Cylinder Head: Cleaning
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2005 Jeep Liberty. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Thoroughly clean the engine cylinder head and cylinder block mating surfaces. Clean the intake and exhaust manifold and engine cylinder head mating surfaces. Remove all gasket material and carbon.
Check to ensure that no coolant or foreign material has fallen into the tappet bore area.
Remove the carbon deposits from the combustion chambers and top of the pistons.