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greasey Hemi

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by broderchamp, Jan 31, 2013.

  1. broderchamp
    Joined: Aug 22, 2011
    Posts: 62

    broderchamp
    Member

    I am the proud owner of a Crysler Hemi. I'm not sure of the year. It is at least 1955 . The guy said that he took it out of a 1958 sedan. I has the transmission which I don't plan of using. Don't know if it is worth anything. The engine is complete except for the dist and carb. It has a four barrel carb manifold. The engine is frozen up, but the plugs look good. The guy I bought it from put some WD 40 in the cyclinders. I'm not a big fan of WD 40. Maybe I'll try some Kroal or PB Blaster. The engine is covered with grease. Since there are no hot tanks in use anymore what would be a good way to clean the engine up when I get it apart? I hope to use a T5 for the transmission. It is going in a 28 Ford Roadster.
     
  2. FiddyFour
    Joined: Dec 31, 2004
    Posts: 9,024

    FiddyFour
    Member

    try a molasses bath...
     
  3. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    1958, with a hemi ? I thought 1957 was the final year of passenger car hemi's....or did I miss something ?

    4TTRUK
     
  4. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    Cleaning.... I take things to a local self serve car wash,...and blast the big stuff off with their high pressure sprayers.... R.I.P. hot tanks........

    4TTRUK
     

  5. broderchamp
    Joined: Aug 22, 2011
    Posts: 62

    broderchamp
    Member

    I think you're right on the 58 Hemi. I'm sure they didn't put them in the 58. I think it is a 55 or 56
     
  6. HEATHEN
    Joined: Nov 22, 2005
    Posts: 8,560

    HEATHEN
    Member
    from SIDNEY, NY

    1958 was the last year.
     
  7. Andy
    Joined: Nov 17, 2002
    Posts: 5,117

    Andy
    Member

    I would not take it to a car wash. You risk getting water in it and ruining it. Lay out a drop cloth and wash it off with gasoline. Put things under the edges so it makes a container. Paint brushes and scrapers to get the clods off.
     
  8. '58 would be a 392 if it was where ma mopar put it in the first place . . . Get it apart and check some numbers - and take pics, we like pics! :)
     
  9. txturbo
    Joined: Oct 23, 2009
    Posts: 1,771

    txturbo
    Member

    The 392 was used in the 1957-1958 New Yorker, 1957 Chrysler 300C, 1958 Chrysler 300D, and 1957-1958 Imperial.
     
  10. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    Whatever you do, do not use gasoline as advised by someone earlier who just doesn't know better.

    Very hazardous for many reasons.

    Use some proper degreasers after scraping and digging off as much as you can first.

    A good pressure washer that can handle hot water after that and you will be good to go.
     
  11. hotcoupe
    Joined: Oct 3, 2007
    Posts: 588

    hotcoupe
    Member

    i agree, DO NOT use gasoline as a cleaning fluid. one spark and good night Irene!
     
  12. Bigjake
    Joined: Jan 21, 2009
    Posts: 286

    Bigjake
    Member

    I've not had a problem pressure washing a motor before but I always do a complete tear down and inspection after. Simple Green and a brush in an old metal bathtub work good too.
     
  13. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    ATF/Acetone mix for the cylinders. Cheapest and best, in my opinion.

    I would just scrape off what grease and sludge you can in order to get to the bolts and worry about degreasing as you pull it apart. Otherwise, just a good degreaser of whatever flavor you like. Chances are the engine will need a rebuild no matter what, so just go for it.

    To find out the exact year and model, there will be some numbers STAMPED on the block, directly in front of the valley pan and just behind the water pump.

    For more information on the rest of your Hemi, check out the Hemi Tech Index we put together. The link is in my signature. Just click on the banner and it will take you to the categories. Get comfy! There's a TON to read! Some amazing input from tons of Hemi-educated HAMBers in the threads.

    Welcome to the world of Hemis!
     
  14. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,175

    73RR
    Member


    Perhaps I've been asleep...but what, pray tell, is your local machine shop using for their own rebuilds?

    Behind the water pump, on the same machined surface as the valley cover, just in front of the valley cover, is the ID code. They are listed in my web site.

    .
     
