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Hey team. I apologize in advance if I'm posting this in the wrong area. Still kind of new here. I am in the process of replacing the head gasket on my '95 pickup. 22 RE with the hellish California emissions package (yay!). I have gotten the head off and there is a substantial amount of residue left on the block deck from the old gasket. I was wondering what tools and fluids would work best for getting all of this off. I am thinking break parts cleaner but wanted some other opinions. Also, a lot of this gunk is solid chunks. How vigilant should I be about NOT letting chunk of it fall into the coolant jacket. Thinking I'll have a shop-vac next to me for this part. Included is a picture of the block. Nothing new for everyone here but I thought it added an extra dimension of information for anyone willing to help. Hope everyone had a good holiday! Thanks in advance!
22RE block deck
Ideally you want the deck surface to be clean, bare steel wiped with acetone before laying a new gasket down. I use a razor blade to remove the old gasket and try to avoid chunks falling into the water jacket as much as possible.
It's best to clean the block on it's side or even upside-down on a stand. But since you're not pulling the engine, you can buy or make a long skinny vacuum attachment that'll fit through the water jacket holes. Also clean the head bolt holes out really good and use a thread chaser.
If you want to make sure the block's really clean, pull the coolant plug fitting from the block. Flush with distilled water a few times and you should be good to go.
Firs put paper towels or shop rags down in the cylinders keeping them below the block deck to keep junk out of the cylinders, then razor blade all the old gasket off thenI use a flat 1 1/4" flat tube bar about a foot long and wrap 80 grit sandpaper around and carefully sand the top of the block. The square tube keeps the block surface flat and even as you lightly sand. Make sure and chase the stud holes and blow them out with compressed air. I usually lightly blow out the cylinders with light compressed air to get the sanding junk and old gasket and coolant out.
I've done hundreds of blocks this way when doing head gasket R&R's and never had any trouble.
BTW looks like the headgasket blew around #2 cylinder?
Last edited by toyospearo; 01-05-2018 at 09:47 AM.
Do not use sand paper, Scotch pads or a razor, these can/will gouge the surface. Get a couole plastic scrapers. Anything harder than the gasket but softer than the cast steel..
PS yeah I use a razor also but don't recommend it novices.
I wouldn't use sandpaper (at least not 80grit), but I do use "Scotch Brite"-like pads. You do want to remove as little metal as you can, and with enough elbow-grease a sheet of newspaper can start to remove metal. So be careful. Razor blades ARE harder than a block, so careless use can actual shave off curls of metal, but if you are careful you shouldn't have any trouble.
I hold a new, unused blade by thumb and forefinger (with no blade-holding scrappers of any kind) only gentle pressure, and keep it at a shallow angle to the deck surface. If the blade ever stops sliding along easily or catches immediately stop and work the area from a different direction. Replace with a new blade as soon as the edge gets chipped.
If you use a blade this way, you won't damage the deck surface. Now if you just want to go at it without putting much thought in, a plastic scraper or wedge of wood will save you from ruining it. Avoid sandpaper or abrasive pads (gentle, no-scratch kind would be fine).
Carbon build-up on the pistons and cylinder walls cleans off easily with gasoline on a clean rag.
To make sure it's clean, give a final wipe with acetone on a clean rag and gently blow lint off with compressed air.
Thanks guys for the responses. I ended up using brake parts cleaner, a 3M Roloc bristle disc, and a super fine scotch pad. Came out looking great. I guess I could’ve just searched Google as well (no one wants to be that guy). Now, I’m trying to break loose the crank bolt from hell. Not fun. Any tips haha? Thanks again!
But how do you keep the crank from turning? There are lots of ingenious methods to do this, but remember: you still have to put it back on! So using the starter (a perennial favorite) won't help; it might loosen the bolt, but you have the same problem putting it back on.
So you need a tool. Search this site for plenty of very clever shop-made tools. I (of course) am partial to this one: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...h-3vze-137934/ If you have the $20 angle grinder already, it will set you back about $0.00.
But how do you keep the crank from turning? There are lots of ingenious methods to do this, but remember: you still have to put it back on! So using the starter (a perennial favorite) won't help; it might loosen the bolt, but you have the same problem putting it back on.
So you need a tool. Search this site for plenty of very clever shop-made tools. I (of course) am partial to this one: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...h-3vze-137934/ If you have the $20 angle grinder already, it will set you back about $0.00.
Which angel are you again? Kidding haha. Thanks for the input. Greatly appreciated. I was able to stop engine rotation by putting the truck in gear (not my favorite method) or removing the power steering pulley and inserting an extension through it looking the engine spin. Alas, no luck. This thing is really on there. Impact gun did absolutely nothing as did some seriously long breaker bars. The socket slipped off once too slightly rounding off one of the sides. I am into dangerous territory now.
The next time you attempt it, heat the bolt head with a torch to swell it then a blast of co2 (bicycle tire cartridge inflator) or off-the-shelf freeze spray to shrink it. Bungee or wire the end of the breaker bar onto the pulley to help prevent slippage.
If that fails and it rounds anyway, you'll have to get more creative. You could try carefully grinding the sides of the bolt down a little and hammering on the next largest socket you have. If that fails, you'll have to cut and grind the bolt head off, slide the pulley off and drill the broken stud out. No fun, be really careful on what might be your last "easy" attempt.
I need to make one of those pulley-holder bars myself. Last time I held the pulley with an old chain wrench and a lot of luck wrapping the pulley with strong enough fabric to protect it. I don't recommended this method (ironically, it's the only method shown in the fsm!)
01-04-2018, 03:39 PM
