I am replacing the head gasket on a 2000 Mercury Sable OHV engine. The question is, what is the best way to prep the head for the new gasket? I have sprayed it with gasket remover and scraped off the best that I could. Is it recommended to use a wire wheel or emory paper to do a final cleaning after scraping?
I forgot to add, the gasket was really not stuck to the head or the block. I just want to make sure that I have it as clean as possible.
A piece of white scotchbrite would be the most abrasive thing I’d dare to use. Even the green and certainly the red scotchbrite pads would be too abrasive and could damage the surface. I don’t think the residue from the old gasket will do any harm as long as it is not very thick. If it’s a chunk, then it has to come off but if its no thicker than a coat of paint, I think it would be ok to leave it.
Have you have the head checked for flatness? Most aluminum heads will warp over time, and need to be shaved flat again. I would find a machine shop that will check it before you put it back on. A warped head even .008 inches out of flat will not seal correctly, and blow the head gasket again.
First; get a remanufactured head. The car is about nine years old. The valves are either gunked up or getting worn out. You did pull the valves out and clean them, didn’t you? Buy a new set of head bolts too. If the manual says to use sealant on the bolts, you should. If the head is aluminum, you better not use a wire wheel or sandpaper.
A good machine shop will recondition the existing head far cheaper than a reman head. And, you’ll get the same result. The valves are not necessarily gunked up or worn. But a machine shop can tell you.
I just did a cylinder head on a 1999 Volvo. The valves were in great shape, and simply lapped and re-seated. Then the surface was shaved to flat again. Total was $225.
A good machine shop will recondition the existing head far cheaper than a reman head. And, you’ll get the same result. The valves are not necessarily gunked up or worn. But a machine shop can tell you.
I agree completely. A good machine shop can easily do this far cheaper then a reman head would cost. The only time I’ve ever bought a new head is if it’s cracked and can’t be salvaged.
I generally use gasket remover and single edge razor blades followed by a fine Emery cloth if the cylinder head is straight and does not need to be surfaced.
A gasket scraper, especially if used on aluminum heads, may have a tendency to gouge the metal and a tiny nick could be the start of some future major problems.
What I would be concerned about is the singular use of the words “head gasket”. My opinion is that head gaskets should be replaced in pairs. If one has failed the other is likely to be close behind and it’s not a lot of fun to reassemble everything just to turn around and tear much of it back apart the next week.