Cleaning Plenum...?
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Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Des Moines, Iowa
Cleaning Plenum...?
hey guys... I have the rotating assembly together for the most part and am down to cleaning and putting back together all the small stuff. My Plenum is supper oily/greased up on the inside. Any tips to clean it out? liquid solutions to soak it in that will eat the grease off? The below pics are update pics from the build on the 351w for anyone that is following...
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Des Moines
Nice looking motor so far!
Your best bet to get the plenum clean really well is to take it to a machine or radiator shop and have them boil it clean. That will get the inside really clean and it's not very expensive. I think the last time I had it done it ran me about $35.
Your best bet to get the plenum clean really well is to take it to a machine or radiator shop and have them boil it clean. That will get the inside really clean and it's not very expensive. I think the last time I had it done it ran me about $35.
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Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Des Moines, Iowa
thanks... I put a melling oil pump in and thought this thing is going to be a pain in that **** to replace later (one of the bolts had to be put on with a open end box wrench and I only could tighten about a 1/4 turn at a time...) found out they are rebuildable and you just take the bottom off with pump still in truck... thought that was handy and a good way for Melling to sell their rebuild kits.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Hudson Valley, NY
if not going for the hot dip .. simple green or some industrial degreaser (usually sold for use in pressure washers) .. I use about a 50/50 mix (w/ water) .. let it soak .. then rag it clean ..
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Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Des Moines, Iowa
I already took it to the local machine shop for the soak/wash and it didn't really help the inside of the plenum... and that's what I am worried about all the old dirty grease from the inside of the plenum falling into my freshly rebuild motor... Ick!
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Hudson Valley, NY
another idea? ..
take it to one of those DIY pressure washer car wash places .. after soaking for a day or two as noted above .. and have a blast
I also have an attachment for my pressure washer for sand blasting .. not he best tool as it gets clogged with wet sand every 10 min or so .. and you have to be sure to get all the sand out when your done ..
edit:
surprised the soak/wash at the machine shop didn't do it .. was it the 'caustic' bath ?
also look for 'caustic' (on the warning label) of the degreaser (simple green won't work here, too environmentally friendly) ..
take it to one of those DIY pressure washer car wash places .. after soaking for a day or two as noted above .. and have a blast
I also have an attachment for my pressure washer for sand blasting .. not he best tool as it gets clogged with wet sand every 10 min or so .. and you have to be sure to get all the sand out when your done ..
edit:
surprised the soak/wash at the machine shop didn't do it .. was it the 'caustic' bath ?
also look for 'caustic' (on the warning label) of the degreaser (simple green won't work here, too environmentally friendly) ..
Fleet Mechanic
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From: Fort Worth
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Posting Guru
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From: southwest michigan
We did this on a few tractor engine rebuilds. Soaked them down with engine decreaser, then a hot pressure washer bath, worked well.
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Post Fiend
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From: Bonita Springs FL
Then find a different shop. Mine was filthy, inside and out, when I pulled it and when I got it back you could have eaten out of it.
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From: Central Mississippi
Could you give some info/details on this? I've heard about them but haven't found one.
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Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Des Moines, Iowa
I think they put it in a big dishwasher looking thing. I should have taken it to a bath... I was going to get some "caustic" stuff myself but am unsure of what is safe for aluminum... And will a caustic bath eat out the freeze plug on the plenum? And if I use a caustic will a plastic rubbermaid work to soak it in? I have lots of greasy parts (for different projects) and the good shop for cleaning is on the other side of town so let me know if I can do this Caustic thing myself!
Thanks Guys!
Thanks Guys!
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Hudson Valley, NY
I have the 3500psi version .. used it to blast the frame before painting .. works good, put it does get clogged every so often .. I found that elevating the sand bucket helps to keep the water from getting to the sand in the feed tube .. I put it up on my 'rolling garbage can' that many of the trash haulers provide nowadays ..
also I found, after some trial and error, that using masonry sand works best (some recommend 'black beauty' though I never came across the stuff) but I have to 'filter' it as it has some larger particles that will clog the gun .. I just use a piece of window screen in a wood frame I knocked together and sift the sand through it into a bucket .. keep the sand in the driest location you can find .. I store mine in my utility room ..
play sand (like for the kids sandbox) is too wet ..
NorthStar High-Pressure Abrasive Blasting Kit Handles up to 3500 PSI | Air Accessory + Tool Kits | Northern Tool + Equipment
General Pump Heavy-Duty Abrasive Blasting Kit — 5500 PSI, Model# DWSDBTK | Wands | Northern Tool + Equipment
also I found, after some trial and error, that using masonry sand works best (some recommend 'black beauty' though I never came across the stuff) but I have to 'filter' it as it has some larger particles that will clog the gun .. I just use a piece of window screen in a wood frame I knocked together and sift the sand through it into a bucket .. keep the sand in the driest location you can find .. I store mine in my utility room ..
play sand (like for the kids sandbox) is too wet ..
NorthStar High-Pressure Abrasive Blasting Kit Handles up to 3500 PSI | Air Accessory + Tool Kits | Northern Tool + Equipment
General Pump Heavy-Duty Abrasive Blasting Kit — 5500 PSI, Model# DWSDBTK | Wands | Northern Tool + Equipment
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2006
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From: Central Mississippi
Ditto, I have a homemade sandblast cabinet that I've done the same with for years.
Haven't blasted a ford intake, by the way, but others, yes.
Postmaster
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From: raymond alberta
that big dishwasher looking thing was probably a varsol parts washer...we have one at the shop and let me tell you, they are great, from some things...getting the inside of your intake plenum clean is probably not one of them...considering they ARE and overgrown dishwasher iw would be like putting a closed tuperware container inside your household dishwasher...the parts the water jets can get water to will come clean, but the rest wont...
you need to find a machine or rad shop that will boil it...then all surfaces of the plenum will be cleaned, not just the outside
we have one at the shop...and like i said, for some things they are amazing...plop your parts in set it and forget it...but it cant reach the inside of intake plenums for example, so while it will get the outside squeeky clean, the inside will be pretty much untouched
you need to find a machine or rad shop that will boil it...then all surfaces of the plenum will be cleaned, not just the outside
we have one at the shop...and like i said, for some things they are amazing...plop your parts in set it and forget it...but it cant reach the inside of intake plenums for example, so while it will get the outside squeeky clean, the inside will be pretty much untouched