Water is a no, but steam will clean when under pressure + heat (ie while engine is running). Same goes with the coolant it has to be hot and agitated). That's why the combustion chamber is clean if you get a head gasket leak and coolant leaks in.

Chem Dip is the best method I've found. 19 bucks for a gal and the fumes aren't to bad. Works really well for everything I toss at it. What's another $20 bucks on a $1700 engine build. I used thinner once and learned my lesson after it caught fire in my garage.

@nathanholm7584

7 ай бұрын

How long did you leave the pistons in there? I ahve some but am worried about warnings on the side saying no aluminum for linger than 4 hours

Did you put straight lacquer thinner or did you mix it a little with water?

as I know you have to boil it with in the coolant to get good results

How about Throttle body/Carb cleaner?

nice gloves batman

my alternator bearings are going bad on 04 bmw 325xi 2.5 what is a good repacement and did u ever use oven cleaner for carbon cleaner

Kerosene and a scourer works well. And a snapped off piece of piston ring to clean the grooves.

Rifle bore cleaner/solvent works good.

Have you ever tried brake fluid? A long time ago, a mechanic put brake fluid down my dads carburetor and broke loose carbon.

It is easy to do it with the pistons outside, even with the tongue you can, you must see a way with the pistons inside.

Oven cleaner for the win!

I usually soak the pistons in lacquer thinner. Then light duty with a wire wheel and razor scraper. Then again degrease with lacquer thinner MAKE SURE THEY ARE DRY and into the toaster oven. DEDICATED OVEN NO LONGER ABLE TO COOK FOOD!! Start at 125 degf to completely dry and solvent free off the pistons for ten minutes then to 400 deg f As per Mahle tech support even stock cast piston can handle up to 400 - 450 deg f. I stay around 400 or bake mode. After 30 minutes I hit them with the broiler between 400 and 425 for ten minutes to saturate the crowns, then back to 400 until what ever is left turns to ash. Slow cool in the oven. Juat a preference I drop the temp to around 250 for 10 min then off until room temp. Totally oil free and ready for install or your favorite coating process.

@50sKid

6 жыл бұрын

You don't need to bake anything. The solvents will evaporate very quickly.

@bobisthebuilder3982

6 жыл бұрын

125 deg is not hot enough to clean pistons it's just a precautionary flash dry step to be sure all the solvent is gone. As far as baking it removes all trace oils and contaminants. All metals regardless of type or process have a microscopic crystalline grain structure making them porous and able to absorb oils this is why oil clings to parts. Heat cycles from engine operation opens the pores allowing the oils to penetrate the parts; this absorbed oil is why engines don't seize the instant the oil film is gone due to lack of oil in addition to clearances and bearing materials. Baking the parts removes oil that saturates into the pores of the metal parts which is critical when applying and replacing engine and other piston coatings or applying coatings to used parts or new parts that have preservative on them. It also guarantees the parts are clean, I also have good success correcting minor warpage of parts especially pistons usually less than 0.0025 inch that gives them a second or third round depending on application. I use this process for every engine build.

So kind of a stupid question, but is paint thinner the same as lacquer thinner? Cause I got a lot of paint thinner lol

Question is, can i use a syringe to inject lacquer thinner into the spark plug hole, let it sit overnight and then start the engine the next day and blow it all out? Can that be done without the carbon coming loose in pieces and becoming jammed in the valves? If a person did this and the rings are worn, should i also do an oil change at the time time?

@davidobama4081

3 жыл бұрын

Cvcoco, did you tried? I would like to know.

really like your videos. my 2001 325 ci looses power, skips, shakes, after parking and going shortly after. it takes 5 minutes or so and then runs normal. was told fuel filter, plugs, and coils were replaced. do you have any suggestions? keep up the videos please and best of luck with the engine.

@50sKid

7 жыл бұрын

Watch my video on diagnosing random misfires

The pistons bake for at least 1 to a couple hours. Fire extinguisher is a must. Don't do this in your house and don't leave them unattended.

You should have placed the pistons face up for them to make better contact with the solvents. Don't you think?

@50sKid

7 жыл бұрын

Perhaps, but the lacquer thinner did still work

Yes, that Laquer Thinner is good stuff...though remember that the toluene in which is the most effective part in it, is cancerourus....

@Kolonol1

4 жыл бұрын

In california anyways XD

@Kolonol1

3 жыл бұрын

@McLarenBMW that is true hahaha

gasoline or diesel is also good for washing stuff of carbon

@Kolonol1

4 жыл бұрын

Diesel is better in my opinion

@alwynsmith2278

Жыл бұрын

leaded petrol / 2k thinners

Have you tried using simple green concentrate?

