So I'm in the middle of this headgasket job and I got some seafoam to clean the engine with. I also got a gasket scraper since it told me to get one and use it to scrape off all the old carbon on the engine head before putting a new HG on.

Anyways, how should I go about cleaning? Just pour some seafoam into the cylinder heads and let it soak awhile and scrape away at the carbon? The gasket scraper has a plastic end which doens't work very well, and metal blades, however I'm worried about scratching the top so I haven't used them yet.

I think I'll just go out and get a nylon brush to clean it with. I just don't want to do anything damaging to the engine. While I am in the middle of this complicated project, I still don't have all the knowledge somebody else will that has rebuilt and worked on cars for a lot longer than me, so if it seems like a trivial question, I'm just being cautious

 

Post some pics so others can better advise you!

 

i used a blade for utility knives to scrape off old gasket material. lots of carb/brake cleaner. i also ziptied the blade so it doesnt accidentialy drop it into any oil passages. if you do happen to drop something in their cover all but two holes and use an air compressor to blow it out

 

This is the engine head, doesn't look too bad actually considering it has 160k on it

Engine Block - doesn't look too bad either. This was after the gasket scraping, I still have a little bit of work left but wanted to let some seafoam/carb cleaner soak it overnight. The razor left some minor scraping, hopefully nothing too bad. I just dont want to push down too hard on it. BTW the coolant on the pistons is from the air compressor blowing it all over the engine (wonder who did that ). I cleaned it up later on


Here's where I think the headgasket blew on cylinder #2. There looks like there is a copper ring around each cylinder in the HG and this one was definately blown. I bent it up so you could see it easier, it wasn't like that to start with!!

Another shot of my engine block and engine bay. Look how dirty it is. I'll be getting in there with some carb cleaner tomorrow to get those intake pipes!

 

Dude after u clean out the intake invest in a EGR block off

 

Wow thats one clean piston. BTW, your #4 cylinder wall looks a little rough (in general and compared to the others). BTW, if you want the head to be really clean, take it to a shop and pay them ~$50 to have it jet tanked, and simple green also cleans the stuff of pretty well. The carbon build up in the combustion chamber and exhaust ports is near impossible to get off with household cleaners though.

 

Tim let me know how long you are going to be in town for. I got a guy that will do wonders for your car. He is doing all the work for mine, check out my sig. His '92 SC300 puts down 616rwhp on pump gas. It has a 2jzgte swap, v160 tranny and much more.

 

Yeah shane can do some great stuff to your car. Hope all is well in lexus land Tim. This Amir. I met you at Sahara's with Michael and Meghan. I used to have the black TL Type S with the 18" Advans.

Peace out and get my number from John P.

 

I've been reading up on the EGR removal, and for all the time and effort I put into it, how is it really going to benefit me, and will I have any problems passing emissions?

 

I think a few persons have put toulene in their gas tank to help them pas emissions when they are NA-T. Also, I could have sworn it was a bad idea to use brake cleaner, etc on the pistons and cylinder walls though

 

buy like 5 bottles of starting fluid, razor bladers and some cloth rags, tshirts work the best. take the razors and scrap off the carbon, be carefull not to scratch the block or the head. when your done with that spray the starting fluid on the rag, the thing about starting fluid it that it wont dry up seals and other rubber hoses and what not on and in the engine like brake cleaner and other products like that, and wip the block and head down. you can spray that stuff anywhere you want. i would get as much as you can out of the block and head, as you know diamonds are nothing but carbon so its worse then sand in your engine. so just slap everything in and good luck, hope you take pics to show everyone

 

Sounds good. I'm going to Home Depot as soon as I get a parts list for the Coolant Bypass Mod and the EGR removal mod. I figure while I have the engine completely apart for a day while waiting for the part I might as well do these two things.

I'll definately take pics after I get it in tip top shape.

I did notice some very minor scraping on the block head from the razor, so I will be extra careful not to get around the rings or scrape anymore. Right now it was just scraped on the flat parts near the outside of the block so theres not really any serious damage.

 

I was looking at the EGR removal and it appears as though this version has a sensor directly in the EGR pipe. I have the EGR off my car right now, and I don't have that wire and connector that come out of the top of the EGR on mine. Its blocked off and sealed. Is this the way ours is supposed to be? If so, where do we put the resistor?

 

You talking about Shanes car? The white one?

 

When I removed the EGR system, I completely removed it and used 2 block off plates; 1 on the intake manifold and 1 on the engine block near cylinder 6. In between the driver side firewall and the upper intake manifold, you'll see that clip for the sensor. You need to put a resistor in that clip. It looks like this: