Chuck’s engine build thread!

[idahovette]

Oven cleaner has worked for me in the past.......may NOT be environmentally friendly?......... Spray it on, let it set for 20-30, minutes hose it off

 

[Radiohead]

Super Clean and oven cleaner work great but don't get it on any aluminum because it will etch and dull it. Be careful of overspray and you should be good. Take care to thoroughly rinse where the glop goes (driveway, sidewalk, road gutter) so you don't leave a greasy residue and lose all your good neighbor points.

 

[ChuckN]

Super Clean and oven cleaner work great but don't get it on any aluminum because it will etch and dull it. Be careful of overspray and you should be good. Take care to thoroughly rinse where the glop goes (driveway, sidewalk, road gutter) so you don't leave a greasy residue and lose all your good neighbor points.

It’ll have to happen in the garage. I think I’ll set down some old blankets and towels and just plan on pitching them afterwards. The concrete is already stained so it’s not a big deal at this point. I like the ideas of the tank sprayers- they’re cheap and could be reused.

 

[xm20k]

If you wanted it to not rust and have a super hard finish that resists chipping, peeling etc. once clean and dry hit it with some POR 15 it isn't cheap, but it won't come off easy and will encapsulate any miner rust you cover with it.

Pardon Our Interruption

Pardon Our Interruption

VHT works as well but I find it to not be as tough of a finish.

Also, if anyone uses POR 15 don't get it on your skin unless you want to wait 2 weeks or more for it to wear off, ask me how I know better yet don't that crap sucked.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Agreed on VHT not being as tough. It still looks good 5yrs later but anywhere I've sprayed brake clean (like doing brake jobs or cleaning up leaks/spills) had to be resprayed periodically. Another option is Eastwood's rust encapsulator/frame coating. I used it on my Ram and it looked great and seemed to dry into a really nice hard shell coating. But it's just like POR15, don't get it on ya cuz it will still be there 4mo later

 

[Radiohead]

Imagine how the rust feels, never being able to sleep and all...

 

[ChuckN]

I have used VHT Roll Bar paint, it’s fairly tough. I’ve heard a lot of good things about POR 15 but I think it needs a top coat- UV rays will eventually take their toll (probably not a big deal in an engine bay).

I have a case of Rebuild Black from Vice Grip Garage. I might test its resistance to brake clean on a random chunk of metal.

 

[legopnuematic]

I have had good success with rustoleum flat or semi gloss black, the tall silver professional cans. I did the wheel tubs on my 76 eight years ago, DA'd down to bare, quick wipe and sprayed, no primer. This is what they look like after daily driving the truck from 2018 to 2023, hardly washed, driven in all seasons, etc.

 

[Ricko1966]

I've used the weed sprayer method myself a few times and I've also used a pump up concrete sprayer. I've used diluted super clean and I've used diluted HF water-based parts washer solvent in the sprayer. I wish I could say what worked best,but I honestly can't remember.
If you do POR15, do the prep. Water based cleaner phosphoric acid wash,POR 15 top coat. I'm not a believer. Its smoke and mirrors. The prep is the magic not the topcoat. It's an old 3 part system re boxed and introduced as new magic.They used to paint bridges this way 100 years ago.
I couldn't find my concrete sprayer online looked at this one but it doesn't say what diameter hose. A good concrete sprayer has a lot bigger hose than a garden sprayer so it can deliver some volume. Mist on your solution,let it soak wash it off with as much volume and pressure as you can get.

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[ChuckN]

I've used the weed sprayer method myself a few times and I've also used a pump up concrete sprayer. I've used diluted super clean and I've used diluted HF water-based parts washer solvent in the sprayer. I wish I could say what worked best,but I honestly can't remember.
If you do POR15, do the prep. Water based cleaner phosphoric acid wash,POR 15 top coat. I'm not a believer. Its smoke and mirrors. The prep is the magic not the topcoat. It's an old 3 part system re boxed and introduced as new magic.They used to paint bridges this way 100 years ago.
I couldn't find my concrete sprayer online looked at this one but it doesn't say what diameter hose. A good concrete sprayer has a lot bigger hose than a garden sprayer so it can deliver some volume. Mist on your solution,let it soak wash it off with as much volume and pressure as you can get.

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Concrete sprayer sounds like a good plan.

I’m not going down that road with POR-15 then. Kudos to you all that have used it- I don’t have the patience for that kind of prep in a truck that won’t have show quality anyway.

