with pistons at BDC.

When I first took off the head the cylinder walls were very smooth. When I was done the walls felt scaly from the oil. I tried scrubbing it off but I was worried about doing more damage than good. Small pockets of rust were starting to form on the surface of the block but I cleaned that off pretty well. However the side of the block, in the timing belt area, developed quite a bit of surface rust. Of main concern was the top idle pulley. The surface of the pulley was starting to feel pitted from the rust. I think that was all caused by over spray from the brake cleaner.

The repair worked but soon after the car developed a host of other problems. Brake fluid was leaking past piston cups in master cylinder, cv shafts started clicking, really hard auto transmission shifts. So I just scrapped the car.

The car wasn’t important. I just ripped it apart for the learning experience. I don’t think I did that good of a job. So I’m hoping for some tips that might help me do a better job when I need to do this and the car IS important :cheer:

Topic

[Jared Thomson]

I would think that fogging oil would work well. Its designed to keep the inside of the cylinders lubricated when you let a motor sit. Get some and grind a piece of metal clean. See if it keeps a hunk of metal from rusting for a while.

[college man]

try using wd-40. spray down the areas.then cover with plastic.

[EricTheCarGuy]

I like the layer of clean oil to help prevent rust as that is what normally what’s there to do it in the first place. Just be sure to clean the mating surface before you install your new gaskets. Also, you might cover the area with plastic to help keep moisture out.

[John Clarke]

I have used both engine oil and WD-40. I like using WD-40 a little better though. Both need to be used with plastic. And I would always hone and clean the mating surface of everything right before you do anything.

[Eric Urban]

What about crap getting down the water jackets and oil passageways when cleaning the old gasket off the block? Anything that can be done about that? Should you consider doing a coolant/oil change not long after head service or not a big deal?

[college man]

[quote=”AlsoNamedEric” post=50263]What about crap getting down the water jackets and oil passageways when cleaning the old gasket off the block? Anything that can be done about that? Should you consider doing a coolant/oil change not long after head service or not a big deal?[/quote]

When you scrape around those areas.Try scrape away from those
areas.You could also stuff lint free rags in the affected areas.
a shop vac can be used for further clean up.

[Eric Urban]

On the last head job I did I tried blocking the holes. I had some success with the oil passageways but the water jackets were too small. I was worried if I ripped off a piece of rag small enough to block the hole it’d fall in. I tried being careful scrapping away from the holes but I know some crap went down there. The gummy bits of gasket residue would stick to the walls of the block so I’m not sure how much success I had with the shop vac. I get kinda OCD when cleaning things so even when just a bit falls in it bothers me. I’m not sure how sensitive everything is and all. So mainly I’m wondering if there are any extra tips/tricks I don’t know about.

[Author]

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