Piston cleaning / 964 3.6

[jimtweet]

Been doing a lot of reading but a lot of threads seem to be unanswered.

964 3.6 motor and this is really the first time reusing pistons for me, and wondering about cleaning

I have two buckets of Berryman CHem-Dip here and wondering if that is okay on the pistons for a hour or so

Ive read oven cleaner, but can also damage piston, laquaer Thinner, simple green, wd40, acetone and transmission fluid mix, brake fluid, diesel fuel. the list goes on and on

[dannobee]

If it's the newer water based stuff, you might have to let them sit overnight. If you still have the old strong stuff that takes the skin right off of your fingers, then an hour would probably work.

What I've found that works is Meguiars Chrome Wheel cleaner (in the red bottle), available at Wal-Mart or Target. Spray on, clean with an old toothbrush, then rinse off. The aluminum wheel cleaner works too but isn't anywhere near as strong.

[mikedsilva]

Soda blasting is a nice way to get all the carbon off and out of the grooves..

[Solamar]

I recently used aircraft stripper to remove a healthy layer of carbon from my pistons. Worked quite well.

[Trackrash]

I always seem to have some old brake fluid around. Does a nice job of getting the carbon off.

[targa72e]

berryman over night. Brush carbon off with brass wire brush. repeat as needed. Do no use wire brush on ring grooves. once carbon is removed from tops I use dish soap and warm water with a tooth brush to get the ring grooves clean. repeat until water says clean.

john

[jjeffries]

Wheel cleaner is an acid, I believe. John

[bender706]

We pass them in the cleaning machine

[dtxscott]

Originally Posted by mikedsilva

Soda blasting is a nice way to get all the carbon off and out of the grooves..

Are the piston domes coated with anything like Alusil? Does the soda or bead blast remove it?

[safe]

I use an interior cleaner called SPAM.
Submerge the pistons for 1-2 hours, brush of with warm water and a nylon brush (almost not needed).



This piston was left over night, but that isn't needed.

[scootergt3]

I was told to use oven cleaner. works even better if the pistons are hot( oven)

[JoeMag]

Is the SPAM cleaner “Scholl SPAM Universal Cleaner”? ...that’s really amazing how well that did.

[safe]

Originally Posted by JoeMag

Is the SPAM cleaner “Scholl SPAM Universal Cleaner”? ...that’s really amazing how well that did.

Yes, it is. Amazing is the word!

It works valves too, but on a really caked crusty exhaust valve its limited.