What are the experiences of the forum members with respect to various cleaning agents with which to restore the appearance of the head. I've heard of using oven cleaner. I'd prefer not to sandblast the surface although I did do that for the combustion chambers (right or wrong). I tried Simple Green and although it worked well as a degreaser it did not restore the surface to its aluminum appearance but still appears really gray. I've got the head off during a rebuild and am open to suggestion .

An unrelated question which I will place here is that I've received two NOS std pistons for the 850 engine but have found that the top ring on one appears to have a chrome ring while the other piston has an iron ring. Also the oil control rings have different types. One appears to be a metal stamping and the other a plastic separator between the two thin rings. My old pistons had the plastic type from 1973. I'm using these anyway as I just want to have a runner and am not looking at a performance machine.

Once again.......thanks for any input on these questions. Someday I may have more answers than questions but not today!

I cleaned my head on bike w/ acetone and a tooth brush.
No grease & looks like a new head. Will not completely remove orig silver just dirt on top.
Judges think so too she took 3 1sts and 2 2nds in shows in 2008/09.
Looks clean but not over restored this way.
Marshal

Yeah, but how're yer brain and liver after all that acetone?

BrianK wrote:Yeah, but how're yer brain and liver after all that acetone?

I'd take the risk. One exposure to acetone ain't nuthin compared to years of bourbon and scotch and... well, you get the idea.

DO NOT USE OVEN CLEANER! It will turn your head black. Media blasting with glass or crushed walnutshells. Acetone maybe with a respirator with the bourbon and scotch.

Thanks for the advice. I'll lay off the oven cleaner and stick with the acetone for now. Maybe I'll try the other media as well.

I have recently read that "Soda Blasting" (sodium bicarbonate) is the hot new blasting media. They claim you can just clean up with a water rinse as its 100% water soluable.
GB

If you are doing an 850 the head, cases and depending on model barrell were painted silver so either a trike bath or mild bead/media blast will not hurt

Hi there , I had tried to wash my head with bourbon, got a strong head ache....................

Just a thought;

Would a dish washer do it.

Cash

HI,

I beadblasted mine and then went over the easily accessible areas with solvol and a polishing rag. I'm happy to keep doing my motors this way, but I'm going to save up for a decent blasting cabinet if I do another.

I have used oven cleaner on engnes before (Mr. Muscle in the UK), and provded it isn't left for more than a couple of minutes it does a good job, but it wasn't necessary on this engine.

Nortasaki wrote:DO NOT USE OVEN CLEANER! It will turn your head black.

I've repeatedly used domestic oven cleaner to clean alloy, and it has never blackened it.

With Acetone, I would be worried about a fire.

With bourbon, I would be suprised when they told me about the fire.

I had my head cleaned by a "leading Norton supplier" in the Midlands UK, and was charged £118 and was told that it was very expensive because it was very difficult to get the medium used out of the more remote areas inside the head (although I did get this price reduced after negotiation).

Since running the bike and stripping the engine down again, I have found that I have significantly scored camshaft followers and barrel tunnels. I am not 100% that this damage has been caused by the glass bead residue, but I am highly suspicious So to anybody blasting their head with anything other than bicarbonate of soda, do make sure that you have not left any residual product medium in the head.

Solved the problem. Fitted a new one!





Pretty...............