Acid Dipping Engines

[mk1mark at gmail.com (Mark F.)]

On 6/11/05, Rick Kellner <rfkellner@snet.net> wrote:
> Larry, two questions, first does the alkaline solution affect the
> intermediate shaft bearing or will it still have to be replaced when you
> 'tank' the block?  Second, is the alkaline tank also used on the
> aluminum heads too?  I have had success cleaning heads with Purple
> Power, which is probably a weak alkaline.
> Thanks, Rick.


I didn't see Larry jump in with an answer, so I'll try to answer your
questions.  It would be a good idea to replace the intermediate shaft
bearings whenever the block is tanked - unless the shop uses a citrus
based cleaner.   Either way, the way I look at it, if you're stripping
the block down to nothing, you may as well replace the int. shaft
bearings anyways - they're cheap...

When I worked in the machine shop, my boss tried several different
alkaline and citrus based cleaners, and they were all safe for
aluminum.  My guess is that most modern hot-tank cleaner products will
be safe for aluminum heads - it just doesn't make sense to force a
machine shop to have more than one hot-tank to do different metals...

HTH,

Mark.
75
80 S
90 Audi Coupe Quattro - 10vt