cleaning tips for valve cover?

[pdx 528e]

So I found what looked to be a beautiful, clean M20 valve cover yesterday while junkyarding. Opening it up revealed an engine with more varnish and carbon buildup than I have ever seen. The odo read 230k, and i bet they were all on this original motor with oil changes at less than recommended intervals.

Ive tried all sorts of methods, simple green, gasoline, pure acetone, brake cleaner. All the thinning agents just turn it into a messy sludge that hardens back up as it evaporates minutes into scrubbing. Ive found the only thing thats effective is scraping it with metal instruments, and spraying it out with a garden hose every once in a while. What will accomplish this faster?

There is also a metal plate which seems to be riveted to the inside of the valve cover, making a plenum for the breather hose. I imagine that there is quite a bit of sludge inside this area, so is there anything that can be done? Im starting to think that I will just clean this one up as best I can, and trade it with my valve cover on my 15k old engine, just long enough to paint the one I already have. Any ideas, hints or suggestions would be most appreciated. The ends to justify my means will be a nicely painted valve cover.

Thanks in advance.

[graphite]

you could take it somewhere to be sand/bead blasted.. just make sure you wash it off good before using it so sand residue isnt getting mixed in your oil..

[Mark 88/M5 Houston]

Most machine shops will be able to "tank" clean the valve cover for you. They may even have a heated tank and it will come out looking almost new. You might try an old trick I used when building VW's, that is Easy Off oven cleaner and a quarter car wash. Spray on the cleaner and leave the part in the sun to warm up, then hit it with the high pressure wash.

[Dave_in_VA]

Best stuff I have found is "Greased Lightning".

[Mike in Seattle]

I have a 30 gal. drum full of carb cleaner I use. Valve covers, intake manifolds or anything else you put in there, comes out clean and bright after an overnight soak. Even the most varnished valve covers come out clean.

Mike
1988 535i

[pdx 528e]

Thanks for the replies guys. I got pretty frustrated and took it to a machine shop. They quoted me just over thirty dollars to jet clean it, and then bead blast it. Before taking it in, I drilled out the rivets holding on the metal sheet closing off the breather hose plenum. There was even more gunk underneath that, almost closing off the breather port. I'm going to use blind rivets to re-attach it.

Dave, is greased lightning widely available? I guess i havent been paying too much attention at the auto parts store. I'll pick some up for the many cleaning tasks ahead of me on my e to i swap. (im guessing I will be doing this all summer)

Chris

[JBort]

Another recommendation:

That "Castrol Purple Super-Clean" is some great nasty stuff; (the way I like).
That and a pressure washer will clean about anything! I use it regularly.

[5er Quest]

Don't know if it's available to you locally, but the bomb cosmoline remover that I've used (and sold to folks on this board at cost) is a product called "Crown". It's made here locally and sells at WalMart for about 8 per gal. If you like I can ship a gal at whatever it costs me to do that.

[pdx 528e]

Well, its done. Bead blasted, painted with low gloss engine paint, and sanded on the raised markings. I removed that metal plate and had them clean and bead blast the inside. I'm happy with it, and its giving me ideas for what I'll do in the future.




Thanks again guys, I'll be trying those various chemicals and techniques on the 731 cylinder head that I am expecting any day this week. Tom, I may try that Crown, ill let you know if I need some.

[Dinan e28]

Looks good I cleaned and polished mine by hand with my dremel.

[pdx 528e]

[QUOTE="dinane28"]Looks good I cleaned and polished mine by hand with my dremel.[/QUOTE]

Hey Simon, are you going to be at the Lucky Lab @ the next meeting? I think I have cleared my schedule for it.

[Walt]

When is the next meeting?

Walt

[pdx 528e]

[QUOTE="Walt"]When is the next meeting?

Walt[/QUOTE]

I *think* its the 24th, this Thursday.

[Cosmoblau]

I renovated my valve cover with aluminum fingers and sandpaper from 100 grit to 1000 grit by hand and have almost a mirror shine. I then clear coated it with Sunfire clearcoat, an aviation clearcoat. Any dust or dirt now blows off with a blow gun. Your cover looks good though.