hello mini enthusiasts,
i am at the stage where i would like to clean up the block and head for paint. the gearbox will be separated

whats the easiest way to clean them up with out dipping them in some sort of solution

thanks look forward to some good tips

_________________
Fried Ricer

Im up to this stage with my engine aswell , im just going to cover all the holes and bits and bobs with plastic bags and plastic bands , spray it with degreaser leave overnigth degrease it again the next day and spray it with a kartcher and a wire brush.
Then prime and spray with Vht paint.

_________________
Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle

Try the molasses (a naturally derived product) which you'll be able to find on the first page in Mini Chat at the moment.

Alternatively pay someone $60.50 (as I did last week) and have your gear hot tanked. Make sure you remove all welch plugs and fittings from your block, so the gear can do its thing!

Job done!

EDIT!!!!!

Didn't read it properly.

Supercheap degreaser - really cheap and quite effective - with a combination of stainless steel brushes, and plastic brushes depending on what you're cleaning.

Take all your ancillaries off obviously - this includes the distributor. Plug the dizzy hole with a decent rag to prevent water ingression.

Go nuts!
High pressure water to clean
Metho washdown before painting, and a good primer.

I use VHT products on all my engine stuff, but recently have used 'Squirts' brand. Good gear!
Don't use 'Export' brand for painting.

I started a similar thread about 6 months ago which led to using POR 15 Marine Kleen. See: http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic ... highlight=

At the end i also posted:
Those following this can source the POR15 Product range in Warriewood Sydney from Rob at: http://www.ppc.au.com/directions.htm or 9999 0122.

This is the agressive POR15 "Marine Clean" ($23); then followed by POR15 "Metal Ready" ($23) and engine enamel ($63). They have this too. Courier costs $12.

I didnt deal direct and went to a local distributor and got ripped off, charged about 2x the price when i looked at the receipt from my mastercard payment.

THis stuff was pretty good and as noted in the thread is a nasty. but it didnt avoid using screwdrivers, butter knife & wire brush. I don't know of any application that is 'wipe on- wipe off' (of hose off).

Hope it helps...

_________________
..still waiting for the Italian Job sequel to see if the bus went down

How dirty / oily , is the motor ? I'd block up any holes with their original bits , to save getting any water in them . Leave the dissy bolted in and tape up the cap with duct tape .

Maybe duct tape the inlet / exhaust on the back of the head , put an old set of plugs in it.
Degrease first , get it fairly clean , then into it with a wire brush on a drill or angle grinder
BE CAREFUL WITH THE GRINDER , they can be very savage to hang on to .

Take off as much old paint as you can , then wash down with either cheap thinners , or wax & grease remover then mask up and paint with a quality engine enamel .

hi all thanks for the tips

thought i might add in that the engine is pretty clean just a little dusty on the outside the paint is not event that bad but i want to change colour could i paint over it or will it flake up ???

should i just go back to bare metal?

_________________
Fried Ricer

Just so you know- molasses will NOT work on rust if the parts are greasy at all. it needs to be `clean rust' if you know what I mean.
It is a rust digester, not a degreaser.

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

This may have been mentioned but

No aluminium, diecast, or non-ferrous in molasses . They will dissolve. Also molasses will not touch paint or grease as mentioned by the Doc. So you will need to clean your gearbox with another method. I use oven cleaner or glass beads, although they are hard to remove completely

_________________
Member VMCI #19

I used a wash in kero, followed by Koala Kare degreaser from Supercheap to clean up my gearbox casing. It came up like a newly cast part. Every trace of that brown residue that forms inside the gearbox just washed off.

Its a little bit caustic so you wouldn't want to leave alloy parts soaking in it.

Tim

_________________
1951 Morris Commercial J Type Van
1955 BSA C11G
1961 Morris Mini Traveller
1969 Triumph TR6R
1977 Leyland Moke Californian

I find diesel is a better sludge cleaner (even on alloy) than kero is. You still need to use degreaser afterwards to get the hydrocarbon film off it before painting.

Bonus- diesel doesn't give me dermatitis on my hands like kero and petrol do.

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

And it tastes better with coke

_________________
Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle