Cleaning Valves - Outside the Head

I started cleaning the valves and ended up soaking them then using the drill press and a brass wire wheel in a hand drill to finish the job. This actually worked pretty well and took about 2 days of soaking and 5 minutes per valve to clean them up. I used a piece of rubber hose to keep the valve in the drill press without marring it.I tried using Gum Cutter and B-12 Chemtool to see which would work better. The Chemtool ate the carbon quicker and seemed to do a better over all job of breaking it down. I did not have to soak the exhaust valves just the intake side.

1. Get a drill press/drill with wire wheel or drill/bench grinder
2. You will want a brass wire wheel as it will not hurt the valve.
3. Get some rubber line and put it over the valve stem.
4. Insert the valve into the drill press and clamp down but not crazy.
5. Turn the drill press on then clean it up with the drill.
6. Shiny valves

Before and After



All Clean. Two needed to soak more.

 

Thanks for this information. Ill be trying to learn with an old spare head I have with two bent valves. I'm looking to do some head work since my car has been down for a while. Recently I preformed a leakdown test and failed miserably. Could hear leakage from both intake and exhaust sides.. not looking forward to taking it apart but i been telling myself to embrace the suck.