Hi there! Well i've been hard at work on my engine. I want to rebuild the head. I need to clean it up right now, and i was just wondering if i could bead blast this sucker. Also, does any one have tips on how to remove head gaskets from the cylinderhead?

You could bead blast it with either glass bead, or the poly beads, or even walnut shells for that matter.

Best way I have found to remove gaskets is with one of the gasket removers from 3M or ScotchBrite on a pad that you can use on a Dremel tool or cut off tool.

Just be careful with some of them, as they are a bit abrasive and you can end up scratching the surface too much.

You could always use the stiff putty knife and finish it up with a Scotch-Brite pad by hand if you don't have the Dremel tool or a die grinder.

Originally posted by 2ManyZs

You could bead blast it with either glass bead, or the poly beads, or even walnut shells for that matter.

Best way I have found to remove gaskets is with one of the gasket removers from 3M or ScotchBrite on a pad that you can use on a Dremel tool or cut off tool.

Just be careful with some of them, as they are a bit abrasive and you can end up scratching the surface too much.

You could always use the stiff putty knife and finish it up with a Scotch-Brite pad by hand if you don't have the Dremel tool or a die grinder.

If you are taking the head to a machine shop for seats, guides and general machining, just scrape what you can off with a putty knife and let the shop deal with the rest. They will have a perfectly flat surface plate to finnish the head surface which will keep everything perfectly flat. If you get too carried away with a dremel tool or other means you're likely to cause the head to require milling to get the surface perfectly flat again. The machine shop is well versed in how to care for your cylinder head, let them to the exacting stuff that makes or breaks a proper rebuild of the head. You just take care of the block surface. You're far less likely to bugger up that cast iron surface than the soft aluminium cylinder head.

Just my $.02

Carl

Well, i called around today. I got some quotes. 300$ was the norm for seats, guides, valve job, and a mill if necessary.

I'm going to have to come up with some cash. I just spent 90$ on the complete gasket set from fel-pro. Man, cars are expensive. I just can't wait to drive my z again. Right now I'm driving a My parent's toyota prius. This thing has a 70 something horse engine. It's a drag to drive compared to the z. It does get 48 mpg though!