Best Way To Clean Carbon Off The Tops Of Pistons

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

I need to give the xu7 block a good clean up and I need to remove a fair chunk of deposits from the tops of the pistons.

 

Was just going to use a wire brush on the drill ? Is it safe enough to do do without damaging anything?

 

Obviously will do it with the piston at tdc

[calvinhorse 870]

I mite get a telling off for saying this..

 

IMO the cheapest and best engine cleaner is petrol. Stiff brush to scrub the block and a firm scouring pad for piston tops, nothing to abrasive on pistons.

You could then give the Block a polish with a fitting on the drill if you feel the need.

 

Use goggles and gloves if you use petrol it's nasty stuff but works a treat

 

 

[petert 586]

High alkaline degreaser is a lot safer.

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

Ok cool, what about the crap that falls down the oil/water ways?

 

Can it be flushed through with a solvent ?

[petert 586]

You didn't mention it was insitu.

[welshpug 1,657]

there's only one "waterway" and that would be easy enough to flush the bits out of, and you can tape over the oil feed and both returns.

 

you do have the liners clamped down nicely don't you?

[calvinhorse 870]

High alkaline degreaser is a lot safer.

 

Britain wasn't built on safety you Australians are all soft

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

there's only one "waterway" and that would be easy enough to flush the bits out of, and you can tape over the oil feed and both returns.

 

you do have the liners clamped down nicely don't you?

 

Liners clamped down yes, engine removed yes

 

What us the area around the liners called then? What snout getting crap in there

[laldy875 6 1 Cars]

I used a paraffin bath for my pistons and with a bit of work with a scourer pad, and fine wire brush came up really good. Or you could use petrol as mentioned above. Blow all the FOD away with an air compressor.

 

How bad is it? H/g? I've been told it's better to leave things untouched if your not going to dismantle everything properly, i.e. the bottom end, if you are getting good oil pressure. You will probably get more compression with the carbon deposits on the top of the pistons.

Edited November 14, 2012 by laldy875

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

Only planned on changing the head and doing crank seals sump etc.

[nixonmi16 5]

I always use oven cleaner have been for all my engine rebuilds . oven pride from asda 3.99 melts all carbon clean off or soak the pistons in redex also works just takes a lot longer