Best way to loosen carbon buildup?

[cp[mike]]

just curious what people found to be the most effective way of loosening dried carbon? specifically the dry buildup in the combustion chambers of the head?

id try brakecleaner and carb cleaner, but they are too mild and evaporate. is there something i could soak in the chambers to get it to soften? i was thinking PB Blaster or something, let it soak for a long while.

i noticed carbon doesnt stick to anything if its been saturated with any kind of oil... oil leaks actually keep the motor clean externally, once you actually wash the dirt off. figured an oil-ish product could help loosen it.

anybody with experience, thatd be cool.

[owequitit]

just curious what people found to be the most effective way of loosening dried carbon? specifically the dry buildup in the combustion chambers of the head?

id try brakecleaner and carb cleaner, but they are too mild and evaporate. is there something i could soak in the chambers to get it to soften? i was thinking PB Blaster or something, let it soak for a long while.

i noticed carbon doesnt stick to anything if its been saturated with any kind of oil... oil leaks actually keep the motor clean externally, once you actually wash the dirt off. figured an oil-ish product could help loosen it.

anybody with experience, thatd be cool.

Chemically, likes dissolve likes.

I have found that filling the combustion chamber with B12 Chemtool and then wire brushing it works really well.

I have also used the little 3m scrubby pads on like a dremel, or a drill, and they will rub it right off too.

Also, Redline fuel system cleaner works pretty well as a fuel additive. But obviously, that requires being able to run your engine.

I would hypothesize that if you soaked it in either motor oil, or degreaser, you could also dissolve it since oil is carbon based, and degreaser is designed to remove carbon based substances.

Simple Green is one of the more mild degreasers I use. I also like Castrol Superclean, but it is much more abrasive, and I would be hesitant to use it on the CC.

[cp[mike]]

thanks scott! i noticed steel scrubbing pads (not the fine wool, but the balls of curly-Q strands of flat steel) scrapes carbon off well. perhaps that and a brass wire wheel on the dremel will be enough after letting some B12 soak, ive heard good things about that before.

idk im bored at work and was thinking about how to clean the new head that should be showing up today

[accordaffair]

Sea foam makes some stuff called deep creep, I never used it though

[owequitit]

thanks scott! i noticed steel scrubbing pads (not the fine wool, but the balls of curly-Q strands of flat steel) scrapes carbon off well. perhaps that and a brass wire wheel on the dremel will be enough after letting some B12 soak, ive heard good things about that before.

idk im bored at work and was thinking about how to clean the new head that should be showing up today

IMO B12 is several steps above the regular carb cleaner. It was actually pretty amazed, when I used it to clean my B18 head.

[IBCNYA]

Gunk engine gel....also make a foam that will expand and soak the carbon more rather than run rite off or evaporate. I always use these when i clean up heads, intake manifolds, and shortblocks. Spray the gel on the part you wanna clean, the spray the foam in it.....let it sit......rinse. Hit it again with a good degreaser. Clean ports,bowl,whatever else is dirty with a wire brush on a high speed drill. No course bristles though(scratches) not good. then clean it again. While youre at it gasket match your intake ports, polish up the exhaust side and pull the valves are use that dremel and brush on them. your engine will thank you for it.

Easy-off oven cleaner in the yellow can works really well to...wear gloves.

My 91 Ef...before



After

[NAiL05]

Gasoline =D. Anyway I forgot I need to ask 93cbh22 again but they use some sort of cleaner on diesel motors and it works 10x better than brake clean or carb cleaner. If I get what its called ill post it back on here.

[owequitit]

Gasoline =D. Anyway I forgot I need to ask 93cbh22 again but they use some sort of cleaner on diesel motors and it works 10x better than brake clean or carb cleaner. If I get what its called ill post it back on here.

I could see that, since diesel is SOOO nasty.

[The G-Man]

My dad has a can of this stuff called Carbon-off! Works good on our dishes and such at work. I am sure it would work on engines too.
http://www.discoveryproducts.com/index_carbon_off.html

[NorcoAccord]

I go down to the 99 cents store and get a can of stuff to clean the inside of the oven wipe on and if your lucky you can wipe it off and all the nasty carbon is gone.

[HondaB18]

I heard this method used over in the Integra forums about cleaning carbon buildup with water. Remove intake and spray fine mist of water into the intake manifold with the engine on.

[wrichards2005]

I heard this method used over in the Integra forums about cleaning carbon buildup with water. Remove intake and spray fine mist of water into the intake manifold with the engine on.

Or not... I like the seafoam idea... It cleaned the hell out of phempa's IM on his old cb7, in just one treatment. I like Orange Blast personally, or Grease Lightning.

[owequitit]

Or not...

Actually, it probably works really well.

It essentially steam cleans the engine.

That is why with a head gasket coolant leak, it will usually clean the chambers spotless.