Cylinder surface rust removal

[88BB8B]

Hey friends. So the block had bearings run through its oil passages, so naturally I pressure washed the heck out of it. Before I was able to get the cylinders dry, very minimal rust formed on the cylinders.
They have already been honest and are at max spec with my pistons so I don't want to have to hone again. Would CLR work? Or something else that can dissolve the rust without abraision that would mess with the crosshatching? Any help would be greatly appreciated

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[SpankyStokes]

I would use some wd40. Plus it’s also a rust inhibitor.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

I don't know if it's the quality of the photo, but those cylinders look pretty bad as they are. Adding rust just makes it worse - you can't replace the metal that oxidized, it will cause accelerated wear.

 

[88BB8B]

Thanks guys. I will try WD-40.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Find one of those rust removal lasers.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

I'm going to agree with @Canadian_CD9A

See those vertical scratches? That will affect your ring sealing. I'd re-hone it. If you take 0.001" off it will still be fine, assuming your specs are still close... got specific measurements?

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I would run a flex hone thru it quickly and see how the vertical scratches look and it will also get rid of the surface rust. My preference is ATF for cutting fluid and inhibits rust but each hole will need recleaned THOROUGHLY afterwards. Its not going to make enough difference on PTW or ring gap to NOT do it. I think you could get a BETTER crosshatch so it wouldn't hurt.
As for the scraching, I have had some from rings butting up but they turned out ok after a good hone. Just don't line your rings up with any of those that still exist.
Just my opinion.
Marty

 

[donniekak]

Run a hone through there with wd40 to get rid of the rust and freshen up the crosshatch.

Then wash the block with purple power and a hose never letting it dry.
When it's time to dry the block use wd40 and compressed air at the same time. Exposed iron will flash rust.

 

[88BB8B]

I appreciate the replies. Honing again isnt really an option unless I want a poor seal and potential slap. The pistons are coming in at 0.0035" and they are not 2618 so that is already at the high end. What I did was I used this stuff from canadian tire. Its called Rust Cure it says its non corrosive. Its an oily arisol substance and it + a plastic brillo pad really did the trick. I am thinking that the current bore size and hone job will work better than re-honing at the expense of a good ptw clearance.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Just make sure you 110% clean those bores and anyplace little particles could have gotten after using a plastic brillo pad.
I also am not sure if it is just the camera angle but the crosshatching isn't what I think will be a good seal. That may just be the picture but I'd give it more degrees if it were mine.

 

[88BB8B]

I certainly wiped the hell out of them after that until the scott towels came out perfectly clean. I feel like the pictures don't do the cylinders justice. They feel very gritty on my fingernails, almost like sandpaper.

I had a seperate question. If anybody has used scott towels to clean their motors for assembly. They don't leave much lint but they do leave very small almost microscopic pieces behind. I did my best to rid tge build of these with brake cleaner and cimpresed air, but there are inevitably a few left behind.
Are these tiny, tiny peices of soft fiber really capable of destroying the critical hard metal surfaces in the motor? I've heard scott towels are motor assembly safe.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Here is a good READ as a reason why I never use a scotch brite pad or any other for that matter unless on a rail gasket surface or such. Only an opinion but a good read. It kinda shows all sides.
Marty

 

[donniekak]

Iron oxide is an abrasive. Anything other than disassembly, mechanical removal of the rust, and a good cleaning will have oxide grit in the oil damaging bearings and the cylinder walls.

A hone can clean that up only opening the bores up a tenth or two.