If hot tanks don't remove rust, how do I clean out the water jackets? I thought hot tank got rid of everything.

Brad
Sierra Vista Arizona
1954 Lincoln Capri

Be careful with that muriatic acid. While it does a great job of dissolving rust , be careful not to let parts soak in it in an enclosed area . I left a heavily pitted splash pan soak over night in a plastic tupperware tub in my small shop. The acid did a great job on the rust . However, the acid fumes permeated the air in my shop and quickly formed surface rust on any metal tools that were hanging or exposed, such as saws,, screw drivers, body shop dollies calipers. To this day, I still discover rust on seldom used tools.  I will use muriatic acid again, but ONLY OUTSIDE.  

Depends on the medium used for the cleaning action.  Some acids are water soluble, and weaker than others, and depending on the area where you live, the EPA regulations determine how much acid is allowed in the solution.  My local machine shop charges by how long they leave the parts in the solution for rust removal.  Here again, the time in the acid solution is the key to rust removal.  The shop should know how long it takes for that to be effective.  Joe-JDC

JDC

I still say based on my 50+ years of restoring old cars that the best, easiest and cheapest way of removing surface rust on ferrous metals is by using muriatic acid.   Yes, be careful to avoid breathing the fumes and use it only outside.   Use heavy rubber gloves on your hands.  Leave the parts in the solution only long enough to remove the rust.  Quickly neutralize the acid on the cleaned parts with a fresh water bath.   When done, pour the used acid back into the container using a funnel and make sure not to spill any.  The used  acid can be used over and over.   When the used acid eventually looses its strength, dispose of it as you would any hazardous waste.

Ok but how do I clean the water jackets? Like internally.


Brad
Sierra Vista Arizona
1954 Lincoln Capri

I purchased my 64 truck in 2010 and at that time the vehicle was still being used.  In AZ, folks tend to be rather stingy on antifreeze and this truck spent it's entire life in the vicinity.  Fast forward 4 years:  When I picked up the bare block from the machine shop, the inside of the water jacket "looked" nice after the shop's hot tank treatment. After closer examination, I found 50 years of hard impacted rust, especially at the bottom rear water jacket area.  I spent countless hours with various fabricated rods,  pieces of steel and repurposed coat hangers bent in crazy shapes to scratch/dig the hardened crud out.  If the freeze plugs and heads are already installed, you won't be able to see down in there. Talk to the folks at the shop, maybe they can put your mind at ease.
'

64F100 57FAIRLANE500

Good idea. I talked to my mechanic and he said the block was thermal cleaned, or whatever it's called. And sand blasted so the water jackets are clean. Put my mind at ease. Now just prepping for painting.

Brad
Sierra Vista Arizona
1954 Lincoln Capri

Send pics - the Lincoln Y-s are georgeous too. 

64F100 57FAIRLANE500

Brad
Sierra Vista Arizona
1954 Lincoln Capri

Yours is done but before they were removed from California every block and head I built went to “Strip Clean”. A engine shop could never get them as clean. They came back looking new. They were known for doing complete car bodies but a blocks and heads were great to work with when done also. 

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.