  15. if gasoline was such a good cleaner, why do carbs look like ass inside? dont use gas as its crazy dangerous if you create a spark or something like aliens swoop down and shoot a ray gun at while working.

    me personally, I'd spray it down with a can or two of degreaser and pressure wash it at the car wash
     
  16. charlieb66
    Joined: Apr 18, 2011
    Posts: 549

    charlieb66
    Member

    Some States have laws about washing anything oily or greasy in a car wash. Dollar store oven cleaner and pressure washer. Don't worry about the water, if it is greasy on the outside, guess what is on the inside.
     
  17. I am usually not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I had a 350 once that had lots of gunk on it. Before tearing it down I wire brushed the hell out of it, then made sure to plug all the holes and I sand blasted it in my backyard. Seemed to come out rather nicely. The car it is in now is making 400-500 h.p. so I couldn't have done the motor to wrong:eek:
     
  18. olcurmdgeon
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 2,289

    olcurmdgeon
    Member

    in answer to the somewhat rhetorical question by 73RR, unfortunately some shops in NE are using a "steam bath" type rig that isn't worth a bucket of mule dung! You have to hunt Broderchamp, but there are hot tanks out there. Even in populated New England, I was able to find Dave50 via the HAMB who has a dandy huge heated hot tank in his shop that made my flathead block look like new! So why don't you check about the potential of one out there in Washington state, sure worth it if you can find one. Lots of places got rid of them due to fire marshall concerns and because the occasional idiot drained a tank into the local sewage system, killing all the bacteria in the sewage lagoons (happened here in So ME some years ago).
     
  19. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    txturbo,..... 58 Imperial came with the 413 wedge head...... 3 of our customers owned them, bought new. That's why i was questioning which year was the last hurrah for pass car hemi.

    4TTRUK
     
  20. pq55
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 88

    pq55
    Member

    That's the best way to do it at home. scrape what you can or use a drill with wire bush then spray oven cleaner all over, let sit couple hour and pressure wash.You will be amaze by the result.
    Pat
     
  21. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,175

    73RR
    Member

    Yeah...no. In 1958 the only wedge engine was the 350 B

    .
     
  22. hellsgaterods
    Joined: Dec 8, 2010
    Posts: 534

    hellsgaterods
    Member

    if you p.m. me the engine code off the front top of the block ( in front of the valley pan) i can tell you exactly what you have.
     
  23. TR Waters
    Joined: Nov 18, 2006
    Posts: 1,439

    TR Waters
    Member
    from Vermont
    1. Early Hemi Tech

    Or post the numbers here and a whole bunch of us will tell you what it is. :)
     
  24. Freeman1938
    Joined: Jan 23, 2010
    Posts: 31

    Freeman1938
    Member

    I have a 392 Hemi that came out of a 1958 Imperial. I've had it about 35 years.
     
  25. pdq67
    Joined: Feb 12, 2007
    Posts: 787

    pdq67
    Member

    Try to find some Methylene Chloride paint stripper and use it to degrease it. Then get a drum or whatever that's big enough to put your engine in and use 7 to 1 water/livestock Molasses mixture over several weeks and you should be good to go.

    And if you can't find MeCl, buy a gallon can of Berrymann's, (I think), #12 basket in the can carb. cleaner and use it. I think that it should still contain Cresol and MeCl and it will take the skin off your hands after two or three days so beware!!

    pdq67
     
  26. kennb
    Joined: Jan 8, 2008
    Posts: 178

    kennb
    Member

    Get ready. These engines will suck you dry. Told the ole lady I had 6 grand sunk into the car, she said not bad. Then I told her I mean the engine not the car. And it's not finished. Be prepared, expensive but worth it. There's a lot of great people and info here for your project. Good luck with your build. Ken
     
  27. 36DodgeRam
    Joined: Dec 16, 2008
    Posts: 505

    36DodgeRam
    Member

    I'd rather start with a greasey hemi, than a rusty one! The sheet metal cleans up a lot better...
     
  28. Choff
    Joined: Sep 15, 2009
    Posts: 184

    Choff
    Member

    Got my Hemi from this to this with a lot of elbow grease and brushes, and not being in a hurry, Super Clean from Auto Zone, the best degreaser I found, Not sinky, no harmful fumes and works great.
    Choff
     

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  29. "Perhaps I've been asleep...but what, pray tell, is your local machine shop using for their own rebuilds?"


    Borderchamp lives in a small town in far North Western Washington state that is a ferry ride to anywhere. Sometimes it's not so easy to "just run down the street" like it is for a lot of us.
     
  30. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,175

    73RR
    Member


    I am familiar with Pt Townsend, it is not that small and obscure. I also know that there is a NAPA store there...

    .
     

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