Best way to remove gaskets
 

What does everyone prefer to use/do to get the gasket residue off blocks/manifolds and heads? Any tips.

BH

I sometimes take a torch and burn stubborn intake and exh gaskets. I use a scraper with a replaceable carbide 3 sided bit. But it has to be kept flat with the surface or it will dig in and score heavily. It really depends on the gasket materials and the parts you are working on. Sometimes a regular gasket scraper will do. Also could follow up with a razor scraper. A stiff bladed putty knife works well too. Sometimes I use an autobody air Longboard with 40 grit paper on it on exhaust manifolds and on exhaust side of heads ,This is super fast!!! On the deck surfaces I often use the 3m spiral lock scotchbrite pads on the air die grinder. I've had good luck also using a piece of granite with a sheet of sandpaper on it, but to keep the sandpaper from catching the casting, I deburr all edges of whatever I'm surfacing with a carbide bit in the die grinder. Gasket remover compounds can help, but take time to penetrate and are not cheap. If you are talking about the blue head gasket residue, lacquer thinner or acetone on a rag cleans it up. Then there's always good ol' fasioned elbow grease! I keep my elbows well greased by doing 12oz curls! :p BBB

What Billy said.... but.... only use the abrasives if you are totally disassembling the engine and cleaning before reassembly. You don't want any grit particles going into the engine.

Right now looking at removing the mess from the block and exhaust manifolds...I was told that 3m makes a rubber type disc that attaches to a die-grinder. I guess they have different types of discs for different types of metals. Had someone tell me to use the yellow (for aluminum). Guess they have different colors for different types of metals.I really don't like using power tools to work on gasket surfaces especially on head/intake and exhuast surfaces. I am really nervous about using the scotch-brite stuff. I might try soaking the surface with something and then a plain old gasket scraper first....

BH