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CHAPTER 2

TOOLS AND ENGINE CLEANING

You don’t need anything this fancy, but the roll-cart on the right contains a battery, a set of gauges, a fuel delivery system, and a safety switch for rolling up to any project and providing the necessary power. See devestechnet.com/Home/StartKartPlans for the plans to make your own version.

There are many tools required for this job. As I address each system, I will add to it. One important tool for this job is the shop manual for the year of your engine. Remember, the shop manual for your vehicle may be different from the one for the engine if the engine has been replaced. You can purchase a copy of the shop manual from many sources.

Special Tool

A shop manual is the authority on tolerances, procedures, and methods. However, it is outdated and many of the tools represented in it are either hard or impossible to find. I use modern equivalents. ■

The shop manual for the correct year of your engine will contain all the important specifications and tolerances for your engine. It is a must-have item for the rebuild. Be sure to get the shop manual for the year of your engine, not the year of your vehicle if they are different.

Tools List

• Three-gallon parts washer (or equivalent)

• Miscellaneous scrapers, brushes, Scotch-Brite pads, etc.

• 3/8- and 1/2-inch socket and open-end wrenches to 3/4 inch

• Harmonic balancer puller

• Miscellaneous screwdrivers and pliers

• Cylinder ridge reamer

• Piston ring pliers

• Shop press (for cam gear removal)

• Valve spring compressor

• Vernier calipers

• Steel number/letter stamping set

• Piston ring compressor

• 3/8-inch-drive torque wrench

• 1/2-inch-drive torque wrench

• Foldable engine hoist

• Foldable engine stand

• Feeler gauge set

• Flare tool kit

• Tube straightener

• Adjustable tube bender

• Tube cutter

• Spark plug stripper/crimper

• Electric hoist (optional)

• Electric/fuel provision

Be sure the pump is rated for petroleum-based caustic chemicals, such as kerosene, if that is what you have planned for cleaning. Most are not. I have found it necessary to replace my pump with one that is properly rated.

This is the correct tool for removal of the harmonic balancer on a Stovebolt. You attach this puller to two threaded holes on the balancer.

This tool is designed to remove the carbon buildup or ridge that is present on top of the cylinder walls that restrict the ability to remove the pistons.

This simple tool allows you to control the spread of the piston rings during installation. I use it because it helps prevent scratches on the piston and its action evenly spreads the stress.

I prefer the 20-ton model because it can be used for removal of the cam gear, U-joints, and other press-fit items. A Swag Offroad attachment works great for bending metal, too.

This model is barely long enough to reach, but it gets the job done. Be sure to center the shaft so the tool does not slip.

This is a handy tool to have around the shop for measuring pushrod diameters, bolt sizes, etc. It is as old as I am. The ones you get these days have digital readouts and can measure in standard or metric.

This is the proper 1/8-inch letter size that is good for marking piston rods, etc. As with most tools that I use intermittently, it comes from Harbor Freight.

This ring compressor wraps around the piston and serves as a guide and compresses the rings in place for proper piston replacement. Don’t forget to spread oil inside the compressor prior to starting.

It is not necessary to purchase an expensive set of torque wrenches. These are obtainable for around $20 each. You need 3/8- and 1/2-inch-drive sizes for this job.

The 1/2-inch drive is for the head bolts and heavier-duty items on the engine. Be sure to set it properly so you don’t break bolts off by accident.

The foldable engine hoist, commonly referred to as a cherry picker, is a great way to move your engine in and out of the vehicle and around the shop.

It is imperative to have a strong and stable engine stand for this extra-long 6-cylinder engine. The one I recommend is a 2,000-pound model. If you primarily work on 6-cylinders, make yourself a head like this one.

A good feeler gauge set that has at least .005 through .045 gauges is a must for this sort of work.

BrakeQuip makes a robust kit for flaring stainless steel or any other grade fuel/brake/vacuum lines that eliminate slippage.

A tubing straightener is a must if you purchase the lines in 20-foot rolls. This BrakeQuip version does a more-than-adequate job.

This BrakeQuip fully adjustable tubing bender has an intuitive design. It has a tab for clamping it in a vise.

Your shop wouldn’t be complete without a tubing cutter. Cutting stainless steel is hard on the blade. This BrakeQuip version does a good job.

Spark plug wires have changed over the years, and I have become a believer in purchasing wire kits and cutting them to length with a stripper/crimper such as this Accel version. The new low-ohm wires require a special crimping tool. This is the ticket.

This electric hoist is rated at 880 pounds. With the engine block weighing about half of that, you are good to use it to move the engine from the engine shop to the engine stand.

