I'd like to clean the top of the piston and the inside of the head. The valves are installed in the head and I wont be removing them. Whats the best way to clean the carbon off ? The service manual shows using a scraper (looks like a scalpel). I was thinking steel wool or scotch-brite pad....

What works best ?

Any tricks ?

Thanks, Eric

 

I was doing this last night to a couple old pistons!

Get a spray can of brake cleaner (or carb cleaner) at your local auto parts store and a bag of those white towels at Home Depot / Costco / etc.

Takes a little elbow greese but, the edges clean up pretty easily. The center of the piston is usually the most difficult. If you were to use a scraper, I would get a plastic paint scraper from Home Depot or something. I have never felt the need to scrape the top of my piston to clean it. A little build-up isn't going to hurt anything so there really isn't any need to start scraping an aluminum piston.

Good idea to take a close inspection of the under side of the piston to make sure there aren't any cracks in it while you have it out.

 

Yeah, carb cleaner works great for dissolving carbon. I usually use a dull old pocketknife with a thin blade to scrape out anything the carb cleaner won't dissolve completely. Pay special attention to the area around the valve seats.

 

hey.. the more carbon you have the more compression right? lol

 

When I had two-strokes we always used oven cleaner to remove the carbon, and other crud from the power valves. It works great, but keep an eye on it. Don't leave it unattended, or it WILL eat the aluminum. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] Works great.

 

if its still together you can mist some water in the intake while its running. The water cools the carbon so fast it flakes off.

 

really?

 

Try using a scraper made from hardwood, it won't damage the piston.

 

Go to a Marina and pick up some Mercury Power Tuner. Spray it all over and let it soak good then blow it off with an air hose. That's what it's purpose is, to take carbon off engine parts. But it's mainly used to spray in the carb while your engine is running kinda like fogging oil and let it sit for a while. Then you're supposed to start your motor and run it like hell to get that $hit out of there, but it works to clean parts especially with carbon on them.