Thread: TD5 head gasket replacement: How to clean the block

I use elbow grease, degreaer and a combination of plastic scrapers and brushes.

The safest most efffective thing I have used for the application of chemicals and elbow grease on the face of the deck and the head is the humble scotch brite pad and scrubbing brushes with the bristles cut down.

acetone and non scratch scourers.

Originally Posted by CraigE

acetone and non scratch scourers.

+ 1 on that. Acetone is toxic, but crikey it works!

These also have proved indispensable over the past 12 years.
Small Brushes to clean, detail and refinish cast aluminium alloy motor surfaces, restore aluminum alloy motorcycle engine and auto motor alloy castings. To restore motorcycle aluminum alloy, and safely remove corrosion. Four sizes with Stainless Stee

Not cheap, but last a long time when used as instructed.

Cheers,
Richard

The scourers I am talking about are those gold and silver ones in the cleaning aisle at you supermarket, your wife may also have them under the sink.
If these dont work the green scourers or fine steel wool that do not leave deep scratches.
Diggers acetone is what I use, some of the chemist stuff used on finger nails is either not true acetone anymore or is diluted too much.

Yup, Acetone works, but don't forget, a box of razor blades is handy too and get a lot of it off. The little Wurth buffer pads that go in a dye grinder work well too. Make sure to buy the soft ones that don't remove metal tho!

Guys -- thanks very much for your input. One final question how do you stop little bits of stuff from falling down into the holes for the stud bolts and the coolant? When using one of the metal pads I had a problem with stuff falling down into these holes. Bryan