Cleaning engine block?

[martinrd]

So I have completely stripped my LC350 and rebuilt motor... mainly because of time, I didn't vapour blast the crank cases. Surprise surprise, now it's rebuilt (with lovely paint job on engine cases, cylinders, etc) the motor looks tatty.

So... what is best way of cleaning the alloy cranks cases before it goes back in frame? Any experience you have of wonder chemicals, or is it just wire wool/elbow grease?

Please try and refrain from "you should have had it vapour blasted, you t**t" – I already know that 

Cheers

[stusco]

I used wonder wheels and scotchbrite it gets it clean but nowhere near what your looking for ,but remember after a couple of runs in the rain it will look the same as a vapour blasted one

[copper99]

Ive heard of people using (loads of ..) brass wheels in a dremel to get a finish on bare engine cases but never seen the end result for myself...

[dangerousal]

I know it's not an lc but on my Daytona build I just ran over the whole block with a light steel brush in a drill...not pressing hard...looked great..not brilliant but good enough ..using brass brushes in a Dremel will take forever...and you'll get millions of strands of brass everywhere