72 Stingray

This may be a stupid question, but here it goes anyway...

Is there any danger in hot-tanking a pair of aluminum heads? More specifically, can they be warped by heating them up while not having them bolted down? How hot does a hot tank get? I realize that the heads are heat treated already, but this is prior to machining, right? If this is metallurgically impossible or something, feel free to laugh. :lol:

Thanks.

norvalwilhelm

Hot tanks use to be a caustic cleaner that wasn't that hot, it eat the dirt off. Modern cleaners that are more enviromentaly friendly are like big dish washers. They spray a solution on under pressure. They do not heat the heads to any dangerous level. The caustic cleaner would eat the cam bearings and frost plugs out if left for long.

ram82fire

Stingray,, the temp will not hurt the heads ,,, but no one with a hot tank will dip them for you ! In addition to the caustic solution reaction that will severly etch your parts, the solution it self will become contaminated . The contamination leaves a black deposit on every thing that is put into the tank after that . It costs about 500$ for the chemicals to recharge the tank ,,,, and then there is the question of what to do with the old solution . In short hot tanks are for use with ferrous based metals . Take your heads to a reputable shop and have them cleaned properly ! There are some new environmentally friendly systems available now.

gearheadz

Yep...the old style caustic "hot" tanks are banned in at least Southern FL (not sure if it's a state or county thing).

Mark