What's the best way to clean a block while preserving the babbitt in it? Block has light surface rust, but water passages appear to be clean. I know the block will have to be bored O.S., and valve train freshened, but other than this, babbitt looks good and I have a crank that fits within tolerance.
Take it to an engine machine shop or transmission shop and have it cleaned in a jet wash machine using non caustic soap solution. I use such a machine to wash my engines for assembly without damaging babbit or aluminum parts.
Erik
Best to refit the main caps as well, if the block gets dragged about on a bench etc with out the caps on it, can damage and peel the suckers off the block.
Terry, I scrape and wire brush all that I can get loose then wet down with a degreaser I found at a truck parts place called black magic, this stuff works better than any thing I've tried in years. I was going to use a pressure washer but found a water hose did the job. This product is supposedly bio degradable but must be diluted at least 4-1 and says to not apply full strength to aluminum. Good luck. KGB