Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

Back in another life I was an automotive machinist, and back when cleaning solvents and chemicals still had the "nasty" stuff in them we offered a de-rusting service.
The block was immersed in a HOT caustic solution that pretty much chewed the rust loose. Then it was blasted in a rotating spray cabinet. The block & heads would come out like the day they were cast.
Check with the machine shop if this is still available.

As far as storing it away I've got a few tips:
* Start collecting dessicant bags - those little bags that say "DO NOT EAT" - they come shipped in a lot of stuff.
* Put a light smear of engine oil on the mating registers, bolts, and install the main caps. Torque to about 30 ft/lbs.
* If it's a machined surface - it gets a smear/coating of wheel bearing grease - and I mean every machined surface inside & out.
* After greasing, spray the rest down with machine/engine oil - not WD40 or a penetrant. These will dissolve the grease.
* Stick a bunch of the dessicant bags around the block, and wrap it in a heavy duty plastic bag.
* Store the block on the bellhousing flange on wood blocks (up off the floor) in an area that doesn't have repeated & rapid heat/cool cycles (condensation).

It'll be a bytch to clean it up when it comes time for "finish/rebuild" machining, but this should save it.

The machine stop said to clean it as good as possible for the time being, then they said to spray it with LPS #1 to dispense any moisture, Then after a day or so, spray it down with LPS# 3.
After the PLS #3 dries it look like a layer of grease. If storing for more that 2 years, wrap it up in plastic and store it in a place that doesn't change temperature much, like an Air Conditioned garage.

I also asked this in TC. One guy said to clean and paint all outside surfaces and then spray all machined surfaces with LPS #3, wrap in plastic and use plenty of duct tape, Similar to Your suggestions John.
Sounds like the Zep product is like Boeshield; a wax product that needs to be re-applied every year according to their site.

I wonder if anyone has ever plugged the water outlets and filed it with a liquid to take away some of the rust in the water cavities. I have heard about filling it with vinegar and letting it sit for a while, then flushing it.

Shipping parts overseas we drench the parts in oils or the new stuff is from IMS for long term storage and dries to like a military coating. This is a case of if some is good more is better for coating. My heads that sat for years were sprayed with SeaFoam Deep Creep WD40 and anything else I had around at the time. When I sold them the guys complained it had to much goo on them and would not hold paint without serious cleaning.