Cylinder Rust. Possible clean up? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

jrblanke · 01-31-2016, 09:37 PM

Boy, what a disappointment. I pulled the heads and it looks like the rear cylinder has some rust in 2 cylinders. I really didn't want to take apart the bottom end.

My questions are

1. What is the best way to clean this up. Can I use some evaporust or phosporic acid to wipe the rust off? If I did this, I would not want to pull the piston.

2. If I pull the crank and pistons, can I hone the cylinder with a ball hone, put in new rings, and put the original piston back in?

Here are the pictures:

The first picture shows before I wiped it out.
The second picture shows after I wiped it for 30 seconds with WD-40 and a t-shirt.

Cobalt964ruf · 01-31-2016, 09:45 PM

go to youtube and look for a guy with screen name "agearhead4life" he builds a 5.3 called the squirter. it too had rust in the cylinders and he just cleaned it up and ran it. and it ran pretty good.

from a mechanics point of view yes you should tear it down, mic it, and have it cleaned up and checked at a machine shop. etc. but if its a daily these engines are very durable. ultimately depends on your budget and mechanical abilities. happy motoring

68c10airstream · 01-31-2016, 11:44 PM

Purchased a used 2001 5.3 with 60,000 miles on it. Personally say the title work from the salvage yard. Ultimately the motor got snow inside before i got it. Once it was in my truck and put about 4,000 miles on it, smoke on start up, etc. So teardown revealed pitted cylinder walls and a good friend is a local machinist and we inspected it. His statement summed it all up " i went to a perfect circle seminar in chicago regarding piston rings. They said with pitted walls you loose the cross hatch pattern. Rings are designed to slightly twist back and forth following the cross hatch pattern.

My teardown revealed that the only ring gaps lined up together were on the pitted cylinders

I purchased a new gm steel block, cam bearings already installed, obviously standard bore for $199.00 plus shipping. I think jegs bought these up and raised the price some but a great buy none the less.

jrblanke · 02-01-2016, 11:55 PM

After sleeping on it, and messing around with it some today, I think I am going to remove at least the two pistons that have the rust. I would feel better if I made sure there wasn't any rust or foreign matter caught in the piston rings from cleaning.

I need to read a bit more if I can hone the two cylinders with one of those ball hones and still keep the bore in spec. The book I got talks about the use of a deck plate when honing which is especially important for aluminum blocks.

Can I just pull the piston, clean/remove the rust, hone the cylinders, gap and replace the rings, and call it good?

01-31-2016, 09:37 PM	#1
jrblanke Registered User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 240	Cylinder Rust. Possible clean up? Boy, what a disappointment. I pulled the heads and it looks like the rear cylinder has some rust in 2 cylinders. I really didn't want to take apart the bottom end. My questions are 1. What is the best way to clean this up. Can I use some evaporust or phosporic acid to wipe the rust off? If I did this, I would not want to pull the piston. 2. If I pull the crank and pistons, can I hone the cylinder with a ball hone, put in new rings, and put the original piston back in? Here are the pictures: The first picture shows before I wiped it out. The second picture shows after I wiped it for 30 seconds with WD-40 and a t-shirt.

01-31-2016, 09:45 PM	#2
Cobalt964ruf Registered User Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Piedmont, OK Posts: 364	Re: Cylinder Rust. Possible clean up? go to youtube and look for a guy with screen name "agearhead4life" he builds a 5.3 called the squirter. it too had rust in the cylinders and he just cleaned it up and ran it. and it ran pretty good. from a mechanics point of view yes you should tear it down, mic it, and have it cleaned up and checked at a machine shop. etc. but if its a daily these engines are very durable. ultimately depends on your budget and mechanical abilities. happy motoring __________________ 1971 K30 burb carbed LS6 th400 np205 d70f 14bff 4whl discs lifted 35 bfg's 1994 k3500 rcsb trophy truck ls427 4l85e bw4401 9.25ifs 14bff g80 35 bfg's 1998 K3500 rclb ls427 4l85e bw4401 9.25ifs 14bff g80 35 bfg's 1999 k3500 crewcab dually 4x4 496ci 4l85e bw4401 9.25ifs 14bff g80 6" lift 37 bfg's

01-31-2016, 11:44 PM	#3
68c10airstream Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Marquette michigan Posts: 828	Re: Cylinder Rust. Possible clean up? Purchased a used 2001 5.3 with 60,000 miles on it. Personally say the title work from the salvage yard. Ultimately the motor got snow inside before i got it. Once it was in my truck and put about 4,000 miles on it, smoke on start up, etc. So teardown revealed pitted cylinder walls and a good friend is a local machinist and we inspected it. His statement summed it all up " i went to a perfect circle seminar in chicago regarding piston rings. They said with pitted walls you loose the cross hatch pattern. Rings are designed to slightly twist back and forth following the cross hatch pattern. My teardown revealed that the only ring gaps lined up together were on the pitted cylinders I purchased a new gm steel block, cam bearings already installed, obviously standard bore for $199.00 plus shipping. I think jegs bought these up and raised the price some but a great buy none the less.

02-01-2016, 11:55 PM	#4
jrblanke Registered User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 240	Re: Cylinder Rust. Possible clean up? After sleeping on it, and messing around with it some today, I think I am going to remove at least the two pistons that have the rust. I would feel better if I made sure there wasn't any rust or foreign matter caught in the piston rings from cleaning. I need to read a bit more if I can hone the two cylinders with one of those ball hones and still keep the bore in spec. The book I got talks about the use of a deck plate when honing which is especially important for aluminum blocks. Can I just pull the piston, clean/remove the rust, hone the cylinders, gap and replace the rings, and call it good?



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