B&S Valve Adjustment Hiccup (Murphy's law & not a pro)

[bertsmobile1]

Thanks slomo on it!

Also The B&S 690971 gasket had note stating that if engine was not originally equipped with gaskets, to use silicone gasket sealant. Is this religion? as why would pros take all the labor time of cleaning up both the valve cover & head .vs using gaskets? Also if you are checking valves every few years, gaskets make more sense.

Same with the intake gasket, original was a red orange type, but I got the B&S gasket with the tradition 2 hole. Big deal or not?

Yes use a gasket
It is a cost cutting proceedure for original manufacture
Also can be used to check if a dealer has actually checked the valve lash
Petrol soaked scotchbrite will remove silicon sealant fairly quickly but you must block off the pushrod tube to prevent globs of it ending up in the sump

 

[oldlawnguy]

I know some think a 1/16 bead is too small but they realized much that stuff spreads. But using it on head gasket is one I wish I didn't see, what a mess to clean up..But it take all kinds like the fellow that duct tape on his mower blade.

I know some think a 1/16 bead is too small but they realized much that stuff spreads. But using it on head gasket is one I wish I didn't see, what a mess to clean up..But it take all kinds like the fellow that duct tape on his mower blade.

Yeah the factory bead spread pretty good and took a while to clean up with plastic tool and fingernails

 

[oldlawnguy]

Yes use a gasket
It is a cost cutting proceedure for original manufacture
Also can be used to check if a dealer has actually checked the valve lash
Petrol soaked scotchbrite will remove silicon sealant fairly quickly but you must block off the pushrod tube to prevent globs of it ending up in the sump

Thanks berstmobile1 for another tip. I think I may as well do the other head gasket as well. Probably has a slow leak as well given plug looks a little oily as well. I now have a scope to look in side.

 

[oldlawnguy]

Plastic scraper or scotchbrite pad and some acetone, Diesel or naptha.

For the carbon, try C-4 or T-N-T LOL. That stuff is tenacious. Seafoam, naptha and acetone.....

You weren't kidding slomo... cylinder head took ~8 hrs, the piston took about 1.5 hrs and was much easier to clean using plastic scrapper and scothbrite pads. Started with Seafoam and then switched to acetone which seemed to do better on carbon. Is naphtha any better? Waiting on a seal-o-ring for intake that goes along with the intake gasket.

 

[slomo]

For carbon removal, that GM cylinder treatment is supposed to be the bom'. Window cleaner works good.

The key is to get some heat into the part. Like cleaning the oven at your house. Cook something. Remove the item. Immediately start cleaning the oven. All you need is a rag and dishsoap, maybe a green pad if it's really bad. No harsh chemicals. Works waaay better than cleaning a cold steel oven box deal.

Back in my Army days, we had a barrel of liquid freon in the motor pool. Don't know the exact R-22 like version. I do know, take a rag and dunk it in the barrel. Wipe anything you wanted. It came off like magic with no rubbing. Course the atmosphere probably got jacked up by using it. An amazing cleaner for sure. Never seen anything like it even today.

 

[slomo]

You weren't kidding slomo... cylinder head took ~8 hrs, the piston took about 1.5 hrs and was much easier to clean using plastic scrapper and scothbrite pads. Started with Seafoam and then switched to acetone which seemed to do better on carbon. Is naphtha any better? Waiting on a seal-o-ring for intake that goes along with the intake gasket.

Think solvents that evaporate fast clean better. That freon would disappear very fast. Course you have to reapply.....

Seafoam was originally made for 2 stroke engines. Acetone is a good one too. Naptha is Zippo Lighter fluid. An oil based quick evaporating fluid. It works good.

Normally you clean like with like. Meaning an oil stain you use an oil solvent type product.

 

[oldlawnguy]

For carbon removal, that GM cylinder treatment is supposed to be the bom'. Window cleaner works good.

The key is to get some heat into the part. Like cleaning the oven at your house. Cook something. Remove the item. Immediately start cleaning the oven. All you need is a rag and dishsoap, maybe a green pad if it's really bad. No harsh chemicals. Works waaay better than cleaning a cold steel oven box deal.

Back in my Army days, we had a barrel of liquid freon in the motor pool. Don't know the exact R-22 like version. I do know, take a rag and dunk it in the barrel. Wipe anything you wanted. It came off like magic with no rubbing. Course the atmosphere probably got jacked up by using it. An amazing cleaner for sure. Never seen anything like it even today.

OK slomo, yeah know what you mean. I've used oven cleaner with those nasty fumes.

I'll give heat a try on the other head gasket project. Will let her sit on the black driveway while I have my morning coffee. It's in the 90s here in the U.S. Northeast, then rinse & repeat.

 

[oldlawnguy]

Think solvents that evaporate fast clean better. That freon would disappear very fast. Course you have to reapply.....

Seafoam was originally made for 2 stroke engines. Acetone is a good one too. Naptha is Zippo Lighter fluid. An oil based quick evaporating fluid. It works good.

Normally you clean like with like. Meaning an oil stain you use an oil solvent type product.

Yeah I was also thinking paint thinner, but did not want to try something not recommended by the shop guys.

Window cleaner (ammonia) is interesting too. Thanks for the tips. I said to myself no way a shop guy is going to clean a head and piston for 8+ hours

 

[slomo]

Yeah I was also thinking paint thinner, but did not want to try something not recommended by the shop guys.

Window cleaner (ammonia) is interesting too. Thanks for the tips. I said to myself no way a shop guy is going to clean a head and piston for 8+ hours

I'm not a shop guy. No way would I spend 8 hours as you did. Your parts came out great BTW.

Now you need to lap the head and block surfaces LOL. Some 220 grit, 400 and 800 wet/dry paper should do it. Piece of plate glass and get to rubbing. Wax on, wax off.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Yeah I was also thinking paint thinner, but did not want to try something not recommended by the shop guys.

Window cleaner (ammonia) is interesting too. Thanks for the tips. I said to myself no way a shop guy is going to clean a head and piston for 8+ hours

Solvents that evaporate fast have small molecules which can penetrate crud easily
As for which solvent , it is all about what radical is on each end .