TheSamba.com :: View topic - Question about washing crank shaft before engine assembly.

Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:07 pm

I just received my crank shaft back from Rimco where I had them polish it and install main bearing #3 along with the gears. What's the best way to wash/clean the crank without washing the assembly lube out from behind the bearing? Also, what do you guys use to clean the oil passages in the crank?

I also had them check the case and drill and tap the oil galleries. They cleaned the case but didn't cold tank it so it's not nice and shiny like I was hoping. Not a big deal in the end I suppose. Anyway, what's the best method of cleaning out the oil galleries? What should I torque the gallery plugs to and what should I seal them with? Finally, in lieu of cold tanking I'm thinking of just sending my wife out shopping for a few hours while I run the case halves through the dishwasher. See any problems with this?

Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:13 pm

The dishwasher works well, mag wheel cleaner does a really nice job on aluminum cases for getting the brown stain off, you could even run it through the galleries to get the brown stuff out of there too, just rinse well with hot water after. I'd wash the crank too (hot water and detergent), you can blow out under the bearing after and force some fresh lube into the bearing through the oiling hole (big syringe from the pharmacy).

Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:22 pm

Thanks Busdaddy. Can you recommend a specific mag wheel cleaner? Is it safe to put the crank and rods into the dishwasher as well?

Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:28 pm

AB westy nut wrote: . Can you recommend a specific mag wheel cleaner??
Hmm....I'll look at the current bottle tomorrow. As for the crank and rods?,,yes, just dry them right away and oil them soon after.

Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:38 pm

AB westy nut wrote: Thanks Busdaddy. Can you recommend a specific mag wheel cleaner? Is it safe to put the crank and rods into the dishwasher as well?

no. if the bearing is already mounted to the crank, then you wouldnt want to get water under it- even if you were to push some oil thru afterwards. nothing in craftsmanship is 100% precise and perfect. just a little water will fuck it up IMO.

also, rods bolt threads do not like contaminants. motor oil is the only liquid that should touch the threads from the day they are put into service until the day they are retired from service. What happens to rod bolt threads that are contaminated is: when tightening the nut, you will not get a smooth movement of the nut- it will grab, then let go, causing the needle on the beam style torque wrench to get jumpy. by cleaning it with a solvent, you make it "squeeky kleen"

Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:04 pm

Well I guess we can agree to disagree then, I'd give it a spin in the old Maytag, there's no way the water could fully penetrate the oily close tolerance space between the bearing and the crank and a comprehensive session soon after with compressed air, a propane torch, brake clean and fresh lube would soon dispatch any errant H2o molecules IMO.

Unless you have some sort of space age 21'st century dishwasher that never ever misses a deep recess or obscured corner :wink:

Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:07 pm

sure, we can agree to disagree...

Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:30 pm

I've got to get into this one cause I spent years running that parts washer and building high end racing motors. I am with Dan on the crank as sometimes things rust while in the dishwasher. BusDaddy gets away with it cause he is BusDaddy and he has that instinct before things go wrong not after. No disrespect meant, it takes years to develop that and you are still building that skill.

The crank should not go into the dishwasher. Personally RIMCO would not have cleaned it well enough to my standards. If you are near them I would call them and ask them how they cleaned it. If they ran solvent through it, ran bottle brushes or a 22 rifle cleaning brush with clean solvent, put it together and then packaged it in plastic go for it. If they ran it over to the solvent tank and pointed the nozzle at it then blew it off with compressed air it is probably Ok but you'll never know unless it isn't. You cannot drop a crank or let it roll over and hit a piece of steel so you must treat it like a new born. If you are near to RIMCO have them pull the gear, you clean it and either put the gear on or have them do it. You get a good plastic tub that will fit the crank and put about an inch of stoddard solvent (Napa Auto) in it. You get brushes like for a 22 rifle and some HF cleaning bottle brushes. The crank sits in the tub and you scrub it in every direction on the oil holes. You blow it out with compressed air. If you want to go further you can take the solvent out and put hot as you can stand soapy water in and do it again then blow it off and spray it immediately with WD-40. Then put it together. Clean the rods the same way. The dishwasher is too much a risk.

The case is Ok in the dishwasher. You clean the galleries out with a bottle brush or shotgun brush like about .410. It gets flushed with solvent or mineral spirits and blown out. RIMCO did a lousy job cleaning our case so I took it to a local machine shop with a good parts washer and for $40 they gave it back to me like a new case. Dishwasher didn't get it that clean, I tried.

Last you won't find torque settings on the galley plugs. There are some threads that mention some but if you use those you will come close to cracking your case. All I can say is use the white loctite thread sealant, #565 I think and tighten it until it feels good and tight. I do it by feel. First time I got about 3/4 the torque mentioned by a well known engine builder and I just knew I would have a broken case if I kept going. Being hand tight firm and with the seakant you won't have a leak.

Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:34 pm

My, My, how lazy we've gotten in recent years. :lol: I scrub mine the old fashoned way. Just like dishes and pots and pans, in the sink. Hottest of water and lots of soap suds. Case, cranks, heads, and big items get the same deal in the bathtub. An assortment of stiff brushes and assorted gun barrel brushes for the oil galleries and all holes. Big time swishing while submerged and hose nozzle flush on internals. Get them real hot in the hot water rinse then shake water off and out of them. Dry in a couple minutes. And all precision wear contact surfaces also get the good sensitive finger massage while in the suds.
And that's the final cleaning. Initially it's the solvents and on some items oven cleaner. And a trip to the local coin opp car wash for hot soapy pressure wash. Not sure but oven cleaner might discolor an aluminum case.

Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:39 pm

Desertbusman wrote: My, My, how lazy we've gotten in recent years. :lol: I scrub mine the old fashoned way. Just like dishes and pots and pans, in the sink. Hottest of water and lots of soap suds. Case, cranks, heads, and big items get the same deal in the bathtub. An assortment of stiff brushes and assorted gun barrel brushes for the oil galleries and all holes. Big time swishing while submerged and hose nozzle flush on internals. Get them real hot in the hot water rinse then shake water off and out of them. Dry in a couple minutes.

I think one must watch for an extra patient wife if she is to be married to a VW bus addict. Cathy hasn't complained but rather laughed when she finds car parts in the dishwasher and sink.

Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:48 pm

Evidently she hasn't yet helped you cure high temp paint in the oven.

Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:39 am

You can't clean it now that the bearing is installed. It would just pack crud and metal dust between the bearing and the crank. How would you lube the bearing after you cleaned it?

I would have had them grind the crank, send it back to me, and I would have cleaned, prepped, and installed bearing and gear.

I guess if you're worried about it, you could pull the gear off, clean the crank, and then reassemble. This would give you a chance to check their work.

Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:54 am

Thanks for all the input guys. I think I've got a handle on it now.