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  #1  
Old 08-07-2019, 07:02 PM
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Cleanup of mating surfaces...

I am about to reinstall a completely cleaned up intake manifold (1989 560 SEL). I noticed a lot of residue on the mating surfaces of the cylinder heads.

My plan for now to cleaning this up is using acetone as a solvent, but I am looking forward to any other suggestions. What have others done before bolting the manifold back in with the new gaskets?

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  #2  
Old 08-09-2019, 12:14 PM
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What's the residue? If it's old gasket material, soaking with Permatex Gasket Remover and then using a plastic scraper (sometimes a few soak-and-scrape cycles if there's a lot of material) often works wonders.
Permatex® Gasket Remover
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  #3  
Old 08-09-2019, 02:42 PM
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Thank you!

Quote:
Originally Posted by URO Parts Support View Post
What's the residue? If it's old gasket material, soaking with Permatex Gasket Remover and then using a plastic scraper (sometimes a few soak-and-scrape cycles if there's a lot of material) often works wonders.
Permatex® Gasket Remover
Yes, it does seem to be old gasket remains. I will follow your advice. Thanks!
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Old 08-09-2019, 02:58 PM
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The Permatex Gasket Remover won't melt silicone / RTV, but it works well on old-school paper and solvent-based sealers. If you can find a can of the old (high VOC) Permatex spray, it probably works even better than the new low-VOC stuff. https://youtu.be/iF2my-oganM
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Old 08-11-2019, 05:32 PM
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In that case acetone migh be the right answer after all

I think I will be scrubbing there for a while...
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Old 08-12-2019, 11:09 AM
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I recently bought a carbide scraper, it is simply amazing, just drag it on the surface and the gasket debris simply peels away with it. Finish off with a solvent cleanup, cuts time by as much as 10x.
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Old 08-13-2019, 12:11 PM
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^ Great tip for steel or iron parts! Just don't use a carbide or steel scraper on aluminum, it's too easy to damage the machined surface.
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Last edited by URO Parts Support; 08-13-2019 at 12:27 PM.
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  #8  
Old 08-13-2019, 12:47 PM
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Sometimes a slightly dulled putty knife would work. A perfectly sharp one may gouge into the aluminum.

Finish with a scotchbrite pad.
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Old 08-13-2019, 02:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by URO Parts Support View Post
^ Great tip for steel or iron parts! Just don't use a carbide or steel scraper on aluminum, it's too easy to damage the machined surface.
This is the one I bought

Scraping Tool | Super Scraper | Carbide Processors

Just lay it on the aluminium surface and pull towards yourself, it lifts out any gasket, then finish with a solvent or if fine polishing is required a silicon carbide sponge of 3000 or 4000 grit can make it shiny as a mirror. A soft brass brush is also a good tool to finish off as it doesnt change the surface characteristics of the item being worked on.

Of course proper common sense is required when using.

Before this I used to use smashed copper pipe to act like a scraper, its soft, but takes longer. In half cases I still have to use the copper pipes - when the area is very small
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Old 08-13-2019, 02:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kestas View Post
Sometimes a slightly dulled putty knife would work. A perfectly sharp one may gouge into the aluminum.

Finish with a scotchbrite pad.
scotchbrite is very bad on an engine surface unless you are going to flush the object clean with cleaning surfactants.
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Old 08-13-2019, 02:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zulfiqar View Post
That's a really nice tool, and pulling (instead of pushing) makes it less likely that the surface will be gouged. Bookmarked!
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Old 08-13-2019, 05:10 PM
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I've got very thin residue, it will not scrape off, I've tried a plastic scraper. It is super thin. Unfortunately, the Permatex gasket remover is pretty useless against this stuff, and the acetone takes a lot of effort too. Any other chemical suggestions?
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Old 08-13-2019, 05:11 PM
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Or should I just leave it and pray the new gasket will seal over the old residue?
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Last edited by hbofinger; 08-13-2019 at 06:26 PM.
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Old 08-14-2019, 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by hbofinger View Post
I've got very thin residue, it will not scrape off, I've tried a plastic scraper. It is super thin. Unfortunately, the Permatex gasket remover is pretty useless against this stuff, and the acetone takes a lot of effort too. Any other chemical suggestions?
find a scrapped copper pipe and smash it to an edge, then sharpen it a bit - use that to scrape it. Copper is a bit softer and wont hurt the aluminum if you are sort of gentle on it.
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  #15  
Old 08-14-2019, 12:56 PM
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Never tried one, but brass scrapers and putty knives are available. Looks like copper and brass are similar in hardness, with copper being a bit softer.

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