Flushing an engine block

["Steve Schaeffer" <borrani@domain.elided>]

Hey All,

Here's a long overdue update on my '65 GTA.  A brief recap:  I first raced
it in April, and promptly spun a main bearing at the end of the race day.
No prob, the car was fresh from Europe, the engine was unknown.
So, I spent the summer channeling all my energy and resources into a
beautiful fresh motor.  Got new cams made up, carrillo rods, a bit of head
work, hot rod oil pump from Jack Beck, and had the crank straightened,
lightened, knife-edged, and re-nitrided.  In short, a whole bunch of work.
Got the motor running, 100psi oil pressure cold at idle.  After the first
day on the track I had 45psi hot down the straight, and dropping.  Something
was wrong.  We dropped the oil pan and found shot peen material in the pan.
We did not shot peen anything in the motor, so we're still not sure where it
came from.  We suspect we flushed it out of the oil cooler.
So, needless to say, my beautiful new motor lasted one day.  I had to put
the car away for 4 months as I was basically heartbroken.  I couldn't even
think about putting more time or $ into it.  Oddly enough, I bought a '95
Ducati 900SS in the meantime.  It is red, beautiful, and for sale, contact
me!
So, I'm finally working on the motor again.  The oil pump is toast, as are
the bearings.  The crank had to get polished.  It's scored, but within race
specs.  The block is bare, and Wes Ingram and I have drilled out all the oil
galley plugs.  We had previously opened up mains #2 and #4 for direct galley
access.  The goal is to be 100% sure we have gotten rid of this evil shot
peen that may lurk in any crevasse.  The crankshaft grinding shop has rifled
every passage they could, but still make no guarantees.  This evening we
removed the 3 factory plugs, for the mains, on the intake side of the block,
so that we may better flush everything out.  We've drilled through the main
oil galley at the rear of the block as well, in short, all the plugs that we
can.
We are thinking of ways to flush and backflush the bare motor block.
Needless to say, we want to make as close to 100% sure that all of that shot
peen is out of the motor.  This stuff is evil.  It clung to the oil pan in
small packets even after it went through the parts washer.
Any sure-fire ways that can be suggested?  I'm all ears.

Thanks,
Steve Schaeffer
Seattle, WA
NWARC

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