Head Gasket Cleaning
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FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
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From: North Central Rural Sask.
Head Gasket Cleaning
Hey guys and gals.
Ive been working on my project engine (a 1991 302) and yesterday I yanked the heads off of the block. I scraped the gaskets away best I could (both the head, and the intake) but they were really stuck on, and I couldnt get the surfaces clean. I talked to my dad on the phone and told him my problem, he said just wire wheel them off with the angle grinder and be careful not to push hard.
So I did that, and now im second guessing that whole process, in case maybe I went to deep, or pushed too hard, and just wanted to get some opinions on here.
Im thinking maybe I should bring my heads and my block in and get em resurfaced just to be sure. I didnt want to yank the bottom end out of the block, or disassemble the heads, although Im really not sure if one has to when ya take them in to get machined? (I would assume so though)
My whole thinking was to regasket the engine due to it being a low miled engine, paint it up, and throw it back in the project truck. I sure don't wanna have to yank the engine right apart!
Anyways thoughts, opinions of my possible screw up of taking an ol farmers advice to use a wire wheel and angle grinder?!
Ive been working on my project engine (a 1991 302) and yesterday I yanked the heads off of the block. I scraped the gaskets away best I could (both the head, and the intake) but they were really stuck on, and I couldnt get the surfaces clean. I talked to my dad on the phone and told him my problem, he said just wire wheel them off with the angle grinder and be careful not to push hard.
So I did that, and now im second guessing that whole process, in case maybe I went to deep, or pushed too hard, and just wanted to get some opinions on here.
Im thinking maybe I should bring my heads and my block in and get em resurfaced just to be sure. I didnt want to yank the bottom end out of the block, or disassemble the heads, although Im really not sure if one has to when ya take them in to get machined? (I would assume so though)
My whole thinking was to regasket the engine due to it being a low miled engine, paint it up, and throw it back in the project truck. I sure don't wanna have to yank the engine right apart!
Anyways thoughts, opinions of my possible screw up of taking an ol farmers advice to use a wire wheel and angle grinder?!
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Earth
I can't imagine a wire wheel would do much damage to the deck surfaces. I'd be more worried about little bits of gasket material, etc. getting into the engine that bollixing the block surface.
Since the heads are already off you should take them in for a valve job and resurfacing. Couldn't hurt on a 20 year old engine...
Since the heads are already off you should take them in for a valve job and resurfacing. Couldn't hurt on a 20 year old engine...
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2010
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My whole thinking was to regasket the engine due to it being a low miled engine, paint it up, and throw it back in the project truck. I sure don't wanna have to yank the engine right apart!
Anyways thoughts, opinions of my possible screw up of taking an ol farmers advice to use a wire wheel and angle grinder?!
I don't see a wire wheel causing a problem either . (with the surface metal)
I would be worried about the fine dust and dirt particles that are getting stuck between the pistons and cylinder walls . You might not see them but your rings will love to grind them up and scratch the cylinders .
I would recommend honing it with a set of rings along with a quick valve job , oh no , I see mission creep setting in .
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FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Thanks for the replies guys. I talked to a good friend tonight, and he pretty much said the same thing that you guys, and my father said.
Im pretty sure I can flush all the fine particles and whatnot out of the block, cylinders and whatnot. The top of the block (where the intake is mounted) was pretty dirty, so i had planned to clean that up as well.
Not sure how others clean that sorta thing, but I believe I can do it without wrecking seals and gaskets and whatnot, which isnt a concern since Im changing them all anyways.
Thanks again and if anyone else has more info to offer please share!
Im pretty sure I can flush all the fine particles and whatnot out of the block, cylinders and whatnot. The top of the block (where the intake is mounted) was pretty dirty, so i had planned to clean that up as well.
Not sure how others clean that sorta thing, but I believe I can do it without wrecking seals and gaskets and whatnot, which isnt a concern since Im changing them all anyways.
Thanks again and if anyone else has more info to offer please share!
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