Danny Soliz Says - Never Use Scotch-Brite

Scotch-Brite may have some usefulness in the engine shop, but one place it should NEVER be used is on aluminum cylinder head deck surfaces. Using Scotch-Brite is the equivalent of strapping a chain to the cylinder head, having a buddy stand on it and dragging it behind a car on the street. Your results will be about the same - not flat.
Danny Soliz of Hill Country Performance Machine shows you why Scotch-Brite should be kicked to the curb.

[@worldssickestmedia2713]

I'd say don't use scotch bright bits hooked up to a die grinder. Especially on the deck surface. If you wanna use a little hand held piece with a squirt of some WD40 or brake cleaner to clean off some dirt or gasket maker around the exhaust ports, intake ports or valve covers, water pump etc etc etc then go for it. Can't take scotch bright completely out the game. Just don't use it at 16,000 RPM concentrated to an area of 1" while you're digging into it with your big heavy meat hooks.

[@dmc5681]

I would not use scotchbrite but the head wouldn’t have been flat before they started to attack it with the pads. I’ve seen heads straight off engine take more to cleanup. Unless you know how flat it was before using scotch brite you can’t tell how much it made it worse.

[@sc358.]

I use a scraper, very carefully, then something like Ford's silicone gasket remover and a brass brush, plastic razor blade in tough spots.

[@remybrouwer8700]

Great timing for this video, I was about to use a disc to clean my G2 4G63 cylinder head

[@bradmaas6875]

My wife loves the stuff. Had to replace the counter top and refinish the cabinets 6 months after install. Great for if you want to repaint

[@canadianmarauder1923]

Very interesting Danny. I’m restoring an 03 marauder with the all aluminum 4.6 4v. I’m a HD mechanic but never worked with aluminum engine parts before and these heads make me nervous so all I’ve done so far is clean them with lacquer thinner. I bought a big thick piece of glass thinking maybe I could get some real fine sandpaper and just lap the head to get the approx ra finish. This is probably a bad idea too so I’ve been working on everything but the engine. If you weren’t 2000miles away from me I would drop them off at your shop and be done with it.

[@Frank289100]

DANNY, YOU REMIND ME OF SOME OF THE PUERTO RICANS I GREW UP WITH HERE IN NEW YORK CITY.

[@h.h.legacydiesel6724]

👍😎 Thanks for the excellent visual! This is so cool to see. ✌🏼💚🇨🇦

[@09fatbobmike]

I watched the video and it makes sense. But I didnt hear you stress to not use the scotchbrite on the Aluminum block as well. What do you recommend for cleaning the block surface if you are not pulling the engine out?

[@ghffrsfygdhfjkjiysdz]

Scotchbrite is an excellent tool/product when used correctly. But yeah... abrading a precision surface with probably a 2" or a 4" un-calibrated tool (hand tools rather than a mill or surface grinder) is asking for trouble no matter what abrasive is attached to it.

[@blkcoupequattro]

You can use a Scotch Bright, but not on a die grinder or drill, use your hand with the pads to clean it, doesn't take much with a red pad, finish up with a green one....

[@DELTRANIO99]

Good vid ..to bad i didnt see it earlier ,,I scotch 2 of my cylinders with PB blaster but the engine is on a engine stand ,,Could I flip the motor upside down and spray the cylinders with brake cleaner to flush it ?

[@toddenglert4815]

Man I just started watching your videos a few days ago and ill say I really enjoy all your content...

[@EngineBuilder]

Thanks for watching Todd!

[@TractorTech]

Some engine remanufacturers won't warranty and engine if the old parts were cleaned with a scotch brite or roloc. Most people don't take the time to properly clean all of the old abbrisve dust off, so then it gets mixed in with the oil and goes throughout the engine.

[@BourneThisWay]

What about for resurfacing scored cam journals? Not so much a wheel, but scotch brite cloths and rotating it with a drill evenly with the cam cap on?

