Cylinder Head Cleaning: Inspection
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2007 Ford Pickup, 2007 Ford F550 Super Duty, 2007 Ford F450 Super Duty, and 2007 Ford Cab & Chassis. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- Following the directions on the packaging, use Silicone Gasket Remover and Metal Surface Prep to clean the cylinder head of all gasket material, RTV, oil and coolant.
- Clean all bolt holes and be sure gasket surfaces, oil return holes and coolant passages are clean. After rinsing thoroughly with hot water, blow them out using filtered compressed air.
- Wash all bolts (except head bolts, these must be replaced) with a suitable solvent and dry thoroughly.
- Inspect the cylinder head for cracks, burned valves or seats and scratched or marred gasket mating surfaces.
- Measure the cylinder head thickness. If the deck-to-deck measurements are below the minimum specification, install a new cylinder head.
CAUTION:
Do not use metal scrapers, wire brushes, power abrasive discs or other abrasive means to clean the sealing surfaces. These tools cause scratches and gouges that make leak paths. Use a plastic scraping tool to remove all traces of the head gasket and other foreign material.
NOTE:
Cylinder heads used on the diesel engine cannot be resurfaced. Install a new cylinder head if it is cracked or warped.
NOTE:
If it is suspected that the cylinder head has been resurfaced, use a suitable micrometer to measure the cylinder head thickness at four different points.