Cleaning cylinder heads

[jc71corvette]

Hey I have two heads sitting around and I want to clean them up really. Good. Any sugguestions, any way to cut through the grit quick. Any special ways you've done it.

Also what about making them chrome again. I don't think they'll be reused, but hey I dont know.

 

[4BangR-x]

well some engine degreaser is a good start to cutting alot of the crap outta there. Stay away from any cloth like scotch brite. Maybe try using a copperbrush.

Also, when you say chrome again, do you mean polished? If you want them chromed(im guessing for show?) then you have to take them somewhere that chromes things. If your just talking polished, be prepaired to take ALOT of time with some high high grit sandpaper.

 

[jc71corvette]

Thanks, yeah I ment polished. I mine as well do some headers wile im at it. ty

 

[perley03]

make sure when you clean the head to use someting softer than aluminum so it doesnt scrape away at the head. copper, brass or even nylon brushes will do the trick. i like using "Greased Lightning Orange Blast" it comes in a spray bottle just spray it on, let it soak for a few and brush away and rinse with water. it works great and smells good too (oranges). hope this helps.
shawn

 

[Maglin]

The best thing to do is to put them in a hot tank to clean it. We have one at work and I took an old head that was laying around that was just nasty and you would think it was brand new looking at it now. It did take about 1.5 hrs. to get it that clean but our solution was pretty weak in the tank at the time. You can take it to a machine shop and have it hot tanked as well. Shouldn't cost you to much and while it's their have it checked out to ensure everything is ok with it.

I've used all the other stuff and I swear the hot tank did a much better job and faster as I've spent a ton of time cleaning parts.

 

[Andrew Dahms]

Are you sure a hot tank is safe for aluminum head/block?

 

[vintagemuscle]

Are you sure a hot tank is safe for aluminum head/block?

yes, when you take your head to your machinist that is how he will clean it. it is really the only way to clean out all of the oil passages in the head. the head will look like new when its done.

 

[Andrew Dahms]

The machinists that do the work for me actually recommended a typhoon tank over a hot tank for aluminum.

 

[Defiant]

The machinists that do the work for me actually recommended a typhoon tank over a hot tank for aluminum.

Great idea, if you have one. Even better was vapor tanking, where there's a foot of hot solvent in the bottom of a five-foot tank. You lower cool metal into the fog, and the solvent collects and just rains off the parts.
Of course, last time I did that, it was still legal to use carbon tetrafluoride in the tank.

But a hot tank will work fine. It'd take weeks to do damage to an aluminum head in one.

It also works great to put them on the grate at the magic wand car wash and blast them off that way. It's just messy as hell, and you will walk away wet.

 

[90 TSI FWD]

..Can you hot tank the head with everything in it except the valve cover? or must the head be bare?

 

[Defiant]

The reason to tank things bare is to keep the tank owner's solvent clean. It also makes it more capable of getting the dirt off the part instead of into hidden ends and crannies.

Give a seal a few days in a tank, and see what comes back.