DragStuff

I need to clean the tops of my pistons, without pulling the rings.

I can set them in a tray and soak them but I'm curious to find out what everybody else uses to clean carbon from pistons like this ?

Sure, just re-oil the ringsbefore installing.

supernova wrote:Sure, just re-oil the ringsbefore installing.

No, the question was what you use to cut the carbon/etc. on the tops of the pistons...

Brake clean and a nylon bristle brush. maybe start with a wire brush if it's real bad. That's what I do.

Seafoam works well also. I put a can of it in a clean tupperware bowl and let a piston soak for a while. Then you can use a brush to clean it off.

I remember, as a kid, we used to use the edge of an old piston ring to cut the carbon off the top of flat top pistons.
But the seafoam and soft brush sounds better for new, expensive dome pistons.

Yeah, you really have to be careful about putting scratches in the piston. Can make spots for carbon to collect.

I thought I heard once about soaking them in tranny fluid or was it Easy Off oven cleaner?

The heck with it Harry, just go out and buy all new ones and they'll be all nice and clean...

Bruce

Buying new pistons always works. The problem is that now you have shiny pistons and a rusty wallet from lack of money in it!

How about this for clean......

supernova wrote:How about this for clean......

Very nice :)

You can soak them in an old bucket of carb cleaner.That will disolve the carbon deposits.Make sure you take the rods of first though.You don't want that stuff between the wrist pin and the piston..