Hot-Tanking Engine Parts
 

Simple question; what engine parts can and cannot be hot-tanked?

I know all AL is pretty much out of the question (I know there are places that use AL-safe chemicals; but not around here). I've also got replacement bearings for everything.

I had the engine irons, stationary gears, and rotors in mind specifically; but wonder about the e-shaft.

Anyone with experience hot-tanking any of these parts; and them being used in a running engine or one that blew afterwards, please post your experience.

i would suggest not using a hot tank for any of the internals, carburetor cleaner or a cold dip solution is the best method and some good old fashioned elbow grease.

bleh, elbow grease... hot tanking does such a better job, removes ALL paint, and it would be faster to go pick up and drop some stuff off, than doing it myself ;)

what's your basis for suggesting agenst it; the only worry I have is the effect on the coating on the irons. But you'd think being exposed to gasoline, and combustion all the time, it could stand some chemicals.

Once again, you might bring up AL being on a combustion surface... the rotor housings are coated on the combustion surface... not the rest.

Anyone else?

Out here on the west coast, I'd call Mazdatrix since they build tons of engines. They might have a definitive answer why/why not re hot tanking. Good luck.

well i washed my parts in a solvent tank then washed them in a hot water parts washer and that did the trick for me, wasn't much work but i have heard too many horror stories about some hot tanks and varying chemicals with different metals.

Maybe tomorrow when they're open; but someone has to know who'll look here in the next... ohhh... 12 hours. Plus I've searched on this topic and came up with nothing; why not get some answers in-forum.

Exactally, that's why I'm asking for someone with 1st-hand experience... hell, maybe even secondhand :P

...yup...

If you got a case of teh lazzzsss just get new parts ;)

I would like someone in the "know" to weigh in as well. I would like to have my stuff cleaned as well.

I hate to bump my own thread, but I need a mofo in "the know"

I dont have much firsthand info to give you. I've looked (briefly) into various more complex (and more expensive) cleaning equipment than what I've been using. But, due to the cost, the maintenance required, and the space taken up, Ive never went to anything else like a hot tank or automated parts washing cabinet. My current procedure is as follows, and works flawlessly; an entire shortblock can be cleaned and prepped in about 4 hours:

1) tear down; remove stat gears from irons.


2) start with rotorhousings. I use a side angle grinder that has a fine cup wire brush mounted to it. Lay the housing flat on it's side, and brush the mating surface until it's bare metal again. Be easy so as not to remove any actual material, just the contaminants and dirt and seal remnant. Take a dowel pin and run it through each hole a bunch of times using lube or cleaner to remove any gunk in there, it should move freely. Run a tap through both plugholes, 14mmx1.25. Check for any excessive pitting on the mating surfaces and coolant passages, or any cracks near the plugholes. Obviously check for wear on the compression surface...no use in cleaning a housing with some defect. IF you have any porting to do, do it now. This way, any metal left behind gets washed away during the cleaning process as well. IF you port after having cleaned, you'll have to clean again.


3)Put those into your housings cleaner to soak while you do something else. I use a simple 20 gallon tank with mineral spirits in it. The stuff doesnt really remove contaminants, but it loosens it very well, so that when something with pressure comes along it comes right off.

4) proceed to the irons. using a small flatblade screwdriver or a jewelry screwdriver, dig out the coolant seals and clean the grooves perfectly...there are 3 walls to each groove that must be dug out and cleaned. After the screwdriver, I take a rotary wire brush (flat brush) mounted to a drill or die grinder, turn it at a bit of an angle so that the "corner" of the brush gets into the groove, and go over each groove once more. Scrape off any gasket on the intake port side or (for front iron) front cover side (cover and waterpump) and remove any orings on the dowelpin area and oil filter pedestal (rear iron), and clean these areas with the same wire brush down to bare metal. Again, any port work should be done now, after checking irons out for wear and cracks in water jackets (which, btw, will be evident after the seals are dug out per my method above). Put these into your tank, too...they might not all fit at once.

5) front cover time...remove front main seal, and remove gasket material left over...I use a razor blade and the wire brush in combination. Let soak.

6) Now take everything and pressurewash it while the solvent is still wet on it. Wash the outer surfaces first, then get down into the coolant/oil passages and seal grooves and such to remove stuff that is in there. Expect to spend a good 10 minutes doing this.

7) take the stuff back and blow everything out really well with compressed air...all coolant and oil passages, intake and exhaust ports, seal grooves, everything. Now you're ready to paint, if you are going to. Remember to mask off all mating surfaces and open holes that youve already cleaned up...I use bolts for sensor and plug holes, and duct tape for ports and such.

In the meantime, take out the seals from the rotors and lay aside. Using an old side seal, rake both ways in each groove to get carbon out...first pull the seal, then push it repeatedly to dig out carbon. Expect to break some. Use a dremel tool with a brass wire cup brush (3 dollars) to get into the corner seal holes good. Take an old apex seal bottom long piece and use the flat edge (where the spring went) to dig out the apex groove floor and remove carbon..sometimes tapping it with a hammer is necessary. That shit will cut you up too, be careful.

Now use your rotary wire brush to clean off the sides and faces of the rotors. Dip in the parts tank and agitate to remove puddled up oil inside. Spray solvent into the grooves to remove carbon bits. Remove, drain as best as possible, and blow out with compressed air repeatedly all the grooves and the insides. Wipe dry.

OF course repeat the dipping and spraying with the eshaft and oil passages, stat gears, and all other misc. parts. Blow dry and wipe off.

You're now ready to assemble!

i'm too lazy to type all of that out... that's why Kevin is the man. :)


the reason i said not to use "hot tanks" is because some use an acid base and can destroy aluminum and even some treatments, the iron housings are nitrite treated and some housings are not easy to come by (T2) in decent shape so i would rather not experiment to save a few minutes worth of extra work cleaning.

good info on cleaning Kevin; probably what I'll end up doing.

...still, hot-tanking would be so easy :-P...

Thanks Kevin, that is a nice write up. I hope you have all that in a word doc for future answers.

John