How do you clean your block, crank, rods, pistons, cam, etc. before assymbling your engine?

I usually use dawn dish soap and the hottest water I can stand.

Solvents only for me.

Never used water just because of the potential for rust.

I use solvents also

brake cleaner and the cleanest lint-free rags I can find works well for me... I use the cheap stuff and am not afraid to waste some if I need to in order to get something clean.

Looking forward to more replies! Maybe I can save some $$$

old baby diapers...clean of course...and Pledge furniture polish...its designed to pick up dust and provides a nice lil barrier to moisture....learned that from a guy who used to work for Carol Shelby. ....now if were super cleaning and storing I know someone at a Raybesto caliper reman factory here in town and we take my stuff over...put it in the steam cabinet then it goes into a bath of Oakite(water soluable oil and hot water)...hey if calipers can stay freshly bead blasted in boxes for years...it MUST work...no rust here on a crank that was done 5 years ago and lays in a box on the floor under the bench.

lint free rags are IMPORTANT.

I learned that the hard way when i lost oil pressure on my first engine build years ago. The lint actually washed into the pan from the towels i used and collected on the oil pickup. it looked just like the coating you see on a dryer lint screen. only oily

Use liquid laundry detergent, mix it very rich with lots, and lots of detergent, around 4:1 water/detergent, it will not rust, leaves a film that keeps from flash rusting. I run My engines for 15-20 minutes until operating temp are met, and change the oil and filter.
I use a siphon style blow nozzle with compressed air.
Old machinist told me this 20 years ago, have always done this and has never failed.

Blow dry after I suspect its clean enough, and wipe down with clean lent free paper towels..Leaves your hand nice and fresh

Anyone use the dishwasher? I'm thinking of tossing all my stuff in. Any Objections?

Block, $5.00 at the local car wash, solvents, more soap and water.

White kerosine, and solvents till zero residue for everything else.

No shch thing as TOO clean.

that's a good first step, and always always use brushes on the block to scrub every nook, passage, and cranny. then i wash it down with solvent, then preservative. the old man always said, if you are not completely soaked, it ain't clean enough. btw, the whole procedure gets repeated after mockup. and again before final assembly. it's the part of engine building i detest most, but it has to be done, and zeal is a requirement.

At work we steam clean blocks, head, cranks etc making sure we get in every orrifice possible!This does however involve getting drenched throughout!The heat from the steam cleaned parts drys the water real quick.Then before assembly everythings cleaned with lint free cloth and break cleaner.This is however only big diesel engines not race engines but im sure its plenty good enough!Then as said we run the engine up to temp then turn off and replace the oil and filter.These motors might not spin at big revs or make stupid power but they do last over a million miles working days on end!

A good test for how clean you think things are is ye olde transmission fluid test. Take a clean white paper towel or equivalent pour clean transmission fluid on the towel and wipe the cylinders. The detergents in tranny fluid will lift off any remaining honing oil and other contaminates. Just try it next time you think you're done cleaning.