Needing carbon cleaning tips

[braincrater]

So my dealership is in a limbo spot right now because we are supposed to be getting a new building built within the next year or so. This has put a hold on all equipment purchases and or repairs. Lexus has come out with a recent Spa (campaign) that involves rebuilding the motors on certain cars and de-carbonizing the heads and valves. That being said, we have a Hotsy parts washer but the table is broken so we can't use it. That leaves us with cleaning the heads by hand which is a huge PITA and time consuming. We have a couple drums of Napa carb clean we can soak the heads in but that carb clean is garbage, you still spend as much time cleaning after soaking as you do just breaking the heads down and cleaning with the aerosol CRC carb clean.

There has to be a better way of doing this, other than the obvious of purchasing a real working parts washer lol. Right now it is taking be about 1 to 1.5hrs per head to break them down, wire wheel the valves and scrape \ clean the carbon from the heads and then reassemble. I am either looking for a more potent carb clean or just a more efficient way of removing this carbon. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[davesnothere]

Solvent tank. Air gun. Bead blast.

 

[braincrater]

Solvent tank. Air gun. Bead blast.

Thats the right way to do it but as i said, we are in a freeze on purchasing equipment so i am looking for other solutions. I.e. something inexpensive i could buy or a better carb clean solution that will work better than the crc stuff we are using right now.

 

[JKady]

Water mist into the intake with a spray bottle (like a windex bottle) will soften the carbon up and get rid of some of it. GM Top engine cleaner (probably a no go working in a Lex dealer) works amazing as well. I don't know that either will get you around tear down for de-carb (that's Audi's solution too, good way to bill 25 hours I guess) but it should make it easier.

 

[CWP1616L]

Scotch-Brite and Purple Power. The stuff has to be rinsed though; otherwise you'll wind up with a pile of corrosion.

 

[braincrater]

We actually used the gm top engine clean as an initial fix for this issue but it didnt help. The amount of carbon in these motors is ridiculous. We have to do the tear down regardless due to replacing pistons and rings.

I might stop by harbor freight tomorrow and pick up a cheap media blaster and some walnut media. I dont like the cheap media blasting setups but since we cant buy the real thing right now this might have to do.

 

[admranger]

When BMW had this problem they used walnut shells (I'm not joking) and a trick system that hooked up to the engine in the car. Rotate to close the valves, blast, vacuum, move to next cylinder, rinse, repeat.

 

[MrMark]

We actually used the gm top engine clean as an initial fix for this issue but it didnt help. The amount of carbon in these motors is ridiculous. We have to do the tear down regardless due to replacing pistons and rings.

I might stop by harbor freight tomorrow and pick up a cheap media blaster and some walnut media. I dont like the cheap media blasting setups but since we cant buy the real thing right now this might have to do.

I have to say it isn't very comforting to hear about a Lexus dealer that has its employees going to Harbor Freight to buy walnut shell blasters for decarboning heads, or using wire wheels on them. I thought Lexus was supposed to be some top brand? Further reinforcement of why no one touches my car but me.

 

[CWP1616L]

I might stop by harbor freight tomorrow and pick up a cheap media blaster and some walnut media.

You gonna spend your own money on that?

 

[braincrater]

I have to say it isn't very comforting to hear about a Lexus dealer that has its employees going to Harbor Freight to buy walnut shell blasters for decarboning heads, or using wire wheels on them. I thought Lexus was supposed to be some top brand? Further reinforcement of why no one touches my car but me.

Give it a rest, this isnt a dealership bashing thread. There is nothing wrong with taking a soft wire wheel the the valves to remove carbon buildup and then lapping the valves. The only reason i would buy this at harbor freight is if it doesnt work, then i am out 50 dollars... big deal. If it does work then that is a cheap investment that should save me a decent amount of aggravation.

 

[CWP1616L]

The only reason i would buy this at harbor freight is if it doesnt work, then i am out 50 dollars... big deal.

$50 is still a decent chunk of change. There's a few high quality tools I could buy with $50.