Cleaning Engine Parts -- Best way?
 

Snowman recently returned the heads that I sent to him in "Better then sent" condition. As I sent them they were slightly better then "as removed" condition after cleaning them with degreaser and brushing. I doubt that he got them that clean just using a parts washing sink. If you look at the heads in his pictures on the head flows thread, you'll see that they are now spotlessly gray. Even the iron cylinder that I sent is now beautifully clean. Yes, I'm suffering from cleaning envy. :(

So Snowman, how did (or do) you get them so nice and clean and shiny gray? The same applies to the valves, especially the exhausts. I soaked my exhausts in Chemtool for a few days and still had a heck of a time getting any of the old carbon off. Wire brushing on a drill didn't do much, the only thing that helped (some) was scraping it off with a gasket scraper.

I'm a big believer in getting engine parts clean before rebuilding them, but what's the best way(s)???? :confused:

John,
I am/did use scotchbright and kimwipes combined with kerosene or acetone and it worked well. My heads and rods came back from the machine shop blasted and my biral cylinders, washed. I ran new JE pistons so those were (mostly) clean.

Sorry I don't know how they cleaned my valves but they looked new.

FYW, According to Snowman, he did my heads for a couple of hours in a "hot tank" and bead blasted the valves and cylinder, followed by a good washing with detergent.

I assume the "hot tank" had aluminum friendly solvent in it.