Anyone have any experience of cleaning up a aluminium cylinder head -
particularily removing the old engine oil and other crap from the inside,
and cleaning out the hydraulic lifters? What would you use to ensure that
any steel parts don't rust?

Also, what is used to decarb the combusion chambers, valves and piston tops?

And finally, what is the preferred way of cleaning the faces that join via
gaskets? I'm planning on using one of those green pan scourers, so long as
it doesn't start removing any metal from the faces.

Cheers,
Andy.

"Andy" <nospam (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

out..

Tim..

Tim.. <the.farm.no (AT) spam (DOT) btinternet.com> wrote:

Tesco Value vinegar works a treat, apparently.

http://www.cookhaus.co.uk/vinegar/index.htm
--
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

"Andy" <nospam (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

i take it this is the rover head your doing ? & from what your asking im
assuming your not going to get the head skimmed ? if you were doing it the
correct way by getting it skimmed, the enginnering company if asked would do
this for you as they have a bath for soaking such items.

i have used a light spraying of carb cleaner on the piston crowns, but to be
honest i would'nt recommend it, id leave them as to much cleaning the bores
will wash them & you *might* have smoking problems.

but to get the pistons up to the top to clean them you have to rotate the
engine, since these engines have liners and rotating the crank with no head
isnt a good idea as you might pop the liners up !

"reg" <reg (AT) ihatespam (DOT) com> wrote

Does the head have to be skimmed every time it comes off?

I've raced cars where some of the (much) better off competitors would have
the engine rebuilt in between every race - if they were skimmed every time
there would be nothing left in a few months!

Anyhow, I don't have any liner retainers, so I guess the pistons will have
to stay as they are...

Anyhow, thanks for the advice!
Andy.

"Andy" <nospam (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

No. Seems a popular idea, but it's not always necessary.
If the head is not damaged. The mating surfaces are not burnt or pitted, and
it is flat within 0.006". IOW 6 thou from end to end, IME it is safe to
replace it without skimming.
IMO if skimming can be avoided, it is best to do so. A slight bend will be
taken out when the head bolts are tightened, which is better for the
camshaft on an OHC engine. Which most engines are these days.
Mike.

Andy wrote:

failure, and anyway, we are talking K-Series here, aren't we? If it were
me having to take the damn thing apart again if it packs in again, I'd
take every precaution, at least with an engine that's noted for blowing
the HG if anything isn't 100%.

"Chris Bartram" <news (AT) delete (DOT) me.piglet-net.net> wrote

Just be grateful it isn't one of these.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...f/cyl-head.jpg

Now pass that head gasket *carefully* please.

Steve

"shazzbat" <shazzbat (AT) spamlessness (DOT) fsnet.co.uk> wrote in
news:f27rkg$sgo$1 (AT) news (DOT) datemas.de:

I never realized quite how small the japs were.

--
Tunku

"Caution : traces of irony and other metallic objects may be present in the
above post"

"shazzbat" <shazzbat (AT) spamlessness (DOT) fsnet.co.uk> wrote

lol, excellent picture. I might print that off & give it to our apprentice
next time we give him a simple headjob to do & he moans !