zogster

What's the best way to finish cleaning up the mating face of my cylinder head before I re-assemble everything?

I scraped off the old gasket material OK and got it pretty clean mostly using plastic scouring pads, and rubbing alcohol, but there are still areas of black discolouration in the metal - see pic.

The surface feels smooth now, but should I give it a final rub-down with something like 600 grit paper? Is there a good chemical approach? Should I just spend another couple of hours with a scouring pad? Or is it probably clean/flat enough already?

(Note: I'm not worried about any head distortion - the gasket replacement etc is because of bent valves. Planning to have a machine shop replace the bent inlet valves and possibly guides, but do everything else myself.)

dp951

Since your head will be going to the machine shop let them prep the surface of the head, at the same time check to verify it being flat , usually when a shop works on a head, they oven bake, media blast and clean it any way ?

( btw those specks are in the pores of the head below the upper surface)
Dp951

Van

I use a fresh razor blade, then a solvent like brake cleaner, and then, if there seems like any major scratches or metal bits sticking up, a file or honing stone.