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Cleaning assembly lube from block?

U

urbex

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The TL;DR - How should one clean assembly lube out of a block? Dawn dish soap good for this?

More info - Was building a 454, was a VERY low mile GM reman engine with 0.030 overbore, and was going to just clean it up, slap the same pistons and rings back in without honing the bores, and all new gaskets. I got the block painted, new core plugs installed, cam installed, and dropped a piston which bent the skirt.

Now I'm going to a 489 on this block. Since I'm going to new pistons and rings, obviously I will need to hone the cylinders. Also obviously, the assembly that's all over the inside of the block will likely do a fantastic job of holding on to honing grit...so it all needs to go. I just have never had to clean a fresh block like this, so I don't know what to use. Preferably without harming the uncured engine paint....
 
You’re sending the block off to a machine shop, I assume? Your fresh paint job may not be so fresh upon return.

There’s any number of solvents you can use to clean the block once you get it back. Clean it right, paint the block (again) after cleaning
 
Nope, wasn't planning on it. Honing it myself, and washing before and after.
 
“Purple power” or other degreased in a pressure washer, then paint it again if needed. Engine parts are more expensive to replace than paint. Not worth the risk.
 
I always try to use a steam cleaner..not a pressure washer, not a hot water pressure cleaner, a steam cleaner...

Gets the block and parts super clean, opens up the cast iron pores, and heats the parts up hot!
Most of the time a few minutes with an air hose to blow out standing water when your done and the parts will dry themselves in minutes.
Mask and paint it quickly and the heat will help dry the paint also.

To me, it's worth the time and effort to rent a steam jennie for a day...clean the engine bay, and frame as well...
 
I feel like people might not be understanding.... This isn't a greasy, grimy block or truck. This is a fresh, not run, engine block. It was completely cleaned before assembly, and painted. It has zero run time on it. I literally dropped a piston,like fumbling a foot ball, on the floor while assembling the lower end.

The only thing in it now is a bunch of assembly lube and two bores have clean oil in them. I just didn't know if I needed something more aggressive to get all the sticky assembly lube out when I wash it down again after honing the cylinders.
 
You want it clean & dry before honing it..otherwise you'll be making a paste of assembly lube and metal grit..

I'd use something like brake cleaner to wash off the assembly lube,then give it a bath with Dawn blue liquid detergent with hot water--as stated above the steam cleaning does a great job because its HOT and opens up the pores in the cast iron..

After honing it,you want to use the hot soapy water again,until a clean white towel comes out with no gray residue--petroleum based cleaners leave a lot of grit behind,soapy water works best and with hot water..

At the parts store we'd just hot tank everything for 8+ hours..takes off everything--paint,gasket sealers,sludge,etc..but we still washed the blocks out with hot soapy water before and after honing..
 
Simple green does a good job and I love the smell. But a basic dawn dish soap and water treatment or steam cleaner should do the trick.
 
Yeah just Dawn and warm water or simple green or purple power and then blow it dry with compressed air and make sure to give it a wipe down with some WD40 or ATF so it doesn't rust afterwards. I would normally use brake clean or a solvent gun and solvent but that will mess up your paint for sure.
 
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