Hot tanking a engine

[Frank from Ky.]

Planning to hot tank the engine block and head of a 3000 diesel . I'm wondering if the hot tanking will harm the sleeves or their fit inside the block. I have been told it will destroy the cam bearings.

 

[Richard L]

Don't know about that but my friend had his engine hot dipped and when he got it back the aluminum engine data plate was ate off.

 

[[email protected]]

My understanding of the "hot tank" is that it is an acid bath. As with any chemical action there will be pitting and eating of the metals. Those surfaces that are normally smooth are roughed and etched when removed. Bearings to be replaced, and cylinder walls to be honed back into a smooth cross hatch. As far as sleeves and their reinstallation, you should not have a problem.

 

[Bob]

It's an alkaline solution, more or less lye or sodium hydroxide. It doesn't BOTHER cast iron.

 

[Mike M]

Hot Tanking was from the old days and I'm not sure if many shops use them today with all the EPA stuff going around.
Check with the shop doing the work ! Alot of them use a high pressure wash cabinet now but may still call it a HOT TANK when it isn't.
You can likely do as good of job with soap and a high pressure washer in your driveway.
The EPA has took the kick out of cleaning methods and sometimes the shops have trouble getting it clean.

 

[Dick Lemmon]

I have had several blocks (hot tanked) in the past. I never thought of dropping them off without having the cam bearings removed along with any removable part.
The last engine I dropped off to be (hot tanked) they showed me there new replacement for the hot tank. Three units. They baked it in an oven. rotary shot blasted it inside and out. They put into the third machine and pressure washed inside and out to remove all the shot and baked crud.
Turned out fantastic. Cost more also.

 

[glennster]

i just had my super m motor hot tanked. yup its a tank of caustic soda. not a lot of guys still do it because of the epa. real strict on it. it will eat cam bearings out. the other methods discussed here will prolly not harm the cam bearings, but if the motor is down that far, now is the time for new cam bearings.

 

[Old Ford Mechanic]

Frank,The 3000 Ford engine was not orignally a sleeved engine.If it has been bored and sleeved,they are a press fit with no o-rings.So hot tanking the engine will not matter.but,yes i would install new cam bearing's.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Like Bob says, hot tanking will not eat cast iron or steel. It will eat up any brass, aluminum, copper or babbit on cam bearings, etc.
One trick an engine rebuilder friend uses is to leave a cam in the cam bearings during the hot tank process, this seems to minimize damage to the cam bushings if you dont want to replace them. With the cam bearings in place, he is careful to limit hot tanking to just enough to get it clean and do a clean pressure washer rinse as soon as possible ( 5 minutes) with the cam removed.