So I pulled the fuel rails apart and removed the high pressure fuel lines. My plan is to degrease everything and clean with some abrasive pads all the lines and rails and rinse with water and dry with compressed air then put them in the oven for a few min to make sure they are 100% dry. Any issues with this? Appears the fuel rails are coated with something on the outside to keep them from rusting, should I paint them in the end?
You should be fine to do all that just avoid the ends with the tapers, you dont want to scratch those up as that is where they seal. I painted all of mine, the rails I just taped over the threads, the lines I just taped up the very ends that went into the injectors and rail and hung them and painted them with the nut hanging on the flanges so i could cover as much of the line with paint.
I didnt do any heavy degreasing with any pressure or air just rags to keep from blowing particles into bad places. as i left my pressure sensor and FPRV in.
Also if you use any water that would get on the inside throw some diesel or lubricant back into the rails to keep them from rusting after you paint. the insides are not coated and could rust quickly once all the diesel is cleaned off of them.