Starting my engine rebuild

[tr7dan]

I'm just about to put my engine back together and in the process of cleaning out the waterways - how clean do they have to be ?

I've been using scrapers, screwdrivers and boiler flue wire brushes to loosen the scale and a variety of suction tools made from flattened copper tube and connected to my Henry Vac - would this be enough ?

Also, would there be any benefit in removing the large plug on the side of the block ? I guess the smaller plug is the coolant drain but what is the function of the larger plug above it ?

[Beans]

Small plug is indeed for draining the coolant from the engine.
Once tried to remove the large plug and didn't succeed, never tried it again.

As for cleaning, best way is to put the block in a special cleaning fluid to get rid of scaling rust etc.

[Cobber]

Dunno for sure, but the big plug might to allow the fitment of a heating element to prevent the coolant from freezing in seriously cold places like Alaska or northern Canada.
Oddly enough, I do actually posses such a British Playland heating element and it looks like it's about the right size to screw in there. (buggered if I know how or what such a part is doing in a warm climate like OZ, I got it in a job lot of parts) I believe you plug it it to your mains power, whilst the car is parked up over night. The one I have is 110 volt.......even more useless here in Oz as we use 240 volt mains here
Maybe some of our more arctic residing members might be able to shed some light on the subject.

[tr7dan]

Ok, thanks for that.

I won't be removing the crankshaft or pistons as the engine has not done a big mileage and was running fine before I took it out of the car so I won't really be able to have the block immersed in cleaning fluid. I think I should be able to clean the waterways by hand and by flushing as they are not badly sludged up.

Just thinking ahead a bit - the rebuild sequence in the workshop manual suggests fitting the rear seal, flywheel, clutch etc. before reassembling the front covers and head but as I have the engine mounted on a stand I presume there's no reason I can't do it the other way round and fit the rear components last ?

Lastly - is there anywhere I can obtain oem quality gaskets and seals ?

Thanks all

[Cobber]

Most quality gaskets and seals would easily exceed BL's OEM standards!

[saabfast]

Do the waterways look scaled at all? There are vehicle descalers although they are normally added to a running engine and circulated hot. An alternative may be kettle descaler solution poured in and left for a few hours, then rinsed out through the block plug.

[Beans]

... the big plug might to allow the fitment of a heating element to prevent the coolant from freezing in seriously cold places like Alaska or northern Canada ...

I had a look at the parts manuals and the plug is indeed labelled as CDN in the later manual (1979 onwards).
Though plug seems to be fitted to all early cars

[FI Spyder]

Yes, back in the day on the Prairies, every car/truck had a block heater or they weren't going to start on many winter's day even with thinner "winter' oil in them. Out on the West Coast they were a "novelty".

If you are going to get the block bored out, engine rebuilders have a hot dip they put the block into to clean out all the scale to make it look like new. If you aren't. you could ask them what it would cost for them to do just that. Any chemical solution I would think would not good things to cylinder bores. Not sure how any partial measures would work ie. cleaning exterior and water courses only with out the dip.

[tr7dan]

Just starting to assemble all the parts for my cylinder head but I don't know what part no ULC1814(2) is ? I can't find anything in my parts boxes that look like that and the spares list describes it as 'stud'..... which doesn't seem right.

Anyone any idea ?

Thanks

[Rich K]

Hi Tr7Dan,

My guess would be that those tabs are something to do with the fuel injected version of the engine as the diagram you posted shows the air injection pipework. Maybe they locate pipework that runs across the front if the engine?

Rich.

[tr7dan]

Ok, thanks Rich - yep, I can see that is probably right.

[FI Spyder]

I'll look at mine later today but that isn't an FI fuel rail (that's bove and on the other side), it's an air injection rail. The air pump connects to it and it injects air into the exhaust (for emissions). People who don't have air care, often take it off and plug the holes with bolts.