Cleaning pistons

-

93ragtop

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2015
Messages
208
Reaction score
130
Location
Va
I have a 2000 5.9 magnum engine, that I have apart. I would like to use one of the chemical dips to clean the pistons. Been looking online and Berryman Chem-Dip seems to be recommmended alot.
Are there better ways to do this at home, or is the Berryman's the way to go?
Thanks for your advise
 
Or aircraft stripper works great. You will still want to use a ring grove cleaner either way.
shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcTrnHsgSdv5iG5A9U3XbB2hgMQPbXD4kUfev7KVu5BI5mF4Bll1EA&usqp=CAc.png
 
The marine industry gets the good stuff.
Mercury makes something called power tune
And Johnsen makes engine tune.
Both of them are extremely caustic and dissolve carbon like there’s no tomorrow.
Can’t find it in parts stores, only marinas.
Where gloves
 
I use aircraft stripper for that, works great if you can find it any more!:mad:
 
A ring cleaner is a nice tool, but I have never owned one. I always just break an old ring and flip it around backwards and use it.
 
That works well also. Had mine for 30 years so I am spoiled I guess!
 
There's a purple chemical that is supposed to work well, but I can't remember the name of it....
 
I have a 2000 5.9 magnum engine, that I have apart. I would like to use one of the chemical dips to clean the pistons. Been looking online and Berryman Chem-Dip seems to be recommmended alot.
Are there better ways to do this at home, or is the Berryman's the way to go?
Thanks for your advise
I don't like using the chemical cleaners. It takes too long or leaves some of the dry hard carbon behind.
Magnums with poor oil change history always have the little oil drain holes inside the ring lands plugged. Just brake one of the old rings in half and use the clean end to scrape out the ring lands. Do not use the broken end as it will be very sharp.
Next, use a fine pointy pick to clear out the oil drain holes.
Now, just use the cheapest plastic scraper or putty knife you can find to scrape the tops.
That's it. Now just rinse off with brake or parts cleaner, or hot soapy water and blow them dry.
Be sure the pins are well oiled before reassembly.
 
You can use a wire brush as pointed out above, just don't use it on the skirts or the ring belt. The rings have to seal to the piston to, and a wire brush will mar the ring grooves and kill your ring seal.
 
@chrisf Oooooooo, preeeeeety.

I don’t know if that process. Could you tell me (us) about it.


Pretty sure its purple power. Royal Purple makes oil.
WHOOOOOPS!

Thanks for the correction!


You can use a wire brush as pointed out above, just don't use it on the skirts or the ring belt. The rings have to seal to the piston to, and a wire brush will mar the ring grooves and kill your ring seal.

Brass brush used on the sides, the mild steel on top. Re smoothie if need be. The sides can be a bug PIA only beat by cleaning the piston ring area. Cars should be taken not to mar or gouge that area. I don’t care if you use a screw driver, take care in keeping that area perfect.
 
I vote for Berryman dip cleaner, broken ring to clean groove, hot water wash when carbon/crap is softened after dipping. It's not fast, but it gets the job done.
 
It's perfectly acceptable to bead blast piston heads and ring lands, just don't touch the skirts.
 
vapor is #10 glass bead and water. its cabinet based. Does great work on non ferrous metals but I have found it’s also great on plastics and rubber. Wiring and plug come out almost new. It’s huge in Europe but has never really caught on in North America (yet) big with the vintage bike guys and I love it for the restoration stuff.
@chrisf Oooooooo, preeeeeety.

I don’t know if that process. Could you tell me (us) about it.



WHOOOOOPS!

Thanks for the correction!




Brass brush used on the sides, the mild steel on top. Re smoothie if need be. The sides can be a bug PIA only beat by cleaning the piston ring area. Cars should be taken not to mar or gouge that area. I don’t care if you use a screw driver, take care in keeping that area perfect.

15B570C1-0150-402C-8772-F0BB4A11CFAC.jpeg


81703106-1F2A-42FD-82BA-FCC025EAE785.jpeg


D570CA58-AC5E-4037-814D-8E594BA4FCA0.jpeg


ED9AF729-365F-4CA5-BC76-0A284205294E.jpeg


73093C54-9EF3-4991-9954-CBA1F2B51F42.jpeg
 
Rusty
I always taped over the ring lands when bead blasting and blasted the *** out of the skirts
used walnut hell blast on the ring lands\
When bead blasting use NEW bead or have a separate blaster that has never seen iron or steel
using dirty blast does ruin pistons
Too bad you cant get the chlorinated chem dip any more
you know- the stuff that would take your skin off
 
will it eat aluminum?
I think the outboard motors and carbs, intakes used in the marine world would be mostly aluminum?
It’s definitely good at removing carbon buildup.
I had a 3.23 posi 8.75 489 case I bought off eBay. Nobody was bidding on it, as it was covered in surface rust, like it was in a humid garage idk.
Anyways I had a can of the Johnsen engine tune cleaner in a can laying around I’d been saving, as it’s not cheap.
It literally just dissolved the rust, it bubbles awhile, thing looked new after rinsing it with brake cleaner. Turned out to be a quiet set of gears with a good suregrip, and ran it for years.
 
IMG_20200302_205825776.jpg
I bought a $60.00 ultrasonic cleaner on ebay... very good results on valve train parts. I use Purple Power at a 50/50 mix. Turn up the heat and 30 minutes.
 
Last edited:
vapor is #10 glass bead and water. its cabinet based.
Is there just a water pickup line along with the media pick up line? Those AL parts look great! I see some swap meet intakes that are sand blasted and they look like ****, too white and sparkly...?
 

its mixed together and shot out like a garden hose. its light pressure, 90 psi but the media is buffered by the water so its gentle. It will not take paint off a beer can.
i own a media blast company and pride myself on learning everyday new techniques and processes in refinishing. i love blasting things that are "unblastable"
my apologies for hyjacking the post. maybe one day ill start a thread on processes and results.
 
-
Back
Top