The cylinder head or heads on an engine are important components that have a huge impact on how much power and torque the engine produces. Air flows through the cylinder head on its way to the combustion chambers. The more efficiently the air travels through the cylinder head the better and more efficiently the engine will run. Cylinder head polishing is the practice of smoothing out and polishing the metal surface that the air travels across inside the cylinder head.
Tools to Remove the Cylinder Heads
Before the process of polishing a cylinder head can begin, the head must be removed from the engine. Usually this can be done with standard tools such as a socket set, open-ended wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. Consult a workshop manual for your specific vehicle, as this process will vary widely depending on what particular make and model of car you are working on.
Air Powered or Electric Rotary Tool
Because polishing a cylinder head involves grinding and polishing metal, which is a very hard surface, an air-powered rotary grinder or chisel is needed. This tool spins the cutting and polishing stones at a very high speed that will smooth out the metal far faster than if you are trying to do it by hand. In order to run an air-powered tool, you will need an air compressor as well.
Cutting and Polishing Tools
The process of smoothing out the inside walls of the cylinder head where the air travels is accomplished with a variety of cutting and polishing tools. These range from cutting tools that can remove high spots to very fine sanding tools that will polish the surface smooth to finish off the polishing job. A complete cylinder head polishing job will require a range of polishing materials, from coarse to fine. There are cylinder head polishing kits that can be purchased that include all of the necessary grades of polishing tools.
Miscellaneous Tools
Eye protection should be worn while grinding and smoothing metal to avoid getting hurt. Rags, gloves and degreaser are needed for cleanup as you go. A marker can also come in handy for marking areas on the cylinder head that need to be removed or polished.
