LUVTruck.com

I scored a motor yesterday for 50 bucks. its pretty clean the block casting number is 3970010 and its not a hecho in mexico. Im getting it ready to take to the machine shop for a good hot tanking, magnaflux and a bore job. I have pretty much taken it apart should I pull the freeze plugs and all the other plugs for the coolant drains or what. Im a first timer on taking a block to the machine shop. I am pretty much trying to get it all ready to go so I can get a quick turn around and a smaller labor bill.

It would take a few mins off the shops time if you pulled the freeze plugs out and stop by a car wash and hose off the block........

I was planning on scraping off the old gaskets and blasting off all the big stuff since there is a good coat of oil and dirt on it. Whats the best way to get the freeze plugs out?

you can use a screwdriver or a punch and a hammer...
The idea is to turn it sideways and then just pull it out with some visegrips.....

They come out pretty easy.

Im curious what you plan on blasting the block with.

I dont think I would blast it with anything but soap and water. And if its going to sit for any length of time put some oil inside the bores so it wont rust.

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I remembered someone from luvtruck mentioning Oven cleaner and I used it works great for a de-greaser just dont use on aluminum if you leave on aluminum to long or it will discolor. it sprays off with water after a minute or so. I used it for transmissions and valve covers and blocks good tip though.

When I said blast it off I didnt mean like sand blast it or anything. I figured I might scrape some of the heavy stuff and maybe degrease it with some kind of degreaser and blast it with the water hose.

Thats about all you can do. Iam sure that pulling the freeze plugs and cleaning the grease of is part of the hot tanking process. Be sure to keep the mains in there right place and I always have the blocks line checked also.

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Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy horsepower...and that's kind of the same thing...

I started pulling the freeze plugs yesterday they are the steel type and hard to get out. I managed to push one in rather than turn it sideways took me about an hour to fish it out with a magnet and needle nose visegrips I think I am going to leave the rest in place. I installed the main caps back in the correct place running the bolts in by hand as snug as I could with out a ratchet. I dont know why but when I pulled the pistons out I numbered them too even tho I dont plan on reusing them.

Punch the soft plugs in then use channel lock pliers and grab an edge and pry against the block and they well come out easy.

These aren't the only plugs that need to come out though as you also need to pull out the oil galley plugs on both ends. The ones in the back are a screw in plug that takes a square easy out and a T handle or two wrenches on it in a T then a long rod down the galleys will punch out the plugs in the front or you can punch a small hole in them a screw in a lag bolt and pull them

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

My machinist says the price goes up if they don't wipr the grease out of the bores . I also pull my own head studs before machining for screw in studs .