1G Cleaning top of stock pistons?

[4gfun]

I have tried carbon cleaner, royal purple, and seafoam. It is starting to work.

I have some dents in one of my pistons and need to take good pictures and post them so that you can tell me whether or not that piston is usable.

Without the top being very clean, I can't imagine anyone being able to tell me if the piston is still usable.

I am scared to hit it with a wire brush based upon the stories I have read here.

Thanks for any input!

 

[iceguru1114]

I've been down this road before. I ended up using a combination of bead blasting and obsessive cleaning to remove any remaining media. It worked, but I don't recommend it. If I could go back and do it again, I'd go this route:

https://www.berrymanproducts.com/pr...rryman-chem-dip-carburetor-and-parts-cleaner/

Drop in the piston, leave it be for awhile, come back and rinse off the solvent... done.

 

[4gfun]

Thank you. I lost patience and used a screwdriver. I didn't go really hard on it and did get some scratches, but I don't think it's the end of the world.

In this case, greater was the need to identify whether or not my piston was useable.

The damage on the areas of the pistons was certainly worse than I could inflict with that screwdriver.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I wouldn't be afraid to wire wheel the tops of the pistons. The Ex-Marine mechanic that I worked for in the 70's did it all the time, just DO NOT do it on the skirts or ring lands. We used old rings, broke in two, to clean the ring lands and hand cleaned the skirts. Just how the old timers did it and those motors just hummed right on down the road.
He did use carb cleaner some also but that usually didn't take off carbon, it had to be physically removed. If the motor was running BEFORE we were to rebuild it, he would pour at least one pop bottle of water down the carb, to steam clean the pistons and valves before we took the engine apart.

 

[4gfun]

Thank you, that is a calming thought. I thought there was some coating on there so I was hesitant to go over it with a wire brush. As stated, I did end up with some surface screwdriver scratches but nothing horrible.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Make any scratches smoother than you can feel with a fingernail to avoid hot spots on the piston and you should be fine. Emory cloth or such, but just smooth any sharp edges.

 

[4gfun]

That's awesome. I am going to start a thread about my number 2 piston. It is FAR away from smooth, but that is not even my trouble cylinder.