Selecting Modern Tools

Some of these tools are optional and can be rented from your local auto parts store or tool rental store. For example, the BrakeQuip listings are for making high-quality fuel lines, vacuum advance lines, and positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) lines. As expensive as they are, it may not pay to purchase them for onetime use. The harmonic balancer removal tool should be the one listed in the shop manual or equivalent. Common sense and perusing the shop manual will come into play here. Quality tools pay great dividends in the long run. Purchasing cheap tools may mean having to purchase them again. On the other hand, if there is a solution that works and is safe, you can use what you have.

General Cleaning Procedures

Still in inspection mode, the next step is to clean the block, head, and small parts thoroughly. You are looking for cracks in the cast iron, wear points, broken studs, etc. This requires removal of the transmission, bellhousing, flywheel, head, and all attached parts.

Once you spray brake cleaner or engine degreaser on the block, for example, most cracks become apparent. If you find cracks in the engine block, stop. It is time for a new engine block. Due to the expense of engine shop work, it is not a good idea to start with a cracked block. The same is true for the head. Replace and forget about it.

I use this to raise the engine to a cleaning height, or to place it on a cart, or to install it on the engine stand. Mounted in the right place, you can use it for installing the engine if you choose.

A spray can of engine degreaser, toothbrush, scraper, and large wire brush go a long way toward a clean engine. Be sure to chase the threads on all areas of the block and head while you are at it.

Documentation Required

The cardinal rule of vehicle/engine restoration is to label everything! Get a bunch of resealable bags, such as from Ziploc, and a Sharpie and be very meticulous about labeling. This is crucial! You need to know exactly where a bolt came from, what position it was in, etc. It’s not as necessary for valve cover screws and that sort of thing, but it’s crucial for head bolts or anything having to do with the engine, such as lifters and pushrods.

On the bellhousing, you may be able to get away with an expert cast-iron repair, but not on the head or engine. This is because of the deep heat cycles that the engine and head are exposed to. Later in this process, you will have the engine shop do a Magnaflux test on the head and block to ensure there are no cracks prior to machine work.

Cleaning Small Parts

Back in the day, you just filled a coffee can with gasoline, used a small wire brush, and called it a day. These days there are safer and more environmentally friendly chemicals. Options range from lacquer thinner, white vinegar, kerosene, and water with baking soda to parts washer solvent. Soak parts overnight for best results.

In addition, an important discovery concerns air nozzles for your compressor. You have regular, everyday air nozzles used to get rid of unwanted residue. These are generally safety nozzles. They have a center opening for discharge, but they also have two holes on each side of the nozzle. This is to prevent injury to you from too much pressure against the skin. It also prevents the nozzle from working at 100 percent. The closer you get to the work, the more air is vented off to the outside holes.

You can purchase nonventing air nozzles that nearly double the performance characteristics of the nozzle. This is for removing all the sand, residue, or whatever out of your work.

Always wear appropriate safety gear and never point any nozzle at your skin. You need to be careful with this new option, but it’s worth mentioning because it is the difference between clean engine parts and clean engine parts.

The 3½ Gallon Benchtop Small Parts Washer is a handy tool to have around. I retrofitted a Little Giant 1-YS submersible pump for this system that handles kerosene without damage to the pump. It wasn’t a difficult conversion, and it has lasted several years so far.

For this build, I used a small parts washer with kerosene as the washing agent. Kerosene, a little pump pressure, and a wire brush can really do the job. To get into hard-to-reach places, a spray can of engine degreaser (with a straw) helps break everything free.

Finally, I like to blow off everything with compressed air to ensure there is nothing hiding.

Cleaning Large Parts

If you have access to a pressure washer, clean the engine block, head, oil pan, etc., thoroughly. Or, you can do it the old-fashioned way with a scraper, a wire brush, and some engine degreaser.

You want to knock off most of the dirt before taking these parts to the engine shop because their procedure takes care of most of the final cleaning. Remember, the nicer you clean the engine, the better the paint will look, and you can sleep at night knowing your engine was done right.

Metal Blasting

Bead blast at 40 psi for the sheet metal parts. This includes the oil pan, valve cover, timing gear cover, etc. I have found through several rebuilds that doing this reveals cracks and poorly done fixes so you can address those parts. The oil pan is particularly subject to this phenomenon.

People have been known to braze holes shut or put excessive Bondo over holes, etc. I want to see exactly what is happening. Any way you can get down to the bare metal is good. If using the blasting method, be sure to clean all residue out of every orifice prior to reassembly. A good document on media blasting can be found at devestechnet.com/Home/Sandblasting.

The engine block can be grimy with caked-on dirt that is difficult to remove. Use a pressure washer if you have one, or do what I do and use an old-fashioned garden hose and a lot of elbow grease.

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