Engine experts / enthusiasts, is this block face clean enough to seal properly?

mattyprice4004

mattyprice4004

mattyprice4004

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Well, finally making some progress. The block face of the ZS is cast iron, so predictably it had rusted a little while it had no head.

The head I am using as a replacement also had a little corrosion due to water being used as coolant, so I've got them both as good as possible. However I'm still not entirely sure it's clean enough... :p

Car is a 2003 ZS diesel, with the Rover L series engine.

Block:
DSC_0056.jpg


Head:
DSC_0901.jpg


They won't go much better, and under the huge clamping lead applied (10 bolts at 65nm + 180 degrees) I don't think there will be an issue.

What do you guys reckon?
 
The block face?

I'm not totally happy with it, so will be attacking with some wet and dry.

Silly me managed to get bits of wet and dry in the bores, so they'll need cleaning too. Balls. :p
 
As said I would give the block a bit more attention I find scrapers great for getting most of the bad bits then fine wet n dry thats wet to finish. As for the head I would personally get it skimmed as they tend to warp slightly and for the sake of £30 well worth it to save having to do it all over a few months down the line.
 
dannycivic02 said:
As said I would give the block a bit more attention I find scrapers great for getting most of the bad bits then fine wet n dry thats wet to finish. As for the head I would personally get it skimmed as they tend to warp slightly and for the sake of £30 well worth it to save having to do it all over a few months down the line.
Click to expand...

Took it to a skimming place, they said it's absolutely bang on.

I got an engineers rule, and it lay perfectly flat with no gaps at all in any axis.
 
I'd go with dalin80 - try and clean up that corroded corner on the block face, otherwise it's not too bad at all.
 
mattyprice4004 said:
Took it to a skimming place, they said it's absolutely bang on.

I got an engineers rule, and it lay perfectly flat with no gaps at all in any axis.
Click to expand...

Your laughing then its always worth checking I know people that have just cleaned the head up stuck it back together only to find that the head gasket goes again a few weeks later for the sake of a skim or at least proper checking by an engineer. Hope it all goes well on the rebuild.
 
Nearly there bit more work around bottom left and I'd say you're good to go. This was my block face after I rebuilt my pinto - I didn't do any machining work on it - still good 15k later.

builtupblock.jpg


I did have the head skimmed though.

skimmed.jpg
 
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Not bad, I wet and dry the ones I do.
Almost there. As said, just a little more in the one front corner and you're ready to rock
 
Not if you clean it out properly.
I use wd40 as a lubricant while rubbing and then a solvent to wash everything down with, namely brake cleaner. ;)
 
Clarkey said:
If you sand it you'll end up with metal/rust particles in the water/oil channels and bores, surely this is something of a problem?
Click to expand...

Was going to say, everything will be washed out with brake cleaner or white spirit before re-assembly. Any rubbish will end up in the sump, which will be rinsed out with white spirit from when I clean the oilways to remove swarf, and again 1,000 miles later from a 2nd oil change to remove any more bits that have gotten in there.
 
Where did you take the head? When I lived over that way I used Blackpool Road and Rally
 
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