Cleaning the heads
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 6
From: Highlands Ranch Colorado
Cleaning the heads
Got the intake off, trying to get rid of the oil leaks. Not planning to do anything on the heads but they look pretty dirty, not the valves but the ports coming from the intake. Is there anything I can do to clean them without removing them? Since it seems like the quest for horsepower never ends I'm just looking for a good clean running 230 HP engine.
Zen Vet Master Level VII
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 5,218
Likes: 1,174
From: Southlake, TX
Not so much.
If you loosen the accumulated dirt on the intake runners, you risk hunks of junk falling into your engine. If that happens, then you have a whole lot of other issues to deal with.
I agree that clean runners will give you a better flowing engine but this risk may not be worth the reward.
Really the only way to do it right, is to do it right.
If you loosen the accumulated dirt on the intake runners, you risk hunks of junk falling into your engine. If that happens, then you have a whole lot of other issues to deal with.
I agree that clean runners will give you a better flowing engine but this risk may not be worth the reward.
Really the only way to do it right, is to do it right.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
x2
wanting clean parts is good but in hopes of power waste of your best intentions. Zero gain
I leave the carbon on the piston too if the head is pulled.
The stuff that gets in the rings isnt worth the pretty picture.
wanting clean parts is good but in hopes of power waste of your best intentions. Zero gain
I leave the carbon on the piston too if the head is pulled.
The stuff that gets in the rings isnt worth the pretty picture.
Last edited by cv67; Mar 11, 2017 at 10:43 PM.
Oil Producer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 9,367
Likes: 2,735
they soaked in a large Tupperware bin. I used a trashy old jerry can to hold all the trash dirty gasoline and I now use it to clean other stuff like mountain bike chains etc etc.
I did it because I had the heads off and was busy cleaning the engine bay up. repainted them with black head paint.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 6
From: Highlands Ranch Colorado
ON my 85 I took them off and soaked them in old gasoline. scrubbed them down, with my wifes dishes brush. I bought her a new brush.
they soaked in a large Tupperware bin. I used a trashy old jerry can to hold all the trash dirty gasoline and I now use it to clean other stuff like mountain bike chains etc etc.
I did it because I had the heads off and was busy cleaning the engine bay up. repainted them with black head paint.
they soaked in a large Tupperware bin. I used a trashy old jerry can to hold all the trash dirty gasoline and I now use it to clean other stuff like mountain bike chains etc etc.
I did it because I had the heads off and was busy cleaning the engine bay up. repainted them with black head paint.
I'm a little worried some crap fell in so I think I should pull them to be safe.
How hard was it to remove the heads, never done it before. Haven't seen a good write up on the process.
Last edited by KB in CO; Mar 17, 2017 at 11:39 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 113
From: Michigan
In the future use rags/paper towel to fill the holes you don't want stuff failing in. Lay down some in the valley as well and scrape & clean away, then suck up & out all you can with a shop vac. You can always scrape n suck at the same time to get some of it before it falls. Will some stuff get into the ports, maybe and it'll be fine as long as you didn't drop a bolt or the razor down in them LOL. It should burn up or blow out and it's not the end of the world. If you got air you can blow the ports out to see if anything fly's out as well.
My 86 was a mess and when I pulled the intake to port it I did my best to clean it all up, heads on the engine. I just lay some rags down in the valley like I said and then sucked out each port(not the water ports) when done. I wasn't sure if you were talking about cleaning the build-up inside the runners from your 1st post but I'll assume you just meant around like dirt & gasket stuff.
How many miles is on your engine, is I worth the time/$ or do you wanna upgrade the heads anyway while off? High mileage head gasket clean up is not gonna be fun and if your worried about getting stuff in the runner wait till you have big cylinder holes.
My 86 was a mess and when I pulled the intake to port it I did my best to clean it all up, heads on the engine. I just lay some rags down in the valley like I said and then sucked out each port(not the water ports) when done. I wasn't sure if you were talking about cleaning the build-up inside the runners from your 1st post but I'll assume you just meant around like dirt & gasket stuff.
