Cleaning Engine Parts -- Best way?

[jluetjen]

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)????

[Tim Walsh]

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.

[jluetjen]

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.