Cleaning carbon off Valves and Head etc.

I'm trying to clean up the carbon buildup on my XS250 from all the bits
around the pistons (valves, barrel tops, head) and am wondering if anyone
has effective ways for getting it off. I've tried using a little piece of
aluminium but there is some hard to reach and really hard deposits that I'm
wondering how to deal with.

Thanks in advance,

Shane.

 

I reckon there will be some sorta solvent which will solve your problem...
Id suggest Carby Cleaner...the spray on stuff....but its just a guess.

 

I had a 1976 XS360. It was the biggest piece of
crap. I can't imagine what the 250's were like.

I suggest you pour petrol over it and send it
into the history books.

-f

 

1. Take your biggest chisel and a 2 pound hammer.
2. Apply liberally to affected areas.
3. Purchase new head and valves
4. Repeat steps 1 through 4

Mark

PS: try that carbon clean shit they use to clean fuel injectors.

 

Bead blaster works wonders

Daron

 

For a bike of this era, I'd make do with ~gently~ removing the bigger carbon
lumps manually, then just let the rest stay there: you're likely to more
harm than good by being too fastidious.

If you do come across some magic remover gunk, by all means go with it;
essentially I'm suggesting that a light physical scrape is better than a
clean (and scratched) result.

As for the nattering nabobs of negativism on the small XS-twin range; heed
them not. They're probably right, but if you listen to them, you'll never
get your's up and running again. I vicariously owned an XS250 myself (ie,
the girlfriend's) and it didn't do too badly - she rode it down from Darwin
to Melbourne, and a little more after that. Carby problems and lack of
time/space/money eventually saw it off the the wreckers for food-money in
Adelaide.

As for the big XS-twin range; everybody knows they were the best jap bikes
ever built.

Larry

 

Break a piston ring in half, the busted end is pefect for scraping the
carbon out of the ring grooves, the edge of the ring is good for scraping
piston tops. Wrap the bits you're holding in a rag, they are a bit hard on
your skin otherwise. (from an old Scots motor mechanic, my Dad)

Al

 

Dismantle it first.

HTH

Hammo

 

I read a piece of wood de cokes engines quite well...

but id try something like pressure steam on alloy.. with a clean rag to wipe
away any water build up to prevent rust..

or give it a spray of carby cleaner and wipe it off..

cheers

www.mad-biker.com

 

Another way to do this is apparently to spray a mist of water
into the intake of a running engine. DISCLAIMER: I've never
actually tried this and I don't know if it's a good idea.
You'd want to make sure you didn't put much in at a time,
that's for sure.

-----sharks

 

Water injection is often used to ward off pinging in high pressure blown
vehicles, you can put a surprising amount into the intake before it stops the
engine. Dunno if it'll decoke it though

JL

 

Course it will. The water will break down into Hydrogen and oxygen and
clean it up in no time.

Hammo

 

sharkey said....

sh> Another way to do this is apparently to spray a mist of water
sh> into the intake of a running engine. DISCLAIMER: I've never
sh> actually tried this and I don't know if it's a good idea.
sh> You'd want to make sure you didn't put much in at a time,
sh> that's for sure.

It's a method used on diesels. I've never heard of it being used on
petrol engines, other than to improve performance in conjunction with
other go-fast goodies.

 

You flew planes in the war?

Hammo

 

....snip

Umm, yeah right....

JL
(colour me skeptical but I don't know enough to confidently challenge it)

 

What a bunch of drongos ,and such strange answers. Ever heard of head
reconditioners,you know -people who do this sort of stuff all day .
trades people use wire buffing,sandblasting or the humble scraper. If
its a home workshop situation simply grind a suitable edge on a broken
hacksaw blade and with a little patience this will do an adequate job.
as for all that crap about water injection next time your watercooled
vehicle developes a head gasket problem see how effective
water'injection is -a fair job but not that flash

so there!