oneoldbanjo
Addicted to ArboristSite
Does anyone know of a chemical/liquid soak that is effective in removing carbon and oil deposits from aluminum? Something that could remove the deposits without harming the aluminum or any steel inserts like studs or threaded inserts? I know that when I take my aluminum cylinder heads to an automotive machine shop they come back all bright and shiny and there is no evidence of them using a scraper or bead blasting the aluminum.
Specifically what I need is a way to clean out an aluminum muffler with steel screening on a 2 stroke engine. This engine does not run hot or fast enough to burn the deposits out on it's own, and eventually the muffler can clog up and it requires a very expensive replacement. Even running the recommended 80:1 mix I get left over oil oozing out of the end of the muffler and out of the gasket between the cylinder and the header pipe. The baffles are not removable for cleaning as they are on most 2 strokes. I don't know if the automotive shops use some kind of a "caustic hot tank" process for aluminum that might work to clean out muffler internal parts?
If no one has any better ideas I may just try sloshing mineral spirits, stoddard solvent or something similar into the muffler and then letting it dry before I run the bike again.
Specifically what I need is a way to clean out an aluminum muffler with steel screening on a 2 stroke engine. This engine does not run hot or fast enough to burn the deposits out on it's own, and eventually the muffler can clog up and it requires a very expensive replacement. Even running the recommended 80:1 mix I get left over oil oozing out of the end of the muffler and out of the gasket between the cylinder and the header pipe. The baffles are not removable for cleaning as they are on most 2 strokes. I don't know if the automotive shops use some kind of a "caustic hot tank" process for aluminum that might work to clean out muffler internal parts?
If no one has any better ideas I may just try sloshing mineral spirits, stoddard solvent or something similar into the muffler and then letting it dry before I run the bike again.