Now that the American Modern crew has gotten the all-clear to move forward with their engine build, thanks to no cracks or major damage existing on the block, they’re off to prep their engine for the build ahead. Still at Smyth Automotive, this means the engine moves up to the “clean room” for some overall block cleanup. Check it out in this week’s episode of The Build above.

The first part of the prep process is checking the engine’s straight edge. If a standard straightedge doesn’t sit nearly perfectly flush (within .001’s of an inch), the block needs to be decked, or smoothed down to create as straight of an edge across the tops of the cylinders as possible. Lucky for the crew of The Build, their Malibu’s big block is within spec and doesn’t have to be decked.

The next thing Smyth Automotive does to the engine is to file down any sharp edges. Using a hand file as well as air-powered tools, everything from the plug holes to the cylinders are filed down for a smoother finish, illuminating any rust or bumpy edges that may have been left over that could hold a component up and to allow all of the moving components in the block to move freely without getting caught up and causing damage.

Now that the engine has been almost fully prepped, it moves on to honing next week. Be sure to tune in next Monday as we take a look at the honing process!