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Cleaning Heads

Rodd

Recruit
Messages
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Location
Antelope, CA
Now that my block is repaired I can move on to the Heads. I was going to clean them up in my parts washer before taking them in to have them magnafluxed and inspected for cracks. My parts washer uses water based degreaser solution. Are there any do's and don'ts when cleaning them?Can I use a wire brush or should I use some other type of brush.
 
Soft brush on them. Metal brushes can scratch the gasket mating surface where head goes to block or manifolds mount to head.
A good diy tool for folks without parts washers- kitchen sponge and dishsoap. I use the kind with the green scrubber on the back, and start by ripping off the scrubber. Use the soft side of the sponge on mating surfaces. the green part is ok for rough textured areas.

A little more time and elbow grease is safer on finished areas than using too rough an item and needing machining to fix it.
 
Soft brush on them. Metal brushes can scratch the gasket mating surface where head goes to block or manifolds mount to head.
A good diy tool for folks without parts washers- kitchen sponge and dishsoap. I use the kind with the green scrubber on the back, and start by ripping off the scrubber. Use the soft side of the sponge on mating surfaces. the green part is ok for rough textured areas.

A little more time and elbow grease is safer on finished areas than using too rough an item and needing machining to fix it.

Thanks will! The kitchen sink would work just fine too if I weren't married. I guess if one doesn't want to be married anymore the kitchen sink is the best option. Lol😁
 
I just wish they used the "old" solution. Nowadays it's all the environmentally friendly stuff plus having to do aluminum
 
If you are taking them to a machine shop that does auto machining services they should hot tank them before they do anything, no need to bother cleaning them as they more than likely do it anyway, or they do here anyway.

The place I'm taking them does. I just want to clean them up to see if I can see any cracks. That way the machine shop can let me know if it is worth repairing or better off going new before I pay them to hot tank and magna flux them.
 
No need to clean them before crack inspection. Just some brake cleaner between the valves and the cracks will be easy to see if they are there. See my project thread for a pic of a cracked through the valve seat head example. Then let the shop do their magic and inspect for cracks.
 
I just wish they used the "old" solution. Nowadays it's all the environmentally friendly stuff plus having to do aluminum


My local place uses some type of acid and they don't do aluminum in that tank, said it will eat a head away in a hour... must be some strong stuff but they are some kinda of clean when they come out...
 
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