Bake or Boil block for rebuild?

When I had my block cleaned, they baked it in an oven, rather than soaking it in solution. It was a more racing-oriented machine shop, so I didn't really think about it.

Are there advantages, or disadvantages?

 

It's gotta get washed somehow...

 

Baking at temps high enough to turn the grease/sludge to crust and blasting with steel shot is pretty standard anymore. I still always clean the oil passages with brake clean and rifle brushes, blowing them with compressed air after

 

Hot tanks are also good if your in an area that the EPA hasn't cracked down on them.

 

Never had one baked and blasted but after they destroyed one of my nephews best FE blocks I don't think I want it done to any of mine.
Apparently they didn't get all of the steel short cleaned out and in the process of installing or removing the main caps with a 1/2 impact gun they stripped all of the threads out of one of the mains in the block, no enough meat left to heli-coil or insert for his use.
Wasted a 390 block with 66-427 C scratch markings, had the good CJ style main webs.

He's looking back through his collection of blocks for a suitable one for his planed stroker build.

 

The process didn't destroy your nephews block, an inept shop did.