8 replies to this topic

[carts60]

Wasn't quite sure if this was the right section to ask in,

BUT

I'v just stripped an engine ready for re-building it turbo style and was wondering if anybody could recommend anywhere to acid dip the engine block in the South East (SE London preferably).

Is this a job that the engine machinists could handle or a specialist job that should be taken elsewhere?

Thanks

[minilee94]

as i made a thread about this not long ago and the feedback i got is i wouldnt get an engine acid dipped all the surfaces etc etc will have to be re surfaced and cleaned off

[dklawson]

i wouldnt get an engine acid dipped all the surfaces etc etc will have to be re surfaced and cleaned off

Processes in the U.K. must be different than those in the U.S. Over here we would ask a machine shop to "hot tank" engine parts. That is a hot caustic solution, not acid. It will not eat at the metal but it will dissolve and wash away oil and grease. However, due to environmental regulations fewer and fewer shops offer the service. This leaves it up to engine builders (either pros or DIY people) to clean the block cold.

[minilee94]

yeah same i had my head and block hot washed

[scotty_18]

I'm also looking for someone to do my block Dave, will let you know if I find anything.

[TopCatCustom]

Any good/large engine builders should have the facilities to hot tank an engine, as Doug says, we normally use a caustic solution not acid.

[Retro_10s]

Both my local engine builders round here use both, caustic Dip tank that pretty much takes the whole thing back to bare metal and then a hotwash with detergent to blast the caustic dip off and degrease....

[Cooperman]

If you don't have the necessary facilities to get this done, you can follow David Vizard's recommendations and clean it thoroughly yourself. I often do this as follows:

Get a big can of 'Engine Cleaning Solvent' (Gunk, Jizer, the water soluble sort). Get an old tin bath or large plastic container and pour the engine cleaner in to about 1" depth. Put the engine parts in and thoroughly wash them using a stiff brush to get all the DGS off. The use a high pressure hose to wash the Gunk off and an air line to dry it all off.
Now clean out the bath and repeat this whole process again.
After final washing with Gunk, clean out the bath and put about 1" of 'Brake & Clutch Cleaner' in the bath and wash all the components again, drying them off with a air line at the highest pressure possible.
Make sure all the oil gallery core plugs and water jacket core plugs are removed and use a long piece of wire to pull some clean cotton rag through the oil galleries soaked in B & C Cleaner.
All the components should be so clean that in handling them no dirt gets on your fingers. The term 'clean enough to eat your dinn off' comes to mind and it quite accurate in describing nhow clean everything should be.

[carts60]

Lovely. Thanks Cooperman - always an excellent source of invaluable knowledge.

I'm going to go down to Dartford Re-Bore tomorrow Scott to see what they say. They're pretty well known from what I can tell and lots of companies outsource their machine work etc to them so chances are, they'll either do a dipping process themselves, or will know someone who does.

I'll let you know how I get on