Hey Guys,

I'm in the middle of my conversion, waiting for the jugs to come back...

The stock heads/valves have what I would call a reasonable amount of carbon on them.

Is my only choice to have them bead-blasted? Or is there a way to clean them up here at home without risk of harming them in some way?

I'm only doing A "bread and butter" conversion. 883 bored to 1200- SE 10:1 pistons..

Thanx!

Cantolina, back when I was doing automotive engine rebuilding the typical way aluminum heads were cleaned was by putting them in a spray wash machine, which used a heated, non-corrosive chemical pressure-sprayed at a rotating platform that held the parts. If the carbon build-up was excessive, bead-blasting was used to remove it.

The only home method that comes to mind for removing carbon build-up would be to soak the areas in carb cleaner for a few days, and then using a 3M scotch-brite rotary pad on a 90* die grinder to buff it off. If you try this method, BE CAREFUL! It is possible to remove metal this way in addition to the carbon. In addition, the heads will need to be cleaned to remove the particles that the pad throws off as it disintegrates.

Having said all that, I would recommend that you drop your heads off to be bead-blasted. Cost is minimal, and they turn out real nice.

I'd agree with Red, bead-blasted is the way to go, it will give ya a nice clean start.

To bad you're not in Houston,I would fix you up with the blasting.
Don

Beadblast the heads with the valves, springs and retainers still in??...Hmmm

I don't know if I would do that....even taping off the back side of the head and pluging the spark plug hole....that glassbeading stuff is super abrasive and under pressure would get into and behind the valveseat and guides. Even a thoro cleaning would likely leave enough residue to cause rapid wear problems.

Personally, I would stick with simple wire brushing (brass wire brush), some solvent to help loosen particles. I've found that the carbon flakes off pretty easy with scrapers.....just have to be careful not to rush and use light pressure, especially on the inside aluminum head cavity.

You might get some white, very hard deposits on the valve faces that would require more aggressive scraping, but their steel, so no problem scraping them.

This is how the Factory recommends removing carbon build-up when not breaking down the heads themselves.

Drive your new one like you stole it..and they will stay pretty spiffy. I personally like the carb cleaner idea..in past experience that has worked well, just be careful with the rubbing pad you decide to use..id prolly just use a shirt or something that won't harm the metal.

Yeah, the carb cleaner is good at dissolving the carbon deposits, but likely you have to do a little scraping.

A brass brush works good cause it won't damage or gouge the aluminum face surfaces.

I tried everything mentioned above with no success. On a dirtbike site they all recommmended using oven cleaner. I tried that on my two stroke head and it worked like magic! Spray it on, let it sit, scrub it off with VERY coarse scotchbrite (I used brown scotchbrite.) YMMV, don't get it on shiny or finished surfaces, as it's VERY strong stuff. I never tried it on a four stroke, so I can't say how it will work.

That oven cleaner stuff is very good at removing skin too! So use gloves and safety glasses!!

What did you use to neutralize it?? Plain water??

I'll give it a try next time....might be good for other stuff too.

gwcrim...do you have a parts washer in your shop?? I have a large one with pump.....I use that Graymill brand parts cleaner in my 30 gal tank...I get from Grainger. Stuff works great...but at $50.00 pr 5gal pail.... I hate to drop in really cruddy parts....especially since my parts cleaner doesn't have a filter in it.....so I find myself pre-cleaning these heavily caked parts before I drop em in the tank.

You guys might also try those cleaners/degreasers made from oranges too.....works very good!

Crim , I'm sorta echoing your comment, but when I used to tinker with outboard motors I'd use a product called OMC engine tuner (yeah, I know, it sounds like one of those "mechanic-in-a-can" type deals).

For outboards, which are notorious for being inefficient oil-spewing monsters that would develop some serious carbon buildup, this stuff was pure magic.

It would be sprayed directly in the carb while the motor was running, until it stalled. Wait half an hour, toss in a new set of plugs and take the boat for a hell ride and the carbon would be gone.

I'm not suggesting that method for any four stroke motor, but I used to spray disassembled heads and pistons with it, and it worked great. Kinda like your oven cleaner idea.

This is the stuff, actually an equivalent, in case anyone wants to try it:

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.CFPage?mode=article&objectID=28735


Bart

Sorry, I wasn't real specific in my post about beadblasting.... The head must be bare before it goes into the cabinet. I was assuming that you were doing a full rebuild and had it stripped in the first place. Hrdly is right, the blast media will work it's way into all the nooks and crannies and not come out until it's in your engine. This is a bad thing.... :rolleyes:

Beadblasting is still a recommended way to clean aluminum heads, but they must be bare prior to the process. After they are blasted, they must be thourghly washed in solvent, followed by being dried with high pressure compressed air. Don't do any shortcuts on the clean-up or there will be consequences in the future.

Sorry for the confusion. :frownthre

Crim , I'm sorta echoing your comment, but when I used to tinker with outboard motors I'd use a product called OMC engine tuner (yeah, I know, it sounds like one of those "mechanic-in-a-can" type deals).

For outboards, which are notorious for being inefficient oil-spewing monsters that would develop some serious carbon buildup, this stuff was pure magic.

It would be sprayed directly in the carb while the motor was running, until it stalled. Wait half an hour, toss in a new set of plugs and take the boat for a hell ride and the carbon would be gone.

I'm not suggesting that method for any four stroke motor, but I used to spray disassembled heads and pistons with it, and it worked great. Kinda like your oven cleaner idea.


Bart

Anybody else tried this? Mercruiser (quicksilver) makes a product just like that that works for all the V8's ......I have used it before with GREAT results...I was just wondering this today and found this thread.....My only concern is if their is any sensors that may be damaged......Can anyone see anything it might damage?

If it doesn't say O2 sensor safe and you have fuel injected engine management proceed with caution. Take out the O2 and run the stuff thru, drive enough to clear it all out and then reinstall O2 and erase codes.
Matt- ASE L1 auto tech

Thanks Matt...I was talking about the sporty though......Any thoughts on using it on my bike...

thw way I did it was too stripped the head and acid bath it , the solution at the job I did worked well and did not hurt the steel, but the carbon spray is a good way

dude, heads are off, take an aluminum wire brush and go to town, you can even soften up the carbon with any of the above mentioned solvents, rinse it down with your choice of solvent and slap her back together...