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I'm doing a gasket overhaul on my 383,using steel gaskets for the heads. Whats the best thing to use to get the gasket material off. I have a scraper for the bulk,how do I get them clean like a shop would? I do have a drill if there is something I can get for it. Thanks all.



"Gasket remover spray" I bought a can. It works. Its actually methylene chloride which is paint stripper and is a carcinogen. Worst part about working on a car is cleaning parts and worst part about cleaning parts is scraping gaskets.

I use different scrapers depending on what and where... Single edge razor scraper. Harbor freight has boxes of 50 or 100 blades cheap. Cheapo Harbor Freight wood chisels. Regular Red devil type spatulas and scrapers. etc etc.

What I won't use is steel wool, sandpaper, garnet paper, aluminum oxide paper, emery paper/cloth etc, scotch bright or any other abrasive substance, by hand or power.

Have to be very careful, especially around aluminum so you don't scratch, gouge, knick, wear away, etc.

Years ago when I was kid I read a book about European racing cars and it mentioned that the place they were talking about in the chapter Ferrari I think forbid using rags for cleaning. Brushes only allowed; no chances for lint plugging up passages/lines/orifices etcetc...

My $0.02




Also, when scraping, "visuallyize" how the pressure works in the area you are working, and scrape AROUND the cavitiy, not radially I.E. straight in/ out. In other words, such as a head gasket, you don't want scratches from the scraper pointing into the cylinder area like clock hands. On things like the oil pan rail or timing cover, this is pretty much intuitive. Just scrape the "long way" around