Dirt/sand in your block?

Tossed a block in the tank today for a cleaning. Pulled the drain plugs and had to dig a pile of of dirt out to even get into the water passage. After an hour in the hot tank the outside was good but I dug a handful or two of crap out of the back end of the block. Lots of digging and blowing with a lance it looks a bunch better. How much do you guys get out?

What was the block use for and on?

D1ve, stocker that was picked up bare. Seems like to piled on the back cylinders. Dug into some of it and it seemed like sand. Hate to think Henry's boys left it in there.

Scale and crud from the water. It's not unusual to see.

I've had a crap load come out of blocks before , from there and the freeze plug holes , I just kept poking away with a stiff wire and a power washer before running cleaning taps in every threaded hole then its engine brushes and more power washing , maybe I'm over anal but I like to be able to turn every bolt in all the way by hand without feeling a single glitch even the oil pan bolts , I've had machine shops dip them , some use a jet washer but none of those have ever gotten a block as clean as some good old elbow grease and a power washer.

nuclearcobra wrote:I've had a crap load come out of blocks before , from there and the freeze plug holes , I just kept poking away with a stiff wire and a power washer before running cleaning taps in every threaded hole then its engine brushes and more power washing , maybe I'm over anal but I like to be able to turn every bolt in all the way by hand without feeling a single glitch even the oil pan bolts , I've had machine shops dip them , some use a jet washer but none of those have ever gotten a block as clean as some good old elbow grease and a power washer.

I agree, if you wanna make sure it's done right, doit yourself.

514 crate performance build from FRPP.  Driver side lifter galley had a 3" or so hump twards cylinder 8.  A little poking and viola off popped a iron slag cap and about 2 table spoons of casting sand lay there.  This engine had already been run for 3000 miles.

Jetboat engines get loaded with crap all the time. I knew the PO hadn't taken great care of the 429 in mine because I had to use a sheet metal screw and 1/4" ratchet to cut through the crap in the drain holes (limited access - still in boat). It was like cement. When I got the block back from the machine shop, one side still was partially plugged with it. I drain my engine multiple times during the season. I'll let it run and pull the drain plugs to pressure flush it for a few seconds on occasion.

I have ruined more than a few flexible drill bit holders with a wire or brass brush on the end removing junk from them thin wall C blocks with a cordless drill, just cut and tape a piece of cloth to the steel end and use the pointed style wheels. I works good, as the flexible part is covered in a PVC material and doesn`t scrape the surface of the frost plug holes.

And if it`s dry clumped sand I use silicone spray to loosen it up.