diff --git a/core/blockchain_insert.go b/core/blockchain_insert.go
index 9bf662b6b7..c7c4c4bfea 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_insert.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_insert.go
@@ -179,8 +179,3 @@ func (it *insertIterator) first() *types.Block {
 func (it *insertIterator) remaining() int {
 	return len(it.chain) - it.index
 }
-
-// processed returns the number of processed blocks.
-func (it *insertIterator) processed() int {
-	return it.index + 1
-}
diff --git a/eth/peerset.go b/eth/peerset.go
index 11bc596e1c..6b0aff226c 100644
--- a/eth/peerset.go
+++ b/eth/peerset.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ package eth
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"math/big"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
@@ -225,24 +224,6 @@ func (ps *peerSet) snapLen() int {
 	return ps.snapPeers
 }
 
-// peerWithHighestTD retrieves the known peer with the currently highest total
-// difficulty, but below the given PoS switchover threshold.
-func (ps *peerSet) peerWithHighestTD() *eth.Peer {
-	ps.lock.RLock()
-	defer ps.lock.RUnlock()
-
-	var (
-		bestPeer *eth.Peer
-		bestTd   *big.Int
-	)
-	for _, p := range ps.peers {
-		if _, td := p.Head(); bestPeer == nil || td.Cmp(bestTd) > 0 {
-			bestPeer, bestTd = p.Peer, td
-		}
-	}
-	return bestPeer
-}
-
 // close disconnects all peers.
 func (ps *peerSet) close() {
 	ps.lock.Lock()
diff --git a/eth/protocols/eth/broadcast.go b/eth/protocols/eth/broadcast.go
index 508b444161..f0ed1d6bc9 100644
--- a/eth/protocols/eth/broadcast.go
+++ b/eth/protocols/eth/broadcast.go
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 package eth
 
 import (
-	"math/big"
-
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 )
@@ -29,13 +27,6 @@ const (
 	maxTxPacketSize = 100 * 1024
 )
 
-// blockPropagation is a block propagation event, waiting for its turn in the
-// broadcast queue.
-type blockPropagation struct {
-	block *types.Block
-	td    *big.Int
-}
-
 // broadcastTransactions is a write loop that schedules transaction broadcasts
 // to the remote peer. The goal is to have an async writer that does not lock up
 // node internals and at the same time rate limits queued data.
diff --git a/eth/protocols/eth/protocol.go b/eth/protocols/eth/protocol.go
index 47e8d97244..c5cb2dd1dc 100644
--- a/eth/protocols/eth/protocol.go
+++ b/eth/protocols/eth/protocol.go
@@ -189,19 +189,6 @@ type NewBlockPacket struct {
 	TD    *big.Int
 }
 
-// sanityCheck verifies that the values are reasonable, as a DoS protection
-func (request *NewBlockPacket) sanityCheck() error {
-	if err := request.Block.SanityCheck(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	//TD at mainnet block #7753254 is 76 bits. If it becomes 100 million times
-	// larger, it will still fit within 100 bits
-	if tdlen := request.TD.BitLen(); tdlen > 100 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("too large block TD: bitlen %d", tdlen)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // GetBlockBodiesRequest represents a block body query.
 type GetBlockBodiesRequest []common.Hash