Engine pitting and. rust question

luke72

Member
Hi guys I'm waiting my motor to get done and got some pictures, I see heavy pitting around valves and rust in the water jacket, motor supposed to be acid dipped, hot tanked and, chemical protected in the water.Jacket, but it doesn't seems, except The fact that maybe I paid for a job not done, is there anything else I should be afraid about it or just normal and I can use the motor without any problem? Didn't get the motor yet still in the workshop and since I'm not in USA hard for me in case something wrong
 

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Where is this motor being worked on and by who ?

I sent them a message,and waiting for an answer my intention at moment is not to start a **** post on them here then by purpose didn't write the shop or name in the topic at moment but it's in USA far from me
 
Let us know what reply you get on your rust removal question. Do you have any photos of block before they worked on it? Hope it works out ok.
 
I know locally to me, there wasn’t any engine machine shops that could clean my C69A in a hot tank, let alone bake it. I doubt the pitting around those valves would go away with any sort of cleaning process. Did they say they “baked” the block? Did they install new valve seats? I think most blocks have some sort of pitting, and you really can’t determine the extent of it until the block has been cleaned properly, and maybe even machined. I know after I got my block back from the machine shop, I still went ahead and cleaned out the crap inside the coolant jackets with long screw drivers, and coat hangers. The stuff that still came out was incredible even after they “cleaned “ the block. Some pics of my block. I have pitting around some of my valves, but engine runs fine so far with cam break-in finished.
 

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I know locally to me, there wasn’t any engine machine shops that could clean my C69A in a hot tank, let alone bake it. I doubt the pitting around those valves would go away with any sort of cleaning process. Did they say they “baked” the block? Did they install new valve seats? I think most blocks have some sort of pitting, and you really can’t determine the extent of it until the block has been cleaned properly, and maybe even machined. I know after I got my block back from the machine shop, I still went ahead and cleaned out the crap inside the coolant jackets with long screw drivers, and coat hangers. The stuff that still came out was incredible even after they “cleaned “ the block. Some pics of my block. I have pitting around some of my valves, but engine runs fine so far with cam break-in finished.

just got answer from the builder told me that after acid deep it has been hot tanked and then rusted , that'swhat i have ordered :

Block-Disassembled, Hotanked, Acid Dipped, Magnufluxed, Pressure Tested
Main Bore Alignment checked for size & Straightness
16 Hardened Valve Seats Installed, Lifter Bores Drilled
All 3 Deck Sides Resurfaced (off of Main Bearing Center Line)
All Cylinders Bored (off of Main Bearing Center Line)
16 Seats 3 Angle Cut & Ground
All New Galley plugs Installed
Cam Bearings Installed
Interior of Block Painted
CERAMICALLY PRESSURE SEALED at 180 Degrees and 20 Lbs. Pressure
To insure no leaks as to any porosity or casting defects
All Bolt Holes chased with tap
Connecting Rods
Scat H Beam
Camshaft delivered by me 235/235 @.50",264/264 adv,.394/394" lift LSA 111 deg
Hotanked, Straightened, Centers checked
Reground, Parkarized
Grind specs per style and intended use
Crankshaft Scat 4 1/8”
Balancing
Entire Rotating & Reciprocating Assemblies are Dynamically Balanced with in ½ gram and 1” centerline. (All internal parts, crank, rods, pistons & pins, rings, rod
bearings)
Assembly
Entire short block assembled after Final Cleaning & Balancing.
All spec sizes checked and recorded (Piston to bore, Rod Bearing to crank, Main
Bearing to crank, Cam to Cam Bearing, Cam & Crank Gear backlash, End Thrust
On Crank, Valve to Guide clearance, Installed Spring Pressure, Cam Specs, Valve
Lash etc.)
PARTS
New Rod Bearings (King)
New Main Bearings (King)
New Cam Bearings (Dura-Bond)
New Cam Gear (Alum. Mellings)
New Crank Gear (Iron Mellings)
New Valves Stainless Steel Swirl Polished (MANLEY PERFORMANCE) 1.6 and 1.5”
New Springs (Isky 185)