The block is still at the machine shop and likely will be for a while. His main guy that does boring/ etc is stranded out in the county with the flooding. It’s a good reminder that I have small problems compared to others and I’m thankful to even have a project like this to work on, even if it takes me a year to get it back on the road. A lot of people have been affected by the floods and landslides and I thank my lucky stars.

 

[ChuckN]

In my (very) spare time, I’ve been watching this playlist from Jim’s Machine Shop on YT. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgKs8wgBcfDyiHYbLrVqwfyjd3SIe2W8x&si=XuM4-Br_fgR-ZtmN

It’s humbling how much work can go into an engine build. Just watching the crankshaft episode alone was eye opening. Watching the machining on the deck and how easy it is to make a tiny miscalculation, and also the effect of “stacked tolerances “ when a thousandth here or there can really add up when it comes to quench, etc. I hope my machine shop is 3/4 as good as this guy! And it also makes me want to spend the extra money to have them install my bottom end so when some tolerance is inevitably out of spec, they can address it and make it right.

 

[legopnuematic]

Yeah the “cleaning guy” at JAMSI knows his stuff pretty well.

I do think it is funny how everyone wants to build an engine, almost no one wants to build an automatic transmission themselves, despite there being far more tight tolerance conditions that need to be met for an engine than an auto trans (older stuff at least). Not only are there the actual dimensions and clearances, there is also roundness, taper, etc that needs to be checked, up to 8 or 16 times.

An old torqueflite transmission for example, the front end play spec has a tolerance of .069” (.022-.091”)! That’s over a 1/16th of an inch! And everything is meant to be adjusted with selective components to achieve the proper clearances/end plays.

Enough babbling, back to the regularly scheduled broadcast.

On the flooding, a member on another forum that has a shop in Mount Vernon, WA shared some photos of the flooding, spooky stuff. It’s been about six years since we have had a big river flood out here.

 

[Ricko1966]

Concrete sprayer sounds like a good plan.

I’m not going down that road with POR-15 then. Kudos to you all that have used it- I don’t have the patience for that kind of prep in a truck that won’t have show quality anyway.

The block is still at the machine shop and likely will be for a while. His main guy that does boring/ etc is stranded out in the county with the flooding. It’s a good reminder that I have small problems compared to others and I’m thankful to even have a project like this to work on, even if it takes me a year to get it back on the road. A lot of people have been affected by the floods and landslides and I thank my lucky stars.

I wasn't necessarily recommending that particular concrete sprayer,do your own research as to the one you like. The one I have has a hose I.D. of approximately 1/4"-5/16ths the garden sprayers are like 1/16th. After stuff is clean there's not much more prep to topcoat with POR 15 or the kool-aid of your choice just spray it with a phosphoric acid wash. Depending on what wash and what topcoat,then another rinse and apply the topcoat. If the wash is Ospho,and the top coat is a ruetoleum style paint. Just let the wash dry then topcoat. POR 15 after your water based clean,then it's metal ready prep wash,rinse,dry,apply POR15.

 

[ChuckN]

Yeah the “cleaning guy” at JAMSI knows his stuff pretty well.

I do think it is funny how everyone wants to build an engine, almost no one wants to build an automatic transmission themselves, despite there being far more tight tolerance conditions that need to be met for an engine than an auto trans (older stuff at least). Not only are there the actual dimensions and clearances, there is also roundness, taper, etc that needs to be checked, up to 8 or 16 times.

An old torqueflite transmission for example, the front end play spec has a tolerance of .069” (.022-.091”)! That’s over a 1/16th of an inch! And everything is meant to be adjusted with selective components to achieve the proper clearances/end plays.

Enough babbling, back to the regularly scheduled broadcast.

On the flooding, a member on another forum that has a shop in Mount Vernon, WA shared some photos of the flooding, spooky stuff. It’s been about six years since we have had a big river flood out here.

Man, I hope he’s ok. On the way to work I drive over the mighty Skagit. Last Thursday, as I drove over the bridge I said a little prayer for those levies to hold. The later level was dangerously close to the top of them.

 

[legopnuematic]

Here is a snippet of their post from yesterday:

Thanks Tim! That about sums things up.

We are currently on level 2 flood watch. Last week we were under evacuation orders. We were some of the last to roll out of downtown after doing sand bags all day.

Ive also been dealing with rain water control and keeping it out of the shop and getting organized enough to work. Minor fixes to windows. Etc. Nothing crazy.

Hopefully back soon with more updates.

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Hopefully things start receding, flooding isn’t any fun.

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