I saw Andrew's post on Ultrasonic Cleaners, which led me to the following question:
What is the best way to clean a cylinder head (without the proper tools)?
I was told that boiling water with dishwater tablets would do a good job. My wife is a bit precious with her Aga, so was going to boil it up on the BBQ.
My concern is that I warp a perfectly good, but dirty head.
Would not reccomend this method. Alloy head can get pitted.
Try brake fluid or other methods.
And never ever soak the head in the material before testing on a small spot on one of the fins.
I've tried some of the 'recommended' ways to clean aluminium engine parts by boiling in various concoctions...
I tried this when I was building engines for a living as there were some people that didn't like bead blasting (for no logical reason in my opinion)...
At best these methods just degreased the parts...I consider the only way to completely clean the parts and to produce a good finish is to bead blast them...
For anyone squeamish about residual blast media use a soda blaster...The soda dissolves in water so is easily removed. Aqua blasting machines also produce a less 'contaminated' final product.
For dry blasting with aluminium oxide/glass media a more thorough clean is required (with access to a high pressure airline)...
I have used oxide/glass for decades on scores of engines/gearboxes and have never had any problems with residual media contamination after employing a thorough cleaning regime before use...
Ignore all of the above if you want 'patina' on the finished item...Boiling in detergent or similar will preserve it..:laughing: ...Ian
Most workshop have a parts washer.
Ever since they banned the best cleaning & degreasing method even invented, Trico dipping tanks
The most popular ones are nothing more than a dishwasher on steroids.
Fairly standard in head shops and auto electricians.
Long gone are the days of the apprentice scrubbing parts for the tradies.
No chance what so ever of a dishwasher or boiling water warping a head.
Stop and have a think about it.
You heat them to 250-300 C to replace a guide so what is 100 going to do.............. nothing.
As for boiling, used that for carbs for decades till I got the ultrasound.
The trick is a second pot of boiling water for the rinse .
parts for electroplating get a boiling water rinse before & between each plating tank.
Pat, I don't know where you are but I use an aqua blasting process provided by T & L Engineering in Elstow near Bedford. Not expensive and finished parts are totally de-greased and the alloy surfaces are brought back to a nice semi-gloss 'as cast' finish which does not stain easily. The lads at T&L call it the hot wash and parts are certainly too hot to touch when they emerge! I take the precaution of removing any gasket cement traces but apart from that I take them as stripped.
REgards, Mark
Putting ally in a dishwasher isn't a good idea, nothing to do with the heat, it's the salt in a container at the bottom of the dishwasher that helps clean the plates. Unfortunately this turns the ally grey. I know I've done it.
Ive just done my BSA Bantam head using spray on oven cleaner i found under the sink , stings a bit if you dont use gloves but works well !! Did turn it grey actually but i was painting it black anyway.
I've asked the guy to really take it easy and clean for a short period,
As hi's machine had an air tank the size of a silo, and the nozzle of the blaster
Was like 2" diameter, and I was afraid to end up with a ventilated motor head,
But gladly, he made it very quick, and in less than 10 sec I think,
And it really came out nice.
He charged me only 4 Pounds, so that was also a nice surprise... :grinning:
Any cleaning product containing caustic soda/lye will react with aluminium/aluminum and turn it grey.
Leave it in there too long and it will probably eat it away.
Dishwasher tablets and oven cleaner for example.
I would just clean it with a bit of petrol and a tooth brush, not touching the gasket surface.
No risk at all.
Cleaned heads will soon get dirty anyway.
