Do I need to clean the head?

[02V70]

I am replacing the head gasket. I know that the surface where the head meets the head-gasket, and where it meets the cam cover must be clean, but does the oil and stuff inside need to be cleaned out like it is when you send it to a shop? If so how would I do it? I read somewhere that someone did it with a hose, but wouldn't that make it rust? Or at least the non-aluminum parts in the head rust.

[erikv11]

It needs to be clean enough that you don't spread oil onto the otherwise clean mating surfaces, that is really the bottom line. You should be able to get that by draining it well for a couple days, in different orientations if necessary, the you could spray and wipe with carb cleaner though I wouldn't soak the valve stem seals in carb cleaner.

If the head has sludge here and there I would make efforts to clean nit all out.

It is highly advised to change the valve stem seals while you have head off. Volvo only on those seals. If you change those then the head is disassembled anyway and easy to clean throughout.

[lawrencium265]

I just did my top cover and it was full of carbon buildup. I used easy off oven cleaner and hot water to decarbonize it. If you still have oil in the head, please do not use water or dump oil down the drain or into the ground. Use something like brake cleaner to rinse the oil residue out and capture it into a drain pan. You could use a steam cleaner if you have one. You could also take the head to the car wash and use the spray wand to clean it. Just don't do that with the cams or the lifters in it and don't mix those up either. The steel parts won't rust if you dry everything off right away, use compressed air if you can. You're also going to want to apply a small amount of oil to the lifters and cam journals when you reassemble everything just so they aren't dry.

[vtl]

Water + Simple Green solution, few power washes in between. Coated with WD-40 spray (non-aerosol) to prevent oxidation.