<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Aptos",serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>When I rebuilt an engine which had been standing without water for forty years, there was a huge amount of brown dust (rust) in the waterways. I therefore removed the core (freeze) plugs and all brass components (main oil gallery plugs) and had the block dipped in I know not what, but it came back looking like new. Removed brass components since the fluid used destroys brass. It also destroys shell bearings, so new cam bearings required.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I knew about the Healey porosity problem but did not know if my block suffered, so I had it vacuum impregnated with resin. This process gets resin into all surface defects, and eighteen months later when I had to change a core plug, the inside of the block waterways were still like new – no corrosion at all. I believe that this was the best thing I did to my block.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The vacuum impregnation process puts the clean block into a chamber which is evacuated. Resin is then allowed to enter, and is then drained out. The block is then placed in a 90 degree centigrade (194 F) water bath, which cures the resin (resin cure temperature 60 degrees centigrade (140 F)) This process was done twice, just to make sure. This is a standard process for castings in the UK to cure casting porosity or other defects such as corrosion.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A possible alternative to a replacement block?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ian Hey<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>