The Dishwasher does a nice job  (make sure wife is not home)   

I'll second the dishwasher . They will flash rust if you don't empty it right away.

Either one will work as good as anything else. the soaking in vinegar will also clean up any scale in the water jackets. for something small like a head it works good if you're not in a hurry .

58Chev wrote:

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Anyone suggest a place in Toronto or not to distant GTA that will clean up a set of heads? (for cheap)

Got a set to go on my SBC but have a lot of carbon build up on them.
ThanX

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I'd borrow a valve spring compressor, clean the valves with a bench grinder mounted wire wheel, remove the carbon from the comb chambers and bowl with a screw driver (don't have access to a bead blaster), with the valves out you can assess the guides and the valve seats then install new seals.  Put them back together and return the valve spring compressor.  Done.

The valves and springs are off already. Made my own compressor. My bench grinder is not big enough to use a wire wheel on.

These are pre 73 heads.

There have been some studies done and the dollar store oven cleaner will work just as good as brand name Easy-Off.
So for 1.25 a can, I might as well give it a shot.

Just have to borrow one of the wife's Rubbermaid bins that the heads will fit in.

just to add to that Don, I've heard of even using a welder for power when you have a large container, and you're doing a chassis etc.

slim wrote:

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Showing your age Dan  Once upon a time back in the dark ages they made pistons of steel. Once you have had the pleasure of removing a rusted stuck blob in a block you are trying to salvage its not soon forgotten. 

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I'm not that old !! I also know they were made of cast iron, not steel !!

Don wrote:

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Just so no one gets the wrong idea, Washing Soda is not caustic soda. It is safe for aluminum but the process removes the rust and frees the pistons. It is a type of household laundry soap. The process is known as reverse electrolysis. Instead of plating a metal on the part you plate the rust grime paint and crude on the iron bar. I put a video up on Youtube a few years ago of it in action. In fact I think it is the one where I used it on a seized block. I forget what I called it but it is one of several I have there under Don225slantsix
don

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 Washing soda is Sodium Carbonate, not to be confused with baking soda which is Sodium Bicarbonate. It is extremely difficult to find, and I finally found some a couple years ago on the discontinued shelf at Loblaw. I use Sodium carbonate as a flux when melting aluminum. 

I'm curious to try the electrolysis you mention above, but question how well it would remove dirt and grime.  I would think that the Hot tank would super clean the part but leave the rust, and the electrolysis would remove the rust but leave the dirt and grime behind. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in order for electrolysis to work, the material being transmitted must be a conductor.

Here is a great little article on the process.

www.fordgarage.com/pages/electrolyticderusting.htm

Because we all know FORD parts need this more that the rest.  

Since I'm skeptical, I'm doing an experiment !!

I'm using an old starter because it had dirt, steel, aluminum, paint and plastic. Let's see what happens.

For the rod, I'm using a piece of HRS that I ground down to bare metal. I used approximately 1 cut of "So-Clean" in 2 1/2 gallons of cold water. I tried a 6 amp battery charger, but the voltage drop fell to about 5 volts. I then used my larger battery charger and set it to "BOOST" and I'm up to around 11 1/4 volts. It's now 2:15 PM and will check in an hour to see what happens. If I don't post back, it's because everything blew up !! 

One thing you need to know about me. I do not express opinions. After almost 50 years in this as a hobby and a profession if something I told you didn't work you didn't follow instructions. If I was unsure or hadn't used it I would say so right up front.
Glad you have bubbles. The pos and neg of electricity were originally named backwards. When radio tubes came along (I am also a ham radio operator VE3LYX) it became painfully obvious someone had goofed however we still use the old designations. That is what makes it confusing. However you figured it out on your own. I have never heard of anyone having an explosion. I suppose it is possible if not vented but highly unlikely since the amount of gas from the bubbles is well diluted in any shop.
don

Don's link said not to. I said no such thing. I always use a battery pushed by a charger when doing my own. Where did you get that from?

I can see someday you are probably going to get to meet the OTHER Don Dulmage. wuga can explain

-- Edited by Don on Tuesday 13th of May 2014 03:08:39 PM

Here's the part after 1 hour;

Impressive results to remove the rust !! The steel bracket is almost rust free, and the metal bar was totally coated with crud. As suspected, the paint was not touched, nor was any dirt or grease. 

58 Chev's link shows a part with the paint removed, but I think this happened because there was rust under the paint. Learned a lot doing this, but IMO I will hot tank parts first to remove grease and paint, then use the electrolysis to remove the rust.

BEFORE ;

AFTER;

Here is the metal bar;

Gazoo wrote:

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I've used that method also. I buy baking soda at the "Bulk Barn", stick it in the oven for a bit (there's a reason).

But...be very careful, with this process, copper, zinc, brass, will emit extremely dangerous/explosive gasses, never do this in a building, or enclosed area.

It does work good, faster then molasses.

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 Why make Sodium carbonate when you can just buy it??