Should I be worried about my clogged piston squirters?
 

God, I love this site!!!

I was cleaning my case (lovingly known as quality time with the aluminum or magnisium that is near and dear to us all), and noticed that 4 of my piston squirters were clogged. I got on the Pelican Post 911 rebuilding forum and did a search on "piston squirter". There, all rapped in pictures and words, were the answers, so out to the garage I go to un-clog them

But, now I wonder... What clogged them? And, can I really clean it out? I hate the idea of these things clogging up again after I spent all this effort to do this engine right.

What do you guys think? Should I be worried?

Thanks:confused:

Yes, you DO need to worry about them. They are responsible for cooling the pistons. Make sure they are clean...

I agree that they are very critical items. So, my question is how can I be sure that I really got them clean? The flow test is very subjective and I am not sure without being able to dissasemble the checkvalve if it is all clean.

I also noticed that two of the squirters which flowed fine also flowed just fine in the counter flow direction. So, its check valve failed in the open position.

I was unable to clear one and had two that would not check so I decided to just have them all re-done. It will be worth the piece of mind to me since I don't plan to open this case again.

I'm sure you made the right decision... an overheating piston would not be kind to your motor.

I couldn't get any of mine to spray with just carb cleaner, but a puff of compressed air and they sprayed nicely.

Hmmmm

John, did you use an air compressor on them?

Yep, set at 90 to 100 psig. I let it soak with Kroil (liquid wrenchish stuff my Dad uses on his guns) over night and alternated carb cleaner and Kroil under air pressure with wooden dowels rapped with teflon as plugs. That is how I got three cleared. One would not clear at all. And, I never got the two that were not checking in the reverse flow to check. That is what put me over the edge to take it to the machiene shop. I was worried that the springs may be broken in them.

I read a long time ago that the cleaning could be a pia. I just sent them to CE before I even attempted a cleaning.

I replaced two of mine that couldn't get to clear... not difficult and quite inexpensive at $5 a squirter.