@paul9813

3 жыл бұрын

doesn't touch carbon only grease/oil

A scotch brite pad and brake cleaner did the trick for me.

why don't you get vapor blasting done? it is best to clean engine parts. brings them back to life..

Was that a 50/50 mix on the coolant, or 100% coolant?

@50sKid

7 жыл бұрын

50/50, same thing that was sitting in my cylinders after removing the head. Which is common due to the angle the engine sits at.

I can take a cruddy piston drop it in my parts cleaner and submerge it and brush it off for about 2 minutes to remove oil and grease etc,, blow it dry completely and then walk over to my bead cabinet and clean it with glass beads to remove everything safetly without doing any damage to piston or rod pin surface and then blow it off with compressed air. 10 min start to Finnish with most time spent blowing it off parts washer step was to ensure no grease or oil contaminates my bead cabinet while cleaning pistons with no exceptions this is the fastest easiest ways to clean unless maybe if you have a sonic parts cleaner with aggressive cleaning solution.. and maybe a spare 100 thousand for the set up ?

@griffon3275

6 жыл бұрын

end result pistons look brand new with a dull uniform finish that is actually nicer then new

@chipturd55

6 жыл бұрын

we're happy for yoy

The best stuff that cleans it off is nitro fuel thats used for rc cars

rsss very good

Dry ice blasting or soda blasting...

Water is actually called the universal solvent

oven cleaner works great for removing carbon I used it on my 98 pathfinder intake manifold

@50sKid

7 жыл бұрын

Oven cleaner contains sodium hydroxide--it will react with the aluminum in the pistons

@gregh7457

7 жыл бұрын

How about chem-dip? does it remove the coating on some bmw pistons?

@TeamDeXtreme

7 жыл бұрын

@50sKid +1 on that! - Very bad idea using Oven cleaner - its usually is a strong base like Sodium hydroxide and WILL corrode/dissolve many metals - especially Aluminium! Safe for use with Stainless steel and readily dissolves fats, oils, greases, etc - why it's such a good oven cleaner, but no good for use on engines with metals like aluminium, cast iron, etc....... all which will be corroded/eaten away by the chemicals.

@bobisthebuilder3982

6 жыл бұрын

NEVER USE OVEN CLEANER OR STRONG ACIDS ON ALUMINUM IT WILL DESTROY THE PART. I learned that twenty years ago. Lucky it was a junk test part and not the race cylinder head.

@pvb9964

6 жыл бұрын

only if you leave it on too long and do not flush it well after some time. Otherwise quite safe to use on lager parts, intakes, pistons, etc. then flush well. Cleaning time is massively cut in time spent.

Your using cold temperature your car was hot now retest this with all liquid being hot

old gas...works great..re purposes it...

@mrmidnight32

3 жыл бұрын

If you’re ganna go that rout you might as well use diesel.

Non-Chlorinated Brake cleaner and a brass brush. Woulda been done in 20 minutes

@50sKid

6 жыл бұрын

Not strong enough to get the caked on carbon off. Lacquer thinner soak is the way to go.

@just4guitar558

6 жыл бұрын

B/S, I used this exact method this afternoon on a set of '71 chevy 4". Black as could be, cleaned up nicely. I mean..... it IS for removing carbon build up on brake parts

Nice Experiment. I have found a better chemistry to clean the carbon biuld up. Now if you are interested, I can send you a sample to repeat this, however I will be uploading a video to proof that the chemistry works. Let me know.

@50sKid

6 жыл бұрын

s2.quickmeme.com/img/9f/9f9c1819df2d17bf997ccab24c644a08405a4ea5e5d467776b3a8b3424c05425.jpg

I THOUGHT YOU BOUGHT ACTUAL CARBON PISTONS LOL

@atatopatato

4 жыл бұрын

what A NOOB. STICK TO GAMING PLEASE

Berryman Chem Dip No:1

Petrol is a good cleaner

Ok, this was beyond obvious. The machinists choice... Go to harbor freight and get a cheap blaster cabinet. THE BEST WAY

I use kerosene to clean engine rotors in rotary engines.

use Purple Power Degreaser. it's biodegradable and works quickly.

@kesu90

7 ай бұрын

It will stain aluminum and the pistons.

Try any good toilet cleaner..

I literally just wire wheel my pistons. Takes all that shit off in 30 seconds.

oven cleaner is best..... heat the pistons in your wife's oven and then spray and that shit will run off!!

@50sKid

6 жыл бұрын

Oven cleaner has sodium hydroxide in it, which is strongly basic. Aluminum is amphoteric--it reacts with strong acids AND bases. So don't do that. Use lacquer thinner only.

I camed

try wd40 the best