Gasket Surface Prep
 

I followed Wayne's instructions... clean till you think it is clean and then clean some more. Here is a pic of the surface of the cam housing. Does all the black need to be gone? Am I good to go from here? Or, shoudl I break out the 600 grit and go until I see shiny aluminum?
I am so ready to get this bad boy back running... I have launch fever so I figured I would post here just to make sure I don't jump the gun :rolleyes:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215124890.jpg

I would definitely clean it much more than that.

You could use a small wire brush and lightly scrub it clean with some solvent.

I am a bit ocd when it comes to this kind of stuff but I like to know my stuff is clean.

After I clean my parts I wash them in hot water with dawn dish soap then dry them with a heat gun or in the oven.

Be careful using sandpaper. You don't want a wavy surface.

Another trick with aluminum is to use a razor blade at a 90 degree angle from the surface you are cleaning. However, it takes a certain feel to use a razor to so don't end up gouging the aluminum or mag.

Also, Is this part aluminum? You may want to consider having the holes ( I think) tig welded instead of using the epoxy.

Just my $.02

JB Weld is the "official" goop for those spots... I know, sounds crazy but everyone I have ever talked to and all the books say to use JB weld. I will spend a little quality time with a razor blade. I have been R&Ring other stuff letting the JB Weld dry. New Flywheel seal, new pilot bearing, new cam oil lines... jeez, does it ever stop!!! Oh well, at least it will look really cool when I put it back in. Probably won't run or will leak like a seive, but it will look all shiny and clean!!! My powdercoated engine tins and fan will make sure of that :)

Since you have everything removed just tape some 320 on a flat surface, glass etc and give it a few passes and it will look good.

Crap...that's how mine look and I thought I was good to go. I've taken a dental pic and the dark spots seem to be discoloraration but I'll just go ahead and use some sand paper.

+1 Glass, wet/dry sandpaper, WD-40 for lubricant.

+2; make 8 passes until it is all shiny everywhere.

Aurel

+3! I had to do my case sealing surfaces with a large machinist's slate and 16 sheets of sticky backed sandpaper after what the last idiots did to it with a coarse wire wheel. Of course it will be align bored next. I bought a 1/4" thick piece of glass 8" X 16" for flattening valve covers. I keep 80 grit on one side and 150 grit on the other and finish valve covers, cam chain covers, cam chain housings, etc. with a nice cross hatched finish. You can still see a couple of spots where they dug in really deep and in the intermediate shaft bores you can tell what it all looked like before.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215153950.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215154032.jpg

THat surface just looks like very fine oxidation to me. If you can't feel it, it should be fine. If there is doubt, take the advice above because replacing that gasket is no fun once the engine is in.

It's magnesium, and behind the JB Weld is a steel stud, so welding is out o the question.

It's hard to tell from the picture. I use a razor blade that I've bent so it bows out a little i.e. the middle hits the surface first and more of the razor hits as you press down on it. Scape the surface along the sealing surface not across it.
It's important to clean any sealing surface in such a way that you don't make any scratches that make a path for oil to flow past/around the gasket.

You don't want any high spots from leftover gasket material or pushed up metal. I see high spots created when people try to pry surfaces apart with a screwdriver for example.
If the surface is free of studs, I'll sand it flat using a big piece of sandpaper (forget the grit) on a piece of granite counter top with some water.

Deep scratches can be filled with JBWeld.

This surface is covered by a deformable gasket so I don't really see the need to make the surface shiny. Use a nice thick gasket.

-Chris

I'm starting to clean my case sealing surface's at this time, I'm using alcohol and a plastic sponge, but it's taking me forever getting the matting surface's super clean. So, I guess I can be safe using a razor blade and or the above mentioned sandpaper to remove the old sealant?