Piston cleaning

[Ed Douglas]

Hey Chums
What's you favorite method/cleaner for getting carbon off of pistons

 

[Den N Ms]

A glass bead machine makes them like new.

 

[Welding man]

I replace them. Aluminum pistons wear faster than cast iron blocks. Too much labor involved to rebuild an engine with worn out parts.

 

[Ed Douglas]

These miked out perfect

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 0 OK9:26:25 11/26/19) These miked out perfect

I am with Weldingman. A full 4 cylinder set of new sleeves, rings, and pistons is only $170.

TOHi

 

[Mike Groom]

Glass bead or vapor blast at low pressure.

 

[a32vickyhotrod]

(quoted from post at 06:26:25 11/26/19) These miked out perfect

Ed, were the ring groves also checked for wear? Important to check.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Wire wheel on a bench grinder will do it and a piston grove cleaner. If no tool for the groves a old hack saw blade... If you use glass beads it will contaminate the beads they wont much good for anything you want to end up clean...

I am not a fan of glass beads for cleaning pistons...

 

[a32vickyhotrod]

My mention of checking the ring land groves has to do with the fact that the rings don't only have to seal against the cylinder wall, they also have to seal against the bottom of the piston land grove.

In the old days to save a piston we would knurl them back to correct bore clearance and re-cut and shim the land groves. Crazy stuff to save a dollar.

 

[John Deere D]

How did the Piston Rings measure for side clearance in Ring Grooves.?


Resent owner Ford 2-N...

Bob..

 

[warbaby]

A gallon can of carburetor dip works good. Toss the pistons in there overnight (2 at a time) and they'll come out like new. If you have any stubborn carbon deposits in the ring lands, used a bit of broken piston ring to scrape it out.

 

[R Geiger]

(quoted from post at 13:46:50 11/27/19) A gallon can of carburetor dip works good. Toss the pistons in there overnight (2 at a time) and they'll come out like new. If you have any stubborn carbon deposits in the ring lands, used a bit of broken piston ring to scrape it out.

I haven't found the present day carb dip good for anything.

 

[Robert (ID)]

KleanStrip Naked Gun Paint gun cleaner... as close to the old time Carb Dip i can find...

http://kleanstripauto.com/products/naked-gun-spray-gun-paint-remover

 

[ScoutB]

(quoted from post at 22:37:07 11/27/19) KleanStrip Naked Gun Paint gun cleaner... as close to the old time Carb Dip i can find...

http://kleanstripauto.com/products/naked-gun-spray-gun-paint-remover

It must be good stuff because if you follow the link you'll find it's been discontinued. :?

 

[Bruce(OR)]

I used "Piston Kleen". I placed two pistons at a time in a coffee can inside the wife's electric fry pan. Set the temp to right at 110 degrees and let them soak about 4 hours I believe. Took off 99.95 % of the carbon including the rings grooves.
Non caustic, no odor. Able to stick your hands in and NOT suffer any reaction.
The wife however still made me do it on the outside deck.
I believe it was about $22 a gallon from Amazon.

 

[davyfireball]

I used simple green for a car pistons . I put the cleaner in full strength in a plastic dish pan . And in 15 hr it ate all the carbon off the top and the ring groves . They were clean enough to eat off . I was very surprised . Cleaned the wrist pins too.