Took a afh engine to bits and going to be cleaning it over the weekend.

Is it okay to desgrease and wash the crankshaft, block and head with meguires degreaser, then air blow it.

Then spray the whole thing with WD40 and wipe it down dry.

Is this alright?

It is OK to degrease the crankshaft. I put mine in the dishwasher which got it really clean. Get it out of the dishwasher while it is still hot. Use engine oil on all seal and bearing surfaces. WD40 may not give you long term protection. Cleaning out the oil galleries is important because dirt in there, if released, will immediately land on your new bearings and scratch them. I have been using Jizer recently which worked well and then jet washed. The gearbox got really clean that way. Before I got my block bored I removed the frost plugs from the oil and water galleries so the fluids used in the boring process would start the cleaning process. Again I used the jet wash on the block concentrating on the oil galleries. Any dirt in water galleries may jam thermostats and damage water pump seals so it is worth cleaning these as well. Frost plugs of all sizes can be bought off a website. My cylinder head after being in the dishwasher twice even took off the carbon deposits in the ports. I am experienced with NZ, MH and MN blocks so I'm not sure if AFH heads have oil galleries but if they do, try to clean these out as best as you can. Leave petrol soaking to try and release any sludge from behind gallery plugs. My heads have aluminium plugs which would have to be drilled out to allow their cleaning. These plugs could be replaced by a grubscrew if that is easier. Use compressed air on every possible place but make sure the air is as dry as possible or else it may start corrosion. Just use oil where its needed. I hope this helps.

Regards Phil

Does a mini steam cleaner take out all the grime from a engine head block around camshafts etc.?

The best way to clean the block, if you can get away with it, is in the dishwasher !!!

I can't get away with that. lool

I think I I'm might buy a steam cleaner - They get quite hot . Can't see it doing any damage. SEAL wills out but valve guide left in obviously.

I just thought instead of taking it to a shop for professionally cleaning just buy a steam cleaner and do it myself and atleast the tools paid for.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11-PC-MINI-YELLO-2-STEAM-CLEANER-LARGE-350ML-1000W-ELECTRIC-PORTABLE-HANDHELD-/171103458412?hash=item27d68f946c

Edited 31 August, 201511 yr by damunk

That might just clean the outside of the block, but it's just a kettle with a spout, you'd be better off with a proper Hot pressure washer

lol @ kettle

I've seen some for around 12 pounds and it says 3 bar which isn't bad.

I wonder if leaving meguirs on the black carbon and then attacking it with the steam, its the pressure that needs to be high.

I always use petrol for cleaning the block, gearbox etc.

Hmm, you should probably try to team up with Mnenomic to develop a common api specification, so the next generation of WME might be able to use your engine?

I always use petrol for cleaning the block, gearbox etc.

I was told at college not to use petrol to clean parts (though I can't remember whether the tutor was talking about a specific component or what) also, doesn't petrol leave a tacky/sticky residue?

I don't know though, I'm pretty new to all this, relative to most of the people here, so I could be completely wrong; I could have mis-heard the tutor, oooor, maybe the tutor never even said anything of the sort and I'm subconsciously creating false memories of things that didn't happen.

Paraffin is what I used to use, for a while (before it became impossible to obtain without a licence!) was carbon tetrachloride, the nearest to that now is the spray brake/clutch cleaner, Petrol will tend to leave a sticky residue behind if allowed to just evaporate.

I always use petrol for cleaning the block, gearbox etc.

I was told at college not to use petrol to clean parts (though I can't remember whether the tutor was talking about a specific component or what) also, doesn't petrol leave a tacky/sticky residue?

I don't know though, I'm pretty new to all this, relative to most of the people here, so I could be completely wrong; I could have mis-heard the tutor, oooor, maybe the tutor never even said anything of the sort and I'm subconsciously creating false memories of things that didn't happen.

i've always use petrol to clean my carbs, rebuilt SU carbs for my mgb and mga using petrol, but use a parts cleaning at work for all bits now

Might try petrol and spray some meguirs and a wipe to take away the stickyness.

Paraffin is ideal, but anything a bit volatile works. Use a wash gun on an airline ideally and it will just cut through the grime.

If you're using petrol, make sure you're in somewhere well ventilated, or outside, as inhaling it or getting it in your eyes isn't good.

Petrol will just evaporate after a few seconds, give any mating surfaces a wipe over though.