Well this is uncharted territory to me, but I'm determined to do what I can with this build by myself for the education if anything. This a 2002 aluminum LS1.

I'm cleaning as I'm disassembling, so really just figuring it out as I go. My question is should I do the cleaning part on my own or have everything (block, heads, rotating assembly... All dissasmbled and cleaned each) hot tanked? I figure it to cost ~$40 to be done...? Or am I way off?

Or should I be fine just doing the whole thing myself with some mineral spirits?

I'm a big believer in doing it once, doing it right. So I don't want to clean the whole thing myself and find that I should have just had it "done right". I don't mind cleaning it at all as I find it fun... Just not so much fun when it's not right

Thanks,
-Tyler

 

hot tank it!!!!!!! then, go behind it and make sure all is cleaned...

 

Do you know anyone who works at a trans shop? I had a buddy that worked at one and his hot tank was awesome. If you can get it done for $40 it's worth it. Much easier and works better than making a mess with mineral spirits and brake clean everywhere.

 

My vette had 160k miles on it, lots of road grime. a can of oven cleaner and hardly any effort turned it into almost a new looking aluminum block. Worked like a charm.

Mineral spririts doesnt disolve much...and brake clean evaporates too fast. Oven cleaner is bad ***.

 

even if you have it cleaned, YOU MUST ABSOLUTELY go behind them and clean again, The shop is great for cleaning the external block, but before assembly YOU MUST clean every single inch of the inside, all oil galleys,lifter bores, valley, etc. Here is some advice for you, have the block cleaned, thats fine but before assembly, the first thing you have to do is chase every hole in the block with a tap, then blow them all out. Now its time to clean, Harbor freight has a great little brush sert for cleaning engines like 6 bucks. get that, and a stiff toilet bowl cleaning brush. With your engine on a stand, mix a bucket of hot water and soap, you can even put some degreaser in it, I do. take the brushes and start scrubbing all the galleys (the galley plugs and barbell should be out, clean, rinse,clean rinse, go over everything again and again, and keep it wet (your cylinders will flash rust in minutes, im serious) its impossible for the block to be too clean. Use the toilet brush to scrub the cylinders. Once you have went over everybit and are certain everything is as clean as you can get it, blow the water off the block, and then immediately wipe all cylinders with WD40. THEN using clean lint free paper towels and laquer thinner, or acetone,or brake cleaner wipe your cylinder walls down until you see no more debris on your paper towel, Once you start wiping you will see what I am talking about. Once its clean put another coat of WD or a light coat of clean motor oil on the cylinder and move to the next. Once you have done all of them, Re-install your galley plug or plugs and the barbell so you dont forget, then BAG the motor and its ready for assembly. This is pain, but is a must. If you dont clean the block, you will be dooming your build from the beginning. This is how I have cleaned every engine I have built and I am certain Mine were absolutely clean and you can be too,. Hope this helps you.

 

Thanks for the tips, all!

Raron, would you recommend cleaning out all the gallies (oil & water) with an air compressor before having it hot tanked?