Guys, I disassembled my engine apart from the rotating assy (it's almost new w/ forged pistons, no use in tearing it down) and now I want to remove the trces of the old gaskets from the heads and the cylinder decks. How can I do this the easiest and best way? I was thinking about using a brass wire brush on a die grinder or a nylon brush, I saw a special brush from snap on but I'd have to buy it in the US w/ the special holder (the brush screws into the holder)

I'm not going to have the block decked sine I don't trust the machine shops here. They can't even properly work on angled heads (most european cars have straight heads) so I'm not even going to let them work on my block and risk it being screwed up. Getting a new block here would be a PITA!

All help is appreciated.

Xander

 

I filled the cylinder holes (pistons still in) with rags and then took a wire wheel on a drill and it cleaned up nice. I then vacuumed out the holes after pulling out the rags to make sure I got everything real good.

After firing it back up, I'd still run it a short while then change the oil again.

 

Here is how I clean up a deck when I'm not tearing the engine down-

Remove al traces of oil from the cylinder bores because carbon & dirt sticks to oil. Once it gets stuck to oil between the piston and the wall, you will have a very difficult time getting it out. I use brake parts cleaner and/or lacquer thinner for this step. Rotate the engine to get access to the full stroke of all 8 bores. Next, I cover the lifter valley with shop rags so that crud doesn't go in there. Then I use a gasket scraper (special tool) and a putty knife to scrape off as much gasket as I can, being careful not to let the debris get into the water jackets. Next, I use a reverseable drill & 5 or 6 inch fine wire wheel to go over the entire surface(s). Then, I use an inspection sticker removal tool (razor blade in a holder) to go over the entire surface again carefully. I wire wheel it once more and finish up by wiping it down with lacquer thinner. Since the bores were "oilless" at the start, any dirt that found its way into the cylinder bores (between the piston & wall) should come out using a vacuum cleaner and compressed air. I rotate the engine through several revolutions here as well. This brings the dirt to the top and tends to drop it there as the piston goes back down. After this, I spray WD40 (penetrating oil) in each cylinder, one at a time, and blow it out into a shop rag to get anything left in the bores. Then, I clean up the whole mess with lacquer thinner one more time and lightly oil the bores with engine oil. Sounds like a PITA, but any little spec of dirt you leave between the piston and the wall will scuff up the wall and ruin your engine. Also... do not use a die grinder unless you are using it with a wire wheel. With a stone, you will nick the surface and the new gasket will not seal.... the block will then need to be surfaced.

PS- I also place paper towels or rags in the bores but the wire wheel always grabs them and crud ends up in the cylinders. That's why I "de-oil" them at the start.

PPS- I build engines professionally. Wink Wink.



[Modified by Tom454, 6:36 PM 9/21/2001]