2G What in the.. Can anyone tell me what this is?

[bstaley]

Been working on my 95 talon awd. I knew it needed a new water pump as I could see it leaking down the front of the motor. I pulled the motor, torn the front down, got the water pump out and found the attached pictures. What is this? It's kind of spongy and rust colored. Did I just uncover a bunch more work? WTF

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[dustyboner]

thats rust from the block. it just really really bad. it starts flaking off in big chunks. I just got finished changing out a block in a 67 IH scout because its original block had rusted thru in a spot. When i pushed on the spot it was spongy and coolant would leak out

 

[97egl]

Did I just uncover a bunch more work? WTF

At a minimum I would say you need to have it hot tanked. If you're going to be pushing this engine (racing) I would really recommend a new block. With rust that bad structural integrity of the cylinders has been compromised at least somewhat. When you have it hot tanked you may find that it's bad enough it needs to be replaced anyways so you may just start looking for a new block to start with.

How long has it been since that engine ran?

 

[bstaley]

How long has it been since that engine ran?

At least 12 years

 

[MidLifeCriTSIs]

The issue here being not so much JUST the block, but in fact EVERYTHING that coolant touches is likely need replaced. Oil Cooler housing, Head, Block, radiator, turbo, thermostat housing and sensors, over flow tank, heater core, all the lines. Im likely forgetting something.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Any ALUMINUM parts will be dirty but they may be salvageable. That is the worst case I have seen of a motor sitting with obviously not enuf or no antifreeze. I think I would take that sucker to the car wash ASAP and see what is under all of the crap.

 

[MidLifeCriTSIs]

Yeah he is correct above me. At the very least your going to need to disassemble and clean everything the coolant touched. A lot of the aluminum parts should come back clean with time and effort. However with the Head im not sure how you would clean out the coolant passages well enough. I imagine it is going to take a lot more time/effort ettempting to clean some of those parts over just getting new ones. Or getting used ones and spend the time cleaning them up instead Maybe a used long block is in your future

 

[bstaley]

I would take that sucker to the car wash ASAP and see what is under all if the crap.

What is the process when doing this? I've seen stuff about removing the freeze plugs and pressure washing.

It's seeming more like I'm going to have to take the head off. Is there anything I can soak the head in, if in fact it's full of junk?

Thanks for the replies so far, I'm trying not to be all doom and gloom. Hopefully under this junk it's minimal...

 

[bstaley]

At a minimum I would say you need to have it hot tanked. If you're going to be pushing this engine (racing) I would really recommend a new block. With rust that bad structural integrity of the cylinders has been compromised at least somewhat. When you have it hot tanked you may find that it's bad enough it needs to be replaced anyways so you may just start looking for a new block to start with.

How long has it been since that engine ran?

So as I researched today I found it really hard to find a place that hot tanks. Also saw on another thread that hot tanking doesn't remove the rust and instead it needs to be thermal cleaned ?! That seemed even harder to find.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

You can fill her up with CLR and let it sit. That stuff does work. I dont think it will KILL rust that is ongoing tho.
Also, you can take the head off and figure on car washing it WITH SOAP too. You will end up being a wet mess like me when i do a rebuild but it cleans them up pretty good. Much more detailing of course. I then bring them home and blow dry them with my air compressor making sure I get every nook and crevice. Your gonna get dirty but blast the head and block and blow dry them then coat the machined surfaces immediately with WD40 or any oil to prevent rusting again. Pop the freeze plugs out for sure. Gonna need to replace them anyway.
(Almost every machine shop has a cleaning tank, check with any in your area)
Pops

 

[DSMPT]

Wow that's something very extreme but I see that kinda often here where I live, and here it's hard to find a place that can hot-tank locally. So what I always do is, remove all freeze plugs and remove all rusty goo stuff as much as I can and flush the coolant passage. Then do electrolysis for a half day to 2 days (It depends how much rusty). After that, make the block completely dry and mount the block up side down on a engine stand. Then gently tap the block by a wood or plastic hammer and shaking/rotating the block, blowing air by compressor, repeat and repeat until you stop seeing rusty pieces falling off from coolant holes on the block.
And then check the cylinder wall inside of block through freeze plug holes. If the cylinders are still fine, go on. If not, look for another block.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[dustyboner]

So as I researched today I found it really hard to find a place that hot tanks. Also saw on another thread that hot tanking doesn't remove the rust and instead it needs to be thermal cleaned ?! That seemed even harder to find.

kalamazoo engine machine

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[motomattx]

You need to soak that block in Evaporust, you can buy it in 5 gallon buckets if need be, some machine shops buy it in 55 gallon barrels for stuff like this.

Evapo-Rust 5 gal. Safe Rust Remover ER013 - The Home Depot

Evapo-Rust Rust Remover gives new life to all your rusty household items. Evapo-Rust is safe enough to use on any rusty item including cast iron cookware, grill grates, knives, antiques and anything metal.

www.homedepot.com

The block can come out looking brand new with this stuff without damaging anything.

 

[MidLifeCriTSIs]

I am not disagreeing with what people are saying about cleaning it out, however. With THAT much rust in the lines I can almost GUARANTEE you that the block has had some of it structural integrity compromised because of that rust. I dont know if id suggest spending all the time and money and chemicals to clean out the block jsut to find 10 % of the casting has been removed/ruined. At $80 for a single 5 gallon bucket of it (this is not enough to soak a 4g63 block) you are looking at spending half as much money as a used block. Then you are still left with a block that may be weakened, and 10ish other parts that are going to need to be FULLY dissembled and cleaned.

I really suggest saving the time and effort and start looking for a used motor

If you are dead set on cleaning this one please take lots of pictures and keep us updated !

 

[russiandsmr]

Been working on my 95 talon awd. I knew it needed a new water pump as I could see it leaking down the front of the motor. I pulled the motor, torn the front down, got the water pump out and found the attached pictures. What is this? It's kind of spongy and rust colored. Did I just uncover a bunch more work? WTF

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

That’s also really why you run coolant and not water thru the block

 

[fwdmaster]

Years and years of water use

 

[twicks69]

Take EVERYTHING apart. Expect to be changing out and cleaning every single thing or replacing components. Radiator, heater core, oil cooler, all water lines, head, block, throttle body, water neck assembly, etc. Personally I would remove everything and replace. That has to be the worst block rust I have ever seen or someone put in like 5 bottles of radiator stop leak garbage. Either way your parts are trash. Salvageable with A LOT of work, but you are likely going to have less time and money in to sourcing replacement parts.

 

[pieceofcloth]

My motor was flooded over a spand of 5-10 years. A few - 5$ purple power, a 15$ 55gallon plastic drum, over nite it for a day or so, pressure wash that junk out, and use air to help. Wd40 afterwards & get the building. ....it ain't that bad, you'll be alright.