how do you clean up a used engine

on a few occasions i have scored good running but used engines before that i was able to hear running or drive it in its previous car.

needless to say a used engine is usually greasy and not the best looker.

so i have conclued that the best thing for a situation like that is not tear it down for rebuild ....why fix something thats not broken....especially when a budget dont permit.

so i have come up with:

partially diassemble engine peripherials and degrease.

which can be a nasty job ......i usually use a power washer after pluging the obvious holes you dont want water in, like the exhaust holes on the heads and carb hole ......i usually use paint chemical stripper after a few power washer rounds ....the stripper gets rid of old paint and some grease ......finally i use laquer thinner on bare metal and re-paint with ceramic engine paint.

i usually replace oil pan gasket and valve cover gasket and in some cases the timing chain.

then install and service as used engine

anything else that you guys do?