Log in

View Full Version : Best way to clean up a head


16v Nova Kev
06-01-13, 07:54 PM
As above I need to clean up my head and was wondering if a wire brush is ok
Benn
06-01-13, 07:56 PM
Yeah, or cleaner and a rag.
16v Nova Kev
06-01-13, 07:57 PM
It's gone all that alloy powdery way
novacabrio
06-01-13, 08:05 PM
Aqua blasting will get it like new if you want to spend a couple of quid
Stuart
06-01-13, 08:06 PM
Dishwasher.
chrisd1986
06-01-13, 08:08 PM
Dishwasher.

You beat me to it lol, somone on a vw forum wanted his head cleaner than the engine place had got his and he stuck his in the dishwasher with great results
16v Nova Kev
06-01-13, 08:12 PM
I wondered about the dish washer because I have a spare one
16v Nova Kev
06-01-13, 08:13 PM
Aqua blasting will get it like new if you want to spend a couple of quid

Don't know any body that does that
Novasport
06-01-13, 08:19 PM
Did this with just wheel acid and a brush...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/NovaSport/IMAGE_097.jpg
16v Nova Kev
06-01-13, 08:26 PM
That looks bang on. Are you going to paint it
Novasport
06-01-13, 08:51 PM
Dunno, you best ask Edd. It is now fitted to his Sport. I wouldn't have bothered painting it as it will most likely peel off. I would have just sprayed it with WD40 occasionally. Because my cars don't go out in bad weather it would have been fine.
kent14sr
06-01-13, 08:55 PM
I never think painted cylinder heads and cam cases look very good on small block Vauxhall engines- not sure why!

A cleaned up standard finish looks far better - I usually use brake cleaner to get the dirt off and a wire brush wheel in the cordless drill to finish it off
Novasport
06-01-13, 08:59 PM
Wire brushing alloy makes it look awful IMO, it blackens it. You can buy a proper alloy cleaner now, suppose it is similar to wheel acid.
16v Nova Kev
06-01-13, 09:15 PM
I was kind of wanting to match this.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg8/16vnovakev/05012012863.jpg
chrisd1986
06-01-13, 09:52 PM
Painted heads never last realy, ive seen tracktor engine painted in 2pk so perhaps you could get a colour match and try that
mowgli
06-01-13, 10:06 PM
its down to cleaning the metal & using the right primer ASAP.

tractor & truck engines are all painted, and the paint lasts decades
novacabrio
06-01-13, 10:40 PM
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gKHOZYXhIeE
Edd
06-01-13, 10:52 PM
Dunno, you best ask Edd. It is now fitted to his Sport. I wouldn't have bothered painting it as it will most likely peel off. I would have just sprayed it with WD40 occasionally. Because my cars don't go out in bad weather it would have been fine.

That's not fitted to mine ATM, head is wrapped up in a box as I fitted my big valve head, can and housing got sold on

I did a Mega clean and painted them with Hammerite smooth silver, done it many times before and it has never come off

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr359/EDDRODGERS/SAM_0730.jpg
16v Nova Kev
06-01-13, 11:28 PM
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gKHOZYXhIeE

That's awesome