What do you use for cleaning the block and head gasket surfaces ?

its an iron block and heads i always wondered what other people use thats safe so as not to score the surface like a wire wheel would or maybe a scotch brite wheel would be better. I just wanted to know what the pros use especially the decks on the block and head and while i'm askin what is the prefered method for aluminum heads ?

Well, I use the roll lok pads from 3 M. They do kick off a lot of dust so I stuff the cylinders and valley and have the shop vac nozzle at the point of work. They do a good job, but I'm just a shadetree

There is no good, fast way ... get it wet and use some care with single edge razor blades.

I use the fine grit flapper wheels on a die grinder.Have never had any problems so far.

I've got an oulde PROTO scraper that I've had for 50 years. It's good old USA steel and holds an edge like a razor blade. For smaller areas, I use a SHARP, small wood chisel or. a single edge razor blade. There have been, lately, several articles in the trade pubs discouraging the use of abrasives, of any sort, for cleaning gasket surfaces...ESPECIALLY Aluminum.

I remove the gasket stuff with a razor blade too. Then I run over it with a fine flat file. Then I put a cross hatch pattern on it with 120 grit sand paper on a hardwood block. It seems to me the gasket should bite better with a cross hatch, JMO.

Bill

Sharp "Snap On" scraper.

Very similar to these by craftsman

Yep. Single edge razor blades. And thinner.

nuclearcobra wrote:its an iron block and heads i always wondered what other people use thats safe so as not to score the surface like a wire wheel would or maybe a scotch brite wheel would be better. I just wanted to know what the pros use especially the decks on the block and head and while i'm askin what is the prefered method for aluminum heads ?

Thanks i guess i been doing it right all this time i been using a razor blade and a lot of cleaner untill the rag comes back clean i guess you'll never get it shiny (iron) like it is when it comes back from the machine shop.

Roloc disks are a no no, on all this fine mls gasketed stuff we get to use a cleaning compound and a plastic ice scraper...............no shit.

The goop they give us usually goes in the trash, a good carbon/paint stripper in a spray can does better. Easy off oven clean works good too.

My youngest son..........

Mark O'Neal wrote:My youngest son..........

Thats classic!!

Bill

I sharpen a putty knife and when everything is cleaned off I take a whit rock and dress it up to make sure it is smooth and slick...... I keep one in the tool box and only used for this reason..... it take off every nick, bump and blemishes on pan and head surfaces, when I get threw it is smooth as glass.....


Randy

I also use a razor blade but before I put on a new gasket I wipe down the surfaces with the 2x2 alcohol pads you can get at the drug store.
John F.

Is it better to have the surface very smooth or have a bit of "tooth" to it?

I always make sure the surface is nice and flat then put a cross hatch with a sanding block so the gasket has something to bite into.

I have even heard of folks putting center punch marks around intake ports to hold the gasket better.

Bill

Bill the Gaskets are built out of so much better material now days compared to even 10 years ago, I have done the center punch around the intakes on a small block Chevy, but never have found the need on any others... I like the smooth surface for it gives the gasket a nice surface to seal too and easier to clean next time.....


Randy

the Coug wrote:Bill the Gaskets are built out of so much better material now days compared to even 10 years ago, I have done the center punch around the intakes on a small block Chevy, but never have found the need on any others... I like the smooth surface for it gives the gasket a nice surface to seal too and easier to clean next time.....


Randy

Thanks Randy! I didn't want to use the "C" word but that is what I was refering to!!

Bill