Hello Guest User,

Please feel free to have a look around the forum but be aware that as an unregistered guest you can't see all of it and you can't post.

To access these 'Registered Users Only' areas simply register and login.

Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

Need help restoring, building, or finding then try here.

Moderators: chrisu, paul doran, Taffus, KeithZ1R

Message
Author
Mr Bump
100Club
100Club
Posts: 382
Joined: 30th Dec 2015

Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

#1 PostAuthor: Mr Bump » Sat Mar 31, 2018 9:11 am

Morning,

Ive got a z1000 head I’m getting ready to fit to an engine. It’s black painted and very dirty, and needs to be bare ally and clean.

Trouble is that the engine it’s going on has nice clean cases, but they haven’t ever been blasted clean. When I rebuilt the bike last winter I deliberately didn’t have them blasted as they have a little bit of patina and i wanted a ‘nice old bike in good condition’ not a complete ‘as it left the factory’ restoration.

My concern is that if i get the head soda blasted to get the paint and filth off it’ll come back looking like new and stand out like a sore thing when I bolt it on.

And thoughts or advice please?

Thanks,

Olly
'In your twenties you think you are immortal, in your thirties you hope you are immortal, in your forties you just hope it doesn't hurt too much'

Lemmy

ZedHead
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 2727
Joined: 9th May 2009
Location: Darlington
Contact:

Re: Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

#2 PostAuthor: ZedHead » Sat Mar 31, 2018 9:24 am

Maybe speak to a few blasters Olly, Maybe blasting with some type of plastic media would just take the paint off?

Other than that paint stripper, gunk, elbow grease and patience :wink:

User avatar
Garry.L
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 3080
Joined: 11th Jun 2011
Location: Cheapest Cheshire

Re: Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

#3 PostAuthor: Garry.L » Sat Mar 31, 2018 10:58 am

Try a paint remover on a small section to see whats underneath. I doubt it'll come up like that 'Just Blasted' look from this alone, in my experience a Stripper tends to leave the alloy grey anyway.
ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ

User avatar
hartyb
100Club
100Club
Posts: 324
Joined: 22nd Oct 2017
Location: Berkshire

Re: Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

#4 PostAuthor: hartyb » Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:17 pm

when ever I put any thing alloy in my ultra cleaner it comes out dull not sure if this is the heat of the water,
cant see just bubbles would do that.

my thought is dunk it in hot water for a bit or big ultra sonic bath, if it come back looking to new from blasting

problem and solution :D
Z900A4, Z1000A1, Z1000ST E1,E2, Z1000Mk2 A3,Z1000H Z1R D1, z1000j3, Z1000P. Z900RS SE,
Z1300 A1,
GPZ1100 Unitrack, GPZ750E, GPZ 750Turbo, GPZ900r A1, A2, A6
ZZR1100 Purple and orange
KE175b, KE175F
along with some lesser makes :eek

Mr Bump
100Club
100Club
Posts: 382
Joined: 30th Dec 2015

Re: Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

#5 PostAuthor: Mr Bump » Mon Apr 02, 2018 12:32 pm

Thanks for your advice - any recommendations fot paint stripper?

Olly
'In your twenties you think you are immortal, in your thirties you hope you are immortal, in your forties you just hope it doesn't hurt too much'



Lemmy

User avatar
ADRIAN H
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 4528
Joined: 21st Mar 2009
Location: Charminster. Bournemouth

Re: Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

#6 PostAuthor: ADRIAN H » Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:09 pm

Starchem paint stripper- have used a few times worked for me.
adrianhorsfield@live.co.uk
Sunny Bournemouth. Dorset. UK.

User avatar
Andy M
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 724
Joined: 11th Jun 2011
Location: Herefordshire, Cider country.

Re: Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

#7 PostAuthor: Andy M » Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:30 pm

I do vapour blasting and ultrasonic cleaning . Have done a few heads that were black but they were as new when done . There are a few ways of dulling them back but they are still very clean . Obviously there are various ways of paint removal that can't be bought from the local diy
"Be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others; even the dull and ignorant. They, too, have their story."

User avatar
Kwackman
100Club
100Club
Posts: 250
Joined: 13th Nov 2009
Location: Belfast

Re: Cleaning up a filthy cylinder head

#8 PostAuthor: Kwackman » Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:53 am

ADRIAN H wrote:Starchem paint stripper- have used a few times worked for me.


Yup, Starchem Synstrip. In a previous thread.
https://goo.gl/jqKSe9
2006 ZRX1200R
1982 Z400J project

ex owner of Z1100R
GXI 2752 are you out there?


Return to “Bike Help”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Gray17 and 42 guests