I started cleaning up the engine deck for the new heads. This is a low mileage car so most of the MLS gasket came off real easy. A no lint rag and some carb cleaner got most of it. I only had to break out the plastic ice scraper a couple of times. The exception was above the lifters and up onto the valley cover mating surface. the valley cover itself was full of corrosion and pitting. I initially tried to clean it with the scrapper and a green scotch bright pad (the grocery store variety) with some WD40. Upon closer inspection it appears to be pitting. Is this common? Can I proceed? This is my first build with an aluminum block so not real sure what to make of it. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

This is what I am seeing





More of the same

 

Non critical machined surfaces that air/moisture have been able to get to over time corroding them. Don't even sweat that.....keep moving forward

-Tony

 

Thank you sir. That's the 1st bit of good news I have heard all day. I appreciate you taking the time to take a look.

 

Scotchbrite on an area that is adjacent to internals??

 

When I was working at the dealership we would run a light coat of Silicon over the pitting then scrape it off leaving the pitting filled. This just helped improve the amount of surface area the gasket has to seal up to.

 

I used scotchbrite on the mating service for the valley cover.

 

Thats not a bad idea. Thanks!! The car only has 25K miles on it. I was a bit surprised to find that.

 

FWIW, that looks like chlorine attack.

 

some serious abrasives in it, that I'd certainly not want in the oil system....

 

Hmmmm. Any idea how it might have happened and how to prevent it going forward?


FYI: Watching your build thread. Wish I could have afforded those MMS 220 heads. Cant wait to see what it does when your done!!

 

I can't think of how chlorine could have got there unless someone used chlorinated solvent on it, didn't rinse it, and installed the valley cover while still wet. I think getting it cleaned up like you are is your best defense. And thanks! It's been a fun one

 

Great info. I'll just get it real clean. I am replacing the valley cover with a new one. The old one was extremely oxidized (at least thats what it looked like) and there was a lot on pitting on it.