Engine block - corrosion to face and a blocked waterway?

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Hi all,

My cylinder block face is a bit corroded and very dirty, what's the best way to clean it up and prepare it for bolting back together? The chap doing my cylinder head suggested that WeldSeal is what they use on the corroded areas in these instances, anyone have any other suggestions?

Also, in the picture attached you'll see what I think is a blocked waterway (circled in red), area is corroded also, I don't want to keep digging until i have confirmation that this should be open..... does anyone have a piccy of a 3B block for comparison?

Cheers,

Gareth

[terrybullwon]

Where are you in Hampshire?

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Chandlers Ford.... between Winchester and Southampton.

[terrybullwon]

Um... bit far away from me. I am in Lymington

[AndyP]

I don't think the part you've circled should be open, so stop digging.

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Yeh, was starting to think it was just corrosion, I only scrapped the corrosion away for starters, no proper digging yet thankfully.

So now I'm leaving that alone how best to clean up and smooth out / remedy the corrosion prior to gasket and head refitting?

So far I've used wire wool and some very fine wet and dry.....

Thanks.

G

[JP]

Was it on a paper Headgasket?

Quite common on engine that have had too little coolant concentration. Personally I'd deck the block by 3-4 thou just to ensure the fire rings seal 100%. And upgrade to a mls gasket.

If you don't want to deck it then use a rubber abrasive cleaning block. This way you only polish the deck rather than create an uneven deck surface like you do with wet and dry.

As for the hole if its meant to be there it will poke through extremely easily. If you have to scrape away to try and poke through then it is not meant to be.

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Yes, original paper gasket.

[DS2]

Yes

its closed on a 3b block. i dont have a pic right now but im looking at it, so 100% sure