How do you clean an engine?

[Cobradavid]

On my current project (http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?13813-Garage-Buddy), my daughter and I started taking apart the engine (200 cid inline 6) for the rebuild. We've removed the head and next weekend we'll drop the oil pan and remove the pistons, crank, cam, etc. There's lots of sludge on the valve train and I suspect there will be more on the bottom.

So, how do you guys clean the gunk out of the engine? Do you use any specific chemicals or any special processes?

David

[edwardb]

Assuming it's not aluminum, I'd take it to an engine shop and have it hot tanked. Can't be that expensive and you will never get it that clean.

[WIS89]

Assuming it's not aluminum, I'd take it to an engine shop and have it hot tanked. Can't be that expensive and you will never get it that clean.

+2. I think you could spend a great deal of time, and not a small amount of money on various cleaning agents, and you will have a hard time approaching what they could do for you. Not only that, but you would probably want to do something with the sludge that you get out of the engine at home. Maybe that's not a huge problem, but in some parts of the country, it could be problematic.

Regards,

Steve

[CraigS]

Hot tank is the best way to go. It not only gets the stuff you can see but also the stuff in passages you can't see. Have them remove all the freeze plugs and any oil galley plugs and then have them install new ones after the cleaning. I always have them do the install. It seems simple, but they do it every day and know what the best sealer is for each type of plug.

[skullandbones]

This is probably a requirement instead of opinions. If you follow the advice so far you will be miles ahead on time saved as well as unforeseen issues. The residual "rust" in the block even a well cleaned one will come back to haunt you later if you don't have it hot tanked. It just takes a little of this left over contaminant to run through your whole system on the first start to mess up all the new components on the inside. Money well spent! WEK.