Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting cleaning the heads/engine

i got the head off the engine whats the best way to clean this up? is there anywhere i shouldnt clean? should i use a solvent or just a brush?

You are going to want to take it to a machine shop that deals with heads if you're not real experienced with them. They will check to see if it is warped or not, and will also check for cracks in the head...particularly around the valves. You don't want to assume that it is good, then put it back on and have a leak.

As far as the block, I think I used a zizz wheel and a scotchbrite pad to clean it up.

well im trying to be cheap so i've already started with the scotchbrite pads. i checked the head for warpage looks good. im not going to clean the cylinder bores or whatever they are. but the top of the pistons look black and all carboned out, should i clean out the top of those? is there any thing that i shouldnt use, i know not to scratch it up or be too rough

I wouldn't go skippy testing the head. There is always a chance of a tiny crack that you won't see unless you vacuum test it. Clean the top of the piston with some carb cleaner and a brush or scotchbrite pad. I did my cylinder walls with some very fine sandpaper, because the car had sat for 2 years and was a bit rusty.