I'm getting all parts ready for engine assembly. The connecting rods have areas of rust on them due to the engine sitting. Due to my limited budget, I'll need to clean these up rather than buy new. Any suggestions ? Can I use a wire wheel ? Just don't want to cause any internal balance issues. Thanks, Darrel
I would remove the rust where the bearings are at least (scoth-brite). I suppose the wrist pins are okay (rod free to rotate easily)?
Everything moves fine. Just some spots on the rods that wasn't covered in oil during it's hibernation. Bearing areas, pins are all fine. Everything moves freely. Just ugly.
try a soft round brass brush on the end of a drill.should take off the rust,without taking off any metal.
I'd use scotch brite followed up with a little steel wool. I would not use a wire wheel. Seems to me that would gouge the metal, weather you can actually see it with the eye or not. I would wipe them down with Lacquer Thinner with a lint free cloth for final cleaning before putting them in the engine.
surface rust on the beams just scotchbright the heavy stuff, so no debris gets in the oil pump. i would not try to make them shine as this might warp them. a lil surface rust will not hurt there performance at all. Ive put many motors together with a lil rust on them and had no problems. jmo
"00" steel wool dipped in some light oil should work if the rust is not to heavy. A soft wire wheel on a drill or bench grinder, should not damage anything but the rust. Cleanliness is the key to a reliable engine, I would wash all the parts in solvent and blow dry, use soap and water on the bores and scrub the hell out of them. Rinse with hot water and wipe dry immediately. A cloth, saturated with ATF or Marvel Mystery oil, works great for swabbing out the bores. Then use a new white cloth each time and you will see just how much residue is left in the bores, even after a fresh machining job. May have to use as many as 5 or 6 different cloths on each bore before one comes out clean. Marvel Mystery oil is one of the best rust inhibiters I have ever used on cranks, rods and especially blocks, that need to be stored in high humidity area's like we have around here, put some in a small spray bottle and have at it.
What do you guys think ? We use a nickle safe acid at work when we rebuild water coolers, ice machines, coffee machines etc. to clean calcium deposits and residue. I was thinking of using this to clean my rods and valves.
If you are talking about a stone type hone like a three leg glaze breaker, no I would not, Use a scotch brite or 180 emery cloth only. Don't want to get those bores out of round with a hone, or to big, to let the bearing shells spin etc,
