How to clean carbon buildup from heads/pistons @ home?

[greenmonster94]

I searched on this but couldn't find anything helpful, so anyone know how to clean the carbon build up from the heads, valves, and piston tops at home? i know the machine shop that im taking my heads to could probably do them for a small additional charge, but if I can save a few $ im gonna. I figure since I got everything apart and its gonna be at least over the weekend until my new head bolts arrive i might as well get everything shiny new looking. probably help with power or mpg too. I have heard acetone, but want to get opinions from you guys first. Thanks in advance

[speedmaxx]

Bump

I'm in the same boat...

[cj91legss]

i used some scotch brite like pads i got from the auto parts store and some brake parts cleaner when i cleaned my heads before my DOHC install

It's purple-ish in color

[greenmonster94]

the green ones? or white? i really don't want to fudge up my valves. and the carbon is pretty extensive and I just don't think brake cleaner is gonna cut it. already gave it a preliminary cleaning using brake cleaner and a rag, made the rag black but didnt do much else. on a side note, should my valves be a ashy grey color?

[greenmonster94]

what about a dremel tool with a copper brush wheel? and for the pistons the other type of scrubber, not the wheel type. The pistons are cast aluminum, right? so they should hold up to a good cleaning.

[kimokalihi]

I used a wire brush and brake cleaner. Didn't get them nearly as clean as the machine shop would but it was a lot better. I also used a gasket scraper to cut off the hardened chunks of carbon buildup that the wire brush wasn't getting off.

[greenmonster94]

Do the pistons come above the deck slightly at TDC? if so, i could probably use a brillo attachment on my drill and some acetone without worrying about getting carbon stuck somewhere it shouldn't be. BTW, im working on an EJ22E

[stipro]

A good start to this process is soaking these parts in ATF. Any kind will work. Just let them soak for a day or two, the ATF is high in detergent and it will literally dissolve the carbon. A quick scrub after will get them quite clean.

It worked great for me, hope this helps.

[greenmonster94]

So it was about to rain the other day after I pulled the heads, so I took the heads inside, and sprayed the still attached to car block down with WD40 to keep things from rusting from the humidity. Today, 2 days later, I go out to retreat and protect the block again and lo and behold the carbon from the pistons is slowly being eaten away by the WD40, and when I sprayed it with a direct shot more flaked off. Not much, but it is some and it probably loosened the rest up. When I get some time off again after the weekend I'll investigate further and post as to my findings on WD40 plus wire brush.

[cj91legss]

wire brush is a little rough

[greenmonster94]

ok, WD40 + gentle scrubby pad. Would probably be better anyway.

[93forestpearl]

Seriously, do not use an abrasive pad. Uhhhhh.



Go to the grocery store and get yourself a can of oven cleaner, like EasyOff, and go to town. Don't let it sit too long. It takes about two minutes to get most of the carbon. Apply again to get the rest. Use a plastic bristle brush to loosen things up.

[kimokalihi]

I read on this forum or nasioc not to use oven cleaner. The reason was that it eats the aluminum over time even after you wash it off. I have never used it but i hear its some pretty hardcore stuff. Make sure to dispose of it properly. Don't want that shit seeping into your ground water or eatig away your driveway.

[cj91legss]

Don't want that shit seeping into your ground water or eatig away your driveway.

Unless you live in lakewood

[Legacy777]

The stock pistons come with a coating on them, so be cautious on what you use. It may damage the coating.

http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... s/ej22t/07

[speedmaxx]

hmmm I just cleaned mine up with brake clean and wd40 along with a brass wire brush. worked out well, still some carbon left but nothing im gonna worry about.

I wonder if the na pistons came with that coating?

[greenmonster94]

I have decided im not gonna worry about the pistons, but am still gonna try to get the combustion chamber clean(er). I soaked them in seafoam for about an hour, with little to no effect. It did clean up some of the thinner deposits, but over all no effect. I ment to grab a bottle of ATF out of my wifes leggy, but she went to work before I got up today. Im dropping the heads off at the machine shop tomorrow, so im just gonna ask the guy to clean them up for me. Do I need to remove the cams for that procedure?

[kimokalihi]

You completely dissassemble if you want them cleaned and don't want to pay labor on dissassembling them.

[greenmonster94]

So do I need to remove the valves and all? really don't want to do that, not because im lazy, but because i dont' want to completly frack myself.

[kimokalihi]

I don't know. Ask them. If you only want them to clean the combustion chambers and not the entire heads then maybe not. I don't know the process they go through to clean them. I thought they steam cleaned them so you could probably leave them assembled.

[bry]

the machine shop is going to charge you for cleaning/hot tank. let them deal with it.

don't use oven cleaner on anything but external aluminum. it does an excellent job of cleaning intakes, valve covers, etc.

don't use any power abrasives on aluminum. it will change the shape rapidly unless you have a delicate touch.

[93forestpearl]

Lots of hearsay, rumors, etc is what has been posted here. If oven cleaner kept eating into the aluminum after use, that means the user did not clean it off properly. Liberal use of water eliminates the chemical. Keep in mind most people can't do a proper brake job, let alone do something like this. Use at your own discretion.