Cleaning an Alum. Head?

[R-Code]

I have an ALuminum head thats been sitting for about 3yrs....what's the best way of cleaning it? Inside and out.

[silent_1999]

i would say a good degreaser like purple stuff i guess maybe some carb cleaner for the tough areas

[JohnP]

First strip the head , take the oil gallery plugs out , two in each end . I soak the heads in Really Hot water with a mix of Dawn and Simple Green . Leave it soak till the water is just barely warm , rinse with Hot water , blow dry . The head will look like a new casting . Don't use anything caustic , it will eat the aluminum and darken it .

Along with the head soaking , you need some brushes of various sizes . You can use bottle brushes , gun cleaning brushes are excellent for cleaning the oil galleries . Most heads don't have a lot of crude inside , mostly outside around the cam gears . IF it's really greasy , use some Gunk and brush it good then rinse .

[2000ZxT]

Is that with the valves still in?

I can't pull my valves, none of the tools I'm getting allow me to pull off the retainer when I have the springs compressed. Help?

[JohnP]

You can take all the valves out of the head in a few minutes , getting them back in is a big problem .

Take a socket the size of the retainer with a extension . Place the socket on the retainer , give it a hard rap with a hammer , it'll pop the lock/keeper so you can remove the valve . Place a rag around the socket so you don't lose a lock/keeper when you smack it .

Re-assembling the valve train is a real problem without the proper tools . There is a special compressor thats needed . You can make something using a socket/pipe with windows cut out of the sides .

[mechtech]

There are locks [little keys] on the valve stem. Remove them and the retainer will be free.

[KnightJovian]

On the non-caustic side of cleaners.. find someone that works in a restaurant... like Steak-N-Shake or Chickfila... I work at SNS and we have this special type of grill cleaner that is non caustic. I use it to clean my whole engine, just heat up the parts, spray this on, and rinse it off... makes it look beautiful!

[JohnP]

A caustic cleaner when applied to aluminum will start to foam . Read the info on the container look fore things like caustic soda .

You have a brand name on that cleaner , sounds like a good deal .