+1 Scrape the worst of the carbon off (round end of a 6" steel rule makes a good scraper?), then buzz the rest off with a brass wire brush in a dremel... takes all the carbon off without touching the alloy? Earplugs in the oil galleys to stop any shite falling down them....
You need to pull the valves, this is possible without special tools, then roll em on a flat surface. this will show if they are bent. if you want to send the heads to me i will remove the valves for nowt. where are you based?
Well removing valves seems easy, take the collects and shims out then they should just slide out. I'll strip heads soon.
Did some cleaning and attempted stripping heads till I realised I think I do not know how. How to undo this: Also how do I remove rocker arms? Cleaning went well injectors are not salty any more and forks are silver-ish. Finally I think I found first issue. I had to hammer the vertical exhaust valve out as shim was stuck.
You need a forked socket to remove the cam nut, either make one from an old socket or buy/ borrow one, dont be tempted to try to hammer it off. as for the rocker arms, using a bolt that fits the tread, i think its 4mm you need to jack the shafts out using washers and tighten the bolt till the shaft comes out a little then go back with a bigger washer and try again, of course the option to buy the ducati tool is still there but expensive. Or of course leave it to the experts, there are plenty up and down the country, remember that if you snap the bolt in the rocker shaft its game over.
A good tool but the pulley can be held with an old belt wrapped round, you still need the forked socket for the nut though.
I think I will get someone else to do it, just did the scientific test of rolling the valves on flat surface and they are all good. The same vertical exhaust valve that had shim stuck on it is pluck from top to bottom.