[@daveb1870]

Seen this many a times, always shook my head when watching the noobs. Cant tell em anything either, they know it all. Now way back before mls gaskets you could get away with it provided it was a light hand doing the work, but if u got a bag of hammers behind the dotco watch out the fun was just beginning. After the decking I use a surface plate and start with 1600 grit and go to 2500 grit (ive lapped granite and cast iron surface plates I have the skill set for doing this) when im done they are 2-4 ra finish and within about 4-6 millionths flatness all over. If I swapped over to diamond lapping compound and used our lapping table im sure I could see 1-2 ra and maybe 3-4 millionths but theres so many variables in the mls thicknesses its beyond what is needed but still it removes a variable if later on u find yourself scratching your head for a diagnosis. It aint the head surface or flatness thats for certain, sort helps later on when issues arrise. I do the same to the block, slow and low, eats up lotta time but the payoff is tremendous. They seal like no tomorrow, never had a head lift or fluids or gas permeate into other areas.

[@yc5234]

Excellent job Danny !!!! 🇺🇸🎎🇺🇸👍🤙

[@tonnyletkeman2348]

So what is good practice to clean aluminum head surfaces. Or is off to the machine shop every time.

[@elainesoliz2205]

Danny said that this comes up so often that he is going to do a video on this!

[@kwikmechanic6844]

My exact question. It’s great to say don’t use scotch bright, but what’s the alternative for us DIY ers?

[@mikaelgaiason688]

I don't even like to use a scraper or a razor. A rag and some contact cleaner works just fine

[@MrDanielSoliz]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@imimia5754]

How do you know it was the Scotch bright? And not cylinder head distortion?

[@JAGacp45]

What about using those green disks with all the little spikes I think they are called rolocks

[@mikaelgaiason688]

rolocks are the abrasive pads he shows at the beginning that thread on. If you're talking about the ones with the thick rubber/plastic bristles that are about an inch long then those work ok-ish, but they can still push the metal around if you're not careful

[@terraboundmisfit]

What about 3m brisle discs which are made for aluminum?

[@fuelnfire9268]

I have this question as well. All I ever use or thermostat housings etc

[@v12prowler]

I've used the white roloc bristle discs to clean aluminum heads and block deck surfaces my whole career. They leave an amazing finish and really won't remove much material in my experience. Every toyota 2AZ oil burner I did back in the day got prepped like this and I never had a single one come back.

[@jeremypike9153]

How do you feel about green "roll-lock" fingered discs for cleaning aluminum up?

[@SupramanTRD]

What about scotch brite pads for the surface of a steel block?

[@gregsimon9061]

Happy Friday Danny & shop mom

[@E.T.GARAGE]

Big thumbs 👍 up on this video.

[@johnwehunt4305]

There are the plastic wheels that clean gasket material away but not aluminum.

[@vanhap]

wow very good

[@flasher1663]

Clover on plate glass

[@baby-sharkgto4902]

I love this guy ❤

[@richb.4374]

Dang, and all this time I thought you were supposed to use a hand grinder with a 40 grit wheel on it.

[@Gonzalez75208]

That head had to been worped before they tried to resurface it with the Scotch Brite I've done over 800 heads with the pads for aluminum and never had a overheating problem on one, but there are people that think you have to use a lot of force and I can see that messing up a head.the heads I did had a defect in the head gasket and I checked them with a straight edge when I was done cleaning them.

[@MikeSmith-nu9wt]

Isn't there a square green pad you use by hand like a tough sponge , thats called scotchbrite ( back in the day, it wasn't a roloc disk ) That's where the misinformation is ( at least I think so )

[@ledoshuffle]

Are you sponsored by SCOTCHBRITE ? Hehe

[@MrDanielSoliz]

No chance of that ever happening after this video, lol

[@charleshenshaw9099]

They went through a lot of work for nothing.

[@bretpetrie7044]

Drama queen. So many factors.

[@BVonBuescher]

Drama queen that offers zero solutions only criticism. That’s about as worthless as having turn signals on a BMW

[@keepitsolidkeepitreal2877]

👏👍💯