Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Dipping Pistons in Carb Cleaner

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
1 Dollar

03-05-2008 14:53:45




Report to Moderator

I've currently got the pistons out of my Farmall M, and they have the typical gummyish carbon on them. It's not excessive, but would dipping them in a bucket of carb cleaner harm them in any way? Would it eat them in any way(thousanths of an inch?) or etch them? I am pretty sure that are cast iron, haven't 100% comfirmed it yet. They are flat top and standard bore. What other methods exist to clean them before re-assembly?

Thanks

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Goose

03-05-2008 20:49:25




Report to Moderator
 Re: Dipping Pistons in Carb Cleaner in reply to 1 Dollar, 03-05-2008 14:53:45  
I clean pistons and other engine parts in carb dip all the time. If necessary, use a broken piston ring to scrape the ring grooves.

Cleaning the tops of pistons with a wire wheel is ok, but don't use a wire wheel on the ring grooves. It will round off the shoulders of the grooves, particularly on aluminum pistons.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
44 massey

03-05-2008 18:36:57




Report to Moderator
 Re: Dipping Pistons in Carb Cleaner in reply to 1 Dollar, 03-05-2008 14:53:45  
Alot of the places bead or sand blast pistons and doses a really good job of cleaning them without removing any of the original piston material!



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Trkr

03-05-2008 17:28:06




Report to Moderator
 Re: Dipping Pistons in Carb Cleaner in reply to 1 Dollar, 03-05-2008 14:53:45  
Carb cleaner wont hurt a cast iron piston,but don't clean ring lands with a wire wheel.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JT

03-05-2008 16:54:55




Report to Moderator
 Re: Dipping Pistons in Carb Cleaner in reply to 1 Dollar, 03-05-2008 14:53:45  
Carb cleaner will clean light carbon, with no piston damage. The best way to clean is a wire brush, scraper and a ring groove cleaner. If it just soft carbon, clean in parts cleaner, that works real good. Plus if you going to dip in a bucket, any carbon that does flake off could end up in the orifice of the next carb you dip.
Jim



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Lumpy

03-05-2008 16:45:02




Report to Moderator
 Re: Dipping Pistons in Carb Cleaner in reply to 1 Dollar, 03-05-2008 14:53:45  
Let them soak 2 or 3 days in lacquer thinner and then use scotch brite pad while they are still wet. Use rubber gloves. As far as damaging them.... think about what they are doing when the engine is running wide open under load. Not trying to be a smart a$$, but you should see what they do with them at an engine shop when a pro is rebuilding it. BTW carb cleaner is to weak to make short work of it. It would take you along time and lots of elbow grease to get them cleaned.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
ScottyHOMEy

03-05-2008 16:15:49




Report to Moderator
 Re: Dipping Pistons in Carb Cleaner in reply to 1 Dollar, 03-05-2008 14:53:45  
Carb cleaner would be a good first step. Won't hurt a thing. It would be a good idea to use a pick and clean whatever cake and crud you can from around them. By rights you should take them off and finish cleaning the grooves, and clean the rings up some more, keeping track of which ring goes where, and which side goes up. That said, you always run the chance of breaking a ring in getting it off or on, so follow your conscience and pocketbook in that regard.

But the carb cleaner is a good solvent for what you're trying to do.

The wire wheel and the Scotch-Brite are good abrasives for the job.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
RobMD

03-05-2008 15:08:40




Report to Moderator
 Re: Dipping Pistons in Carb Cleaner in reply to 1 Dollar, 03-05-2008 14:53:45  
Wire wheel the top, scotch pad the sides.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy