Quote Originally Posted by falconvan View Post
I'll probably still have it run through a hot tank to get all the goo out of the oil passages.
Good idea - pull all the galley plugs and have it hot tanked and then blow everything out with high pressure air (wear goggles - trust me here!!) and scrub the block with hot soapy water. I use a hose straight out of the water heater and I've found Dawn dish soap to be the best for really cutting the last vestiges of grease and such. I'm also a fan of Glyptol and paint the valley to make it really clean. I like new brass plugs for the oil galley but make sure to get Allen type that will fit flush - you can get them from Ace (or probably Home Depot) in 1/8", 1/4", and 3/8" - the 350 Chevy uses 1/4" NPT plugs. Be sure and run a chase tap down the holes so you have a good clean thread. There are three holes at the front (around the cam opening) that use a 1/2" expansion plug and you can tap and install 1/4" plugs in these three holes as well - but keep them short. And don't forget the one under the rear main seal - if your mechanic removes that one and it's not replaced, your oil will not be filtered.

Have fun!
Glenn