How many miles is on your engine, is I worth the time/$ or do you wanna upgrade the heads anyway while off? High mileage head gasket clean up is not gonna be fun and if your worried about getting stuff in the runner wait till you have big cylinder holes.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,953
Likes: 550
From: Mission Viejo CA
If you decide to pull the heads, you'll need to remove the exhaust manifolds. Be sure to cover the open exhaust pipes, so you don't drop anything into them!! To keep from getting coolant into your cylinders, use a small tube to siphon some coolant from one of the lower bolt holes before you remove the head. All of the head bolts go into the water jacket.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 177
From: NE Ohio
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Got the intake off, trying to get rid of the oil leaks. Not planning to do anything on the heads but they look pretty dirty, not the valves but the ports coming from the intake. Is there anything I can do to clean them without removing them? Since it seems like the quest for horsepower never ends I'm just looking for a good clean running 230 HP engine.
Last edited by kenmohr; Mar 19, 2017 at 04:47 AM. Reason: corrected mileage
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Oil Producer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 9,367
Likes: 2,735
it was not a hard. but it was time-consuming that's for sure. It's one of those things that has to be done correctly and you'll likely break a couple of bolts along the way which opens a whole can of worms about learning to use Heli coil's and buying a new set of bits and a right angle drill head for a multi tool in tight places. Using a 50-50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid in a small oiler can help. it is the best penetrant out there.
if the car is not intended to be driven for a while, then go for it. You could re deck the heads your self if you want. I did it using the sandpaper and granite countertop method and it worked perfectly on my iron head 85. I did not replace any of the valvetrain except the pushrods as one was slightly, and I mean slightly, out of true. well I was in there I also re-finished my valve covers and they look absolutely perfect.
I also pulled any Rusty fasteners out well I was in there and hit them with a light misting of satin finish the rest oleum
before buttoning the heads back on I used a shop vac to suck everything out of the cylinder that may have fallen in there in the meantime proceeding that though, I had jammed paper towels in the holes.
my first time it took me four months to complete the project resurfacing the heads and fixing all the broken fasteners and getting it all back together perfectly. I think I could do it in two weekends now.So unless you know for sure you have a head gasket issue, personally I would not suggest doing it.But if you think you really do have a head gasket issue then you might as well get out it. Lots of help from us on the form as you go through it.
I typically use Siri when I make long posts and sometimes she does not get the words perfect! Just so you don't think I have the grammar of a two-year-old!
before buttoning the heads back on I used a shop vac to suck everything out of the cylinder that may have fallen in there in the meantime proceeding that though, I had jammed paper towels in the holes.
my first time it took me four months to complete the project resurfacing the heads and fixing all the broken fasteners and getting it all back together perfectly. I think I could do it in two weekends now.So unless you know for sure you have a head gasket issue, personally I would not suggest doing it.But if you think you really do have a head gasket issue then you might as well get out it. Lots of help from us on the form as you go through it.
I typically use Siri when I make long posts and sometimes she does not get the words perfect! Just so you don't think I have the grammar of a two-year-old!
Last edited by VikingTrad3r; Mar 18, 2017 at 09:44 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 6
From: Highlands Ranch Colorado
Thanks for all the reply's. My 85 has about 102k miles and the 4+3. I do not believe I had a head gasket issue. I started out to fix oil leaks, which just looked like they were coming from the valve covers and intake. Its definitely a weekend car so my goal at this point to have it running by summer. I am taking my time, this is my first time doing most of this.
So far I have the intake off and was getting ready to clean everything to put the intake back on. That's when I noticed the black soot stuff in the heads. The only thing that might have fallen in so far would be that. Planned to put towels in the ports before the cleaning off the gasket stuff.
As been mentioned many times on the forum, as you do one thing it looks like a good a idea to do something else. I just need to decided how far I want to go. At this point I bought new injectors, did some mild porting, really just cleaning up rough spots on the pelum and the runners. Going to clean up the intake. Now what, do I upgrade the rockers, exhaust, heads? Still have to go through emissions in Colorado. I've seen some ways others have gotten to their goals on a budget, which is what I would like to do. It doesn't really have an end.
So far I have the intake off and was getting ready to clean everything to put the intake back on. That's when I noticed the black soot stuff in the heads. The only thing that might have fallen in so far would be that. Planned to put towels in the ports before the cleaning off the gasket stuff.
As been mentioned many times on the forum, as you do one thing it looks like a good a idea to do something else. I just need to decided how far I want to go. At this point I bought new injectors, did some mild porting, really just cleaning up rough spots on the pelum and the runners. Going to clean up the intake. Now what, do I upgrade the rockers, exhaust, heads? Still have to go through emissions in Colorado. I've seen some ways others have gotten to their goals on a budget, which is what I would like to do. It doesn't really have an end.
Last edited by KB in CO; Mar 18, 2017 at 11:47 AM. Reason: clarification