Best way to clean my pistons

[Twostacks]

Whats the safest way to get carbon material off the piston heads.
The manual says to use a solvent but didn't specify which. What do you guy recomend?

Thanks
Vin

 

[Diesel JD]

I haven't built an engine but I know biodiesel or even regular diesel are excellent solvents. I'm in part bumping this and hoping some of the more experienced guys will pick it up.

 

[dyoung14]

gasoline works, carb cleaner, kerosine ,diesel

 

[BigRigTech]

All I ever use is a wire wheel on a die grinder or a small wire brush....Works like a charm as long as you keep the speed down....Water takes carbon off the best from what I've seen.

 

[hesutton]

Diesel or Kero with a ScotchBrite pad.

Heath

 

[SparkandFire]

X2 on the diesel/scotchbrite pad.

We clean the carbon off our boilers' burners with that combo, works nice!!!

 

[icanfixall]

Mercury outboards makes a carbon cleaner that works great. Ask for it in a mercury repair shop....

 

[NapaBavarian]

I'd keep em clean with a water methanol mix

 

[Full Monte]

I wonder if Techroline made by Chevron could be used with diesel as an additive. That stuff is amazing in a gas engine, but check for compatibility with diesel fuel.

 

[TwoTone IDI]

oven cleaner.

 

[dyoung14]

oven cleaner.

IIRC oven cleaner is bad for aluminum

 

[TwoTone IDI]

IIRC oven cleaner is bad for aluminum

yes if you leave it on for a while... just spray a mist on there and dont let it touch the sideskirts... and have a hose at the ready. 30-45 seconds is long enough.