Over the weekend I cleaned up block. On the deck surfaces I used a scotchbrite wheel on a drill at low speeds. On some stubborn areas around water jackets I used a scotchbrite wheel on a dremmel. It was a bit more abbrasive. When I was finished all looks good and clean.

What has me worried this morning is that a read a little further in my "How to Rebuild Small-Block Chevy LT-1/LT-4 Engines"; it states "DO NOT use an abbrasive material such as Scotchbrite, since it's easy to create waviness in the deck surface, especially if driven by a power tool."

I wish I had read that paragraph before I started!!

WTF - Have I screwed the pooch? What is the proper way of prepping the heads? I thought I was doing good. I did a SBC about ten years ago and think that I cleaned the deck surface the same way with no problems at all. Any feedback appreciated.

Thanks - Don

 

Depends on how agressive you were with it.

Ive done it the same way a few time, but always did it when I was using a composite head gasket. I'd never do it on a copper or MLS, just personal preference. I know people who did it regardless and just sprayed their gasket with copper and have had no issues. This all on 4cyl heads known for blowing gaskets if there were any imperfections in surface prep.

 

Proper way w/o taking it to a machine shop is just a razor blade and gasket cleaner.

Those scotchbrite wheels also like to dump metal shavings into parts of the engines where they don't belong.

Did ya screw the pooch? Only one way to find out

 

I would say it depends on whether or not you were planning to take it to a machine shop and have it decked, bored, plate honed, hot tanked etc etc in which case it won't matter. However if you were planning on just cleaning it up to replace head gaskets and/or do a heads/cam swap then maybe I'd worry but I don't think you're in too much trouble.

 

If he was taking it to a machine shop he wouldn't have bothered...

Sounds like just a head swap to me

 

The correct way to clean a deck surface without hurting the block is to use a wire wheel (iron only) - the 3" wire wheel mounted on an angle grinder is how we clean all our iron blocks and heads - it removes only gasket material and carbon.



Like was said above - depending upon how aggressive you were, you may have no problems. Typically an abrasive pad will create low spots at the bores where it rounds the edge off. Use a straight edge(at least 1 ft long, preferably the length of the deck) and check for low spots with feeler gauges - any more than .003 and you should deck the block. (MLS at .001)

 

^^Nice tip! I have never used a wire wheel for fear of marring the deck; it seemed like it would be even harsher than Scotchbrite. I have always used a gasket scraper and solvent. Next time will be easier. Thanks.

 

i use the wire wheel , mainly because it easier. I never would have thought i was doing it the correct way.