How do you clean the head & block?

[Delphius]

Okay, so now (like countless other Supra owners before me!) I've got the head and block separated, what's the best easiest way of removing the remnants of the head gasket from them?

Being a lazy sod.... err, I mean not having a lot of time, a power-assisted option would be good. I was considering something like a dremel fitted with a soft wire brush.

Any tips gratefully received. Except "use an angle grinder" :) I want some engine left afterwards!

Mark.

[black 86 supra]

you dont wanna use anything small, i.e that will not cover a large area as it will cause uneven spots, your best bet is to use some elbow grease - a largeflat block of wood with wet n dry paper, you wanna rub in as big amounts as poss, make sure its got plenty of water, takes a while but will come up like new. take the head to your local machinist to be skimmed.

hope that helps

[G.T]

Also, its best to stuff all the water and oilway holes with grease or pieces of scrunched up rag, this will prevent any swarf or other abrasives finding their way into bearing surfaces and other places you really don't want that stuff

[Adam W]

I wouldn't start sanding it until you've got back to the metal of the block and inspected it, you don't want to take any metal off if you can help it. You want a blunt metal blade about 1" wide, gently scrape the old gasket off without scratching the metal of the block. Then clean it all with rags soaked in petrol or white spirit until the rags come away clean.

[Bondango]

I wouldn't start sanding it until you've got back to the metal of the block and inspected it, you don't want to take any metal off if you can help it. You want a blunt metal blade about 1" wide, gently scrape the old gasket off without scratching the metal of the block. Then clean it all with rags soaked in petrol or white spirit until the rags come away clean.

after the above id send it to a machine shop and get the surface checked, and maybe a skim if needed, well worth the extra £25 or so

[Finfon]

would a tool like those paint scrapers where they use a stanley knife blade not do the trick? and make sure you go away from any oil or water passages and obviously the cylinder bores even with rags stuffed in just to be on the safe side

[Nick@TC]

paint scrapers



We use exactly this, as sold by the tools van man.
You want a nice stiff one, not flimsy.

[Retread]

I used the back edge of a hacksaw blade at the weekend (1.9 Peugeot diesel with BHG). Gentle slicing/scraping until the original machining marks were evenly visible across the gasket contact area (no bright metal). Same for the top of the block, with rags stuffed into the cylinders. All up and running, but a seven-hour job, start to finish. :yes:

Retread.

[Delphius]

Ta for the replies guys, the sharp scraper looks best, as I have one in the garage.... Now where did I put all the decorating stuff?....

Mark.

[Dillinger]

love that sig delphius :)

[Dino]

Now where did I put all the decorating stuff?....

Mark.

well hiden from the other half if you've any sense :)

[Delphius]

love that sig delphius :)

Heh, only being honest. I just felt jealous of all the guys with the go-faster bits listed. I just thought I'd list all my go-slower ones :) (or as it as the moment, go-nowhere).

It needs some work, but given some time, I should be able to sort most of the faults.... Well, here's hoping. It's just that as I go deeper, what I thought was an enthusiast-owned car (well, he did own two Supras), turns out to be a bit of a bodge-up job. :banghead:

Mark.

[imoyes]

Heh, only being honest. I just felt jealous of all the guys with the go-faster bits listed. I just thought I'd list all my go-slower ones :) (or as it as the moment, go-nowhere).

It needs some work, but given some time, I should be able to sort most of the faults.... Well, here's hoping. It's just that as I go deeper, what I thought was an enthusiast-owned car (well, he did own two Supras), turns out to be a bit of a bodge-up job. :banghead:

Mark.

LMAO! I love your sig. But.

Owning two Supra's doesn't make you an enthusiast :no: , it just means you can't afford to throw money endlessly at the one you had and you can't afford to buy a newer car to go to work in. So you need one to drive and an organ donor, on block, in the drive. :)

[Eddie the Eagle]

lmfao

imoyes--- exactly right i got two one for a donor. thing is the body is shagged and the engine has a BHG unfortunatly i cant be assed to fix the engine as its done 80k and used to run mint!!!!!!

[peter]

Whats wrong with a Supra having done 80K. Just run in ;-)

[Delphius]

LMAO! I love your sig. But.

Owning two Supra's doesn't make you an enthusiast :no: , it just means you can't afford to throw money endlessly at the one you had and you can't afford to buy a newer car to go to work in. So you need one to drive and an organ donor, on block, in the drive. :)

Yeah, I've noticed the number of people on here with more than one car and now, being a Supra owner, I know why!

I also now know how much a REAL Supra nut spends on their cars! :)

By the way, I now have a set of very shiny, very red shock absorbers! Well, it was the only paint I had spare in the garage. :rolleyes:

I had a day off work today and finished cleaning up the head and block. Luckily, neither look too bad. Now I know there are no pits in the block and the head seems true, I'll be sorting out ARP bolts, gasket set, and cambelt (I'll be giving TC a call). Then I can start putting it all together again. Properly!