Best way to clean set of heads?

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Aug 15, 2008 | 11:12 AM

drewwrxrogers

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From: Webb City,MO

Best way to clean set of heads?

I have a set of heads that were CNC'ed and ran for a few miles. Carboned up and dirty. The shop wants 100 bucks to clean and flow them. Or 50 to flow them. How can I get these valves, heads, ect all spick and span with some cleaning tools and product? Thanks guys!

Aug 15, 2008 | 12:19 PM

Sigforty

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From: Was New Orleans, but swam to Baton Rouge

A small steam cleaner works wonders on carbon deposits.

Aug 15, 2008 | 04:22 PM

Michael V

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From: Lake Havasu

I cleaned my AFR's with 5K on them and it was one messy and labor intensive job. I would have paid $100 just to clean them. Spend the money and then you can verify the flow!

Mike V

Aug 15, 2008 | 04:25 PM

1sick'98WS6

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From: Phoenix AZ

I use seafoam Deep creep, it comes in a spray can, and a scotchbrite pad.... Some people say dont use scotchbrite, but i go gentle and have never had a problem

Aug 15, 2008 | 04:29 PM

Beaflag VonRathburg

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From: Jax Beach, Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigforty

A small steam cleaner works wonders on carbon deposits.

+1, I ran a set of heads through the small cleaner at the shop and it worked great.

Aug 15, 2008 | 05:21 PM

NemeSS

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From: Houston,TX

i have used oven cleaner on the heads,
it will remove most of the carbon and give the heads a dark look.
other than that no problems

Aug 15, 2008 | 05:26 PM

vettenuts

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From: Little Rhody

Oohhhh, oven cleaner says not to use on aluminum. I did mine the hard way and it took a long time.

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Aug 15, 2008 | 08:59 PM

00pooterSS

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From: Dallas

+1 soft bristle brush and carb cleaner.

But whatever the machinists/builders do to clean them I would like to know, they come out looking brand new when they are done with them.

Aug 15, 2008 | 10:18 PM

#10

TopFlite

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From: 415 Northern CA

I used seafoam with an old toothbrush and rag when my heads were off.

Aug 16, 2008 | 12:07 AM

#11

hirdlej

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From: Minneapolis, MN

I use permatex gasket remover. That carbon will be begging to get off the head after you spray it. Don't get it on your skin though, it burnsssss!

Aug 16, 2008 | 10:45 AM

#12

99 bad aSS

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From: San antonio

At work I stick them in a solvent tank and Use strips of scotch brite on a die grinder at 40 PSI and hit the valves up on a wire wheel. Look practically new everytime.

Aug 16, 2008 | 10:53 AM

#13

Nabdrill

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Machine shops boil aluminum heads in a water/detergent mixture... at least that what they do at the shop I use. It cleans them up nicely

Aug 16, 2008 | 11:15 AM

#14

thunderstruck507

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From: Northwest AR

I used a steam cleaner and castrol super clean, took a couple passes but it was easy and quick

Aug 16, 2008 | 11:43 AM

#15

Mart00SS

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From: Tequesta, FL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nabdrill

Machine shops boil aluminum heads in a water/detergent mixture... at least that what they do at the shop I use. It cleans them up nicely

This guy is right, I believe its called getting the heads "HOT TANKED" this way you are not only cleaning the intake runners but all the cooland passages/oil passages because the entire head is submearged in boiling water/detergent.