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Author Topic: Cleaning pistons baked with carbon?  (Read 1740 times)

Offline charlie

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Cleaning pistons baked with carbon?
« on: August 11, 2006, 04:00:40 AM »
I have a couple of ringed motors that have aluminium pistons baked black with burnt on carbon.  It is well and truly stuck on.  Does anyone know of some chemical that will rip off the carbon without destroying the piston?  If so, will you please tell me.  I don't want to use abrasive methods if I can possibly avoid it.

Thanks,  Charlie
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Offline Bill Little

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Re: Cleaning pistons baked with carbon?
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2006, 09:41:10 AM »
A "dedicated" crock pot, and antifreeze.  Let it cook on low for as long as needed.  Prefereably "outside".  y1

Bill <><
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Offline RandySmith

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Re: Cleaning pistons baked with carbon?
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2006, 10:46:10 AM »
Quote from: charlie on August 11, 2006, 04:00:40 AM
I have a couple of ringed motors that have aluminium pistons baked black with burnt on carbon.  It is well and truly stuck on.  Does anyone know of some chemical that will rip off the carbon without destroying the piston?  If so, will you please tell me.  I don't want to use abrasive methods if I can possibly avoid it.

Thanks,  Charlie

Hi Charlie

The crock pot anti freeze  can and most times  does  oxidize  the alum part very badly if you have  to cook it for a  long time
We have here at our auto parts stores  gallon cans of Carb cleaner  with a  dip bucket included. Berrymans  is  one of the brand names. The  Carb cleaners  are  made  to  dip carbs  that have  many different metal and plastic parts in it. I have found this to be  the best way  to clean heavy baked on parts such as  your  describing. Just dunk it in over night  take it out the next day and  normally  all the  castor  goo  just  falls  off, without turning  the part  dark and  oxidized  or  pitting  it
If the part is not  fully cleaned  just put it  back in

Hope this  helps

Randy
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Offline Jim Oliver

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Re: Cleaning pistons baked with carbon?
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2006, 11:21:29 AM »
News we can use!!

Thanks, Randy.

Jim
« Last Edit: August 11, 2006, 03:15:51 PM by Jim Oliver »
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Offline Dick Fowler

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Re: Cleaning pistons baked with carbon?
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2006, 02:38:16 PM »
Quote from: RandySmith on August 11, 2006, 10:46:10 AM
Hi Charlie

The crock pot anti freeze  can and most times  does  oxidize  the alum part very badly if you have  to cook it for a  long time
We have here at our auto parts stores  gallon cans of Carb cleaner  with a  dip bucket included. Berrymans  is  one of the brand names. The  Carb cleaners  are  made  to  dip carbs  that have  many different metal and plastic parts in it. I have found this to be  the best way  to clean heavy baked on parts such as  your  describing. Just dunk it in over night  take it out the next day and  normally  all the  castor  goo  just  falls  off, without turning  the part  dark and  oxidized  or  pitting  it
If the part is not  fully cleaned  just put it  back in

Hope this  helps

Randy

I agree with Randy... this stuff works on "coked up" motorcycle heads. It contains cresylic acid which smells terrible. Wear gloves because the smell of this stuff lingers for about a week if you get it on your skin.

The only problem I've ever had was with a carb that wasn't completely submerged. It developed an etch line at the liquid line. Never had any problem with stuff that is completely covered.
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Offline Scott Jenkins

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Re: Cleaning pistons baked with carbon?
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2006, 03:34:42 PM »
Carbon build up on diesel engines is a fact of life in F2C team race. The method most racers use to remove carbon is quite simple. You need water, baking soda, and a few balsa sticks 1/4"x1/4". Take a balsa stick dip it in the water then into the baking soda and rub the top of the piston with the end of the stick. The baking soda is a extremely mild abrasive which will not affect the piston or head button in any way plus the baking soda helps to dissolve the carbon. It may take a few applications to remove all the carbon but no more than about 10 minutes of your time to get all the carbon off. A good rubbing will remove the carbon and not affect the metal in any way. Make the balsa sticks about 3" long and after use let dry then resquare the end with a bit of sand paper and save until next time.
Scott

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m) During the refuelling and the restart of the motor, and until the time when he releases the model aircraft, the mechanic must keep the model aircraft in contact with the ground by at least one point and with the centre line outside the flight circle. During that time the pilot must be crouching or sitting inside the centre circle. He keeps one hand on the ground and his handle and his lines as close to the ground as defined by the F2C panel of judges until the model aircraft starts again.

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