New Guides (1 Piece Elgin)
New Spring Retainers (MANLEY PERFORMANCE)
New Guide Retainers (Ford)
New Valve Keepers (MANLEY PERFORMANCE hardened)
New Valve Spring Shims (VSI/Durabond)
New Hollow Body Adjustable Lifters
New Rear Main Seal (Best)
now supposed to be bored 0.80 looking the pics, making my calculation with stroke and bore should be around 276 CI
it's a bit trimmed and i'm afraid that rust and pitting will not hold the set-up , your engine look a lot clean and nice
 
Sounds like one hell of a build. What kind of lifters did you use? I went with Johnson Hi-Lift out of Michigan after hearing the horror stories of off-shore stuff wiping out cams. I also went with a regrind (Isky 1007B profile) on my original cam after hearing also that new cams were no good. Just watched David Frieburger’s latest YT vid and he stated to go with roller cams (obviously not applicable with flatheads) as you have a 50/50 chance of wiping out your cam/lifters with today’s garbage.
 
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I don't believe you'll have any head gasket sealing issues - though you might need to go to big-bore gaskets (check with Best gaskets). I like their graphtite composite gaskets the best for a street build - though they're a pain in the *** to clean up if you pull the heads. The water jackets do look a bit rusty, but that should not be an issue if all the crap is out of it. Blocks will rust up pretty quick after the acid dipping process.

Looks like a nice build - should be a great running engine.

B&S
 
that's my lifter Hollow Body Adjustable Lifters
that pitting red marked is what let me started the post

I edited my post as I was incorrect thinking that the gasket needed to seal between the valves and the piston. Looks like you replied before I edited the post. Here’s the pic though.
Going back to the lifter, it is made in the USA? Is it Johnson?

https://johnsonlifters.com/
 

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I don't believe you'll have any head gasket sealing issues - though you might need to go to big-bore gaskets (check with Best gaskets). I like their graphtite composite gaskets the best for a street build - though they're a pain in the *** to clean up if you pull the heads. The water jackets do look a bit rusty, but that should not be an issue if all the crap is out of it. Blocks will rust up pretty quick after the acid dipping process.

Looks like a nice build - should be a great running engine.

B&S

Thanks a lot, your word let me feel a lot better, your skill are well know on this forum, I had a bad feeling since couple of days, since I have received the pics, also the builder words couldn't help me to feel better,
I will try to keep me positive, because the engine will be in the car in the best case in a couple of years then no one will get responsability in case of failure after 2-3years
 
I edited my post as I was incorrect thinking that the gasket needed to seal between the valves and the piston. Looks like you replied before I edited the post. Here’s the pic though.
Going back to the lifter, it is made in the USA? Is it Johnson?

https://johnsonlifters.com/

Got everything from them, don't know so much, I have delivered valves and cam no more than that
 
I don’t want to scare you, but I would check with the machine shop to see where they got those lifters.
My engine sat around for almost 5 yrs after getting it back from the machine shop and finally starting it. I had no issues with corrosion, but I made sure everything was covered in assembly lube, and bores were coated with a film of oil. Block was kept inside my heated basement workshop though.
 
I don’t want to scare you, but I would check with the machine shop to see where they got those lifters.
My engine sat around for almost 5 yrs after getting it back from the machine shop and finally starting it. I had no issues with corrosion, but I made sure everything was covered in assembly lube, and bores were coated with a film of oil. Block was kept inside my heated basement workshop though.

They use to sell that hollow to their customers and mount on different engines build, I guess if we're bad we should have listened around on forums or other sources
 
B&S is right on , sounds like a great engine. I have built many flatheads and several with similar rust pitting in chamber area around valves and never an issue so long as all the preliminary checks are done. Looking at your pics and work list I believe I know your builder well and you are in good hands and shouldn’t have to worry about anything. Enjoy.
 
B&S is right on , sounds like a great engine. I have built many flatheads and several with similar rust pitting in chamber area around valves and never an issue so long as all the preliminary checks are done. Looking at your pics and work list I believe I know your builder well and you are in good hands and shouldn’t have to worry about anything. Enjoy.

Thanks buddy, the funny parts, I have tried to build the engine my self and bought 3 different engines, dismounted, bought lot of tools for porting releaving etc and then found alway a Crack, I was frustrated and bough a short block complete to avoid same problem and I felt like stepping back again on the same issue the rust, pitting and cracks are my nightmare right now, and after investing lot of money wouldn't end with a broken engine in the end after a few miles
Thanks for your word
 
Just be adamant to your builder that you don’t want a block with any cracks repaired or otherwise so they know your expectations.
 
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