Vintage and Classic Hondas

Removing carbon in heads

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icerigger

Removing carbon in heads

What's the best stuff for getting carbon out of the cylinder heads and off valves. The last time I pulled an engine apart was in 1968 and they no longer make the stuff I used back then.

Livin' my life like a song.

1985 Honda Rebel 250 - "Birdie"
1979 CB750K - "Behemoth"

TOOLS1

Re: Removing carbon in heads

Administrator

Bead Blasting, or a Scotch Brite disc.
TOOLS

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1976 CB 750-A X 2
1977 CB 750-A X 4
1977 CB 750-K
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Lucky 1

Re: Removing carbon in heads

In reply to this post by icerigger

Elbow grease, scrapers, and sandpaper.

On a Roadstar Adventure.

icerigger

Re: Removing carbon in heads

Oh man you guys are mean! I remember seeing a video, maybe on you tube where this guy put some gunk on it and it wiped out with a rag. Might have been a CGI hoax, I dunno.

Livin' my life like a song.

1985 Honda Rebel 250 - "Birdie"
1979 CB750K - "Behemoth"

LukeM

Re: Removing carbon in heads

Administrator

There are videos and documentation on Youtube of guys dosing their engines with LARGE amounts of SeaFoam, to the point where it looks like a mosquito fogger. I would guess, in smaller amounts, you could feed some SeaFoam in there until the engine stalls (meaning it's sitting on top of the pistons), let it sit for 10-15 minutes, and then start the engine. It should loosen some of the carbon deposits, but won't do as good a job as disassembling the engine and using a soda blaster or scraper.

I do not endorse shoving large amounts of any solvent into an engine for any purpose. IF you do this, you are on your own recognizance.

Luke m

Used to have a 1979 CB750L, sold it as a parts bike, now riding a slightly modified 1984 VT700C. Network/Field Engineer. Central OH, USA, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe.

icerigger

Re: Removing carbon in heads

Actually, I have the head off. I'm pretty sure I need new valve seals and decided to do rings and lap the valves while I'm at it. Rings are done and I'm just starting on the valves.
BITD we used to have something called Carb-Out that used the process you described. My dad swore by it, but I never found it to be much use.

Livin' my life like a song.

1985 Honda Rebel 250 - "Birdie"
1979 CB750K - "Behemoth"