My heads are going to be off for some time. It's an aluminum block and head engine, but I guess some ferrous metal must have gotten in the pores of the aluminum of the block because there are rust spots. I figured these would just go away when I prep the block with white 3M pads, but they don't. So how do I remove them?

 

Maybe using a non damaging solvent and the white 3m pads might work since its a build up and not actual oxidation on the aluminum.

I don't know if that would be best though.

 

if taken to the proper place it can be blasted or dipped.

 

Sure, but I'm trying to avoid taking the engine out of the car.
A ford tech told me not to worry about it, but I dunno...


I can clean all the black away easily enough, but the orange gives me trouble.

 

We use this on some of the older robots. Give it an overnight bath and scrub with soapy water then rinse with Isopropyl alcohol

 

2000 grit sandpaper with a block

 

Given that heads are machined to have a certain roughness to keep the gasket from moving under heat expansion/cold contraction, wouldn't that be too aggressive?

 

This ^

If you don't want to remove the block.

 

Don't worry about it, it's not going to affect anything.. What did the staining come from, the head gasket?

 

I have done it on at least 10 cars and never had a problem, always used a sanding block took my time and made sure not to over do it.