Taking carbon off a piston...

[RangerRick]

I just got my Wiseco from a guy on here and it has that black carbon on it.I was wondering if it would be okay to take steel wool or a wirebrush disk from a drill and clean of the crud.Thanks.

[exboomer]

As long as your just cleaning the top, you should be okay using a wire brush attachment in a drill.

[GPracer2500]

Originally posted by RangerRick
I just got my Wiseco from a guy on here and it has that black carbon on it.I was wondering if it would be okay to take steel wool or a wirebrush disk from a drill and clean of the crud.Thanks.

In my experience, the best way to remove carbon from pistons and valves is to media blast them--unless you've got the equipment (I think HomeDepot has inexpensive kits) you'll have to go to a shop or machine shop for that.

Before you try and scrap or buff anything off I'd soak the parts in a product like Slip 2000 (gas operated gun part cleaner solution) to loosen the carbon. That stuff really loosens those impossible-to-remove carbon deposites. Just make sure you shake it up well before use. I failed to do that the first time I tried it and it didn't do squat.

Just be careful not to scrap or otherwise remove any original material from the piston.

[2001300exguy]

i used something called carbon off for mine. its a commercial strength oven and pan cleaner. i bougt it off ebay. took the paint right off my friends dirtbike

[underpowered]

i use a wire wheel, works great but try to to let it dig to deep and scar the aluminium.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by underpowered
i use a wire wheel, works great but try to to let it dig to deep and scar the aluminium.

Right. You want to avoid altering the surface of the piston at all because it could potentially attract more carbon in specific areas and cause hot spots later on...no good.

[RangerRick]

Alright this is probally going to be a hard question to answer but how would I know I was going to hard on it?Like in the valve reliefs it would probally have to be pressed hard to get that stuff out.Thanks.

[GPracer2500]

Originally posted by RangerRick
Alright this is probally going to be a hard question to answer but how would I know I was going to hard on it?Like in the valve reliefs it would probally have to be pressed hard to get that stuff out.Thanks.

It is hard to know. That's why I like the media blast method or at least softening up the carbon with special solvents before trying to remove it.

Unless the build-up is really excessive, I'd rather just leave it on there than risk marring the surface of the piston. My advice--either remove the gunk "right", use the piston as-is, or get a new one.

just my $0.02

[RangerRick]

Om then I will probally try to use some degreaser type stuff and maybe steel wool?