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Carb's-Eye View into Engine: Can it be Cleaned?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doug650L
  • Start date Start date
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Doug650L

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Hi everyone! My Memorial Day project consists of replacing the o-rings (thanks Cycle O-Rings) at the engine intakes. Upon removing the ports, there is noticeable "gunk" visible. Since the oil is out of the engine already, is there a treatment, flush or spray I should use to get rid of it?
 
squirt some carb cleaner in there and get in there with some rags, q tips, mini wire brushes etc.
 
Thanks Agemax. Is this where the gunk accumulates typically? Do risk anything if some drops down?
 
Doug650L said:
Thanks Agemax. Is this where the gunk accumulates typically? Do risk anything if some drops down?
Click to expand...

turn the engine over until the valve is shut tight. stick a hoover in there before and after cleaning it out to make sure there is nothing there that can fall through when the valve opens again
 
Ok. Really basic question: what methods are available to turn the engine over? Battery out, tank off, carb off. I'm new to this but loving every minute of it!
 
take the front right (ignition) cover off. there will be a big nut on the end of the crank. use that to turn the engine over, CLOCKWISE only.
removing the spark plugs as well will make it easier to turn
 
Leave it alone and ride. Carbon like that won't hurt anything. Maybe some Seafoam (or similar) in the next few tanks. Trying to clean it off will just flush some down into the engine where no good will come.
 
In the days before everything was fuel injected and super lean, most every engine looked like that, especially the ones that were ridden slowly.

Ain't no thing.
 
Mine look like that on all four valves (GS450) and I was actually wondering if it wasn't leakage from the valve stem seals cooking to the valve since its black and slimy looking not dry and sooty (bike not running yet so I can't tell).

For carbon removal I take a page from my boat mechanic life and use Power Tune from Mercury marine (carbon debonder). You warm it up and take the airbox loose and hose it in through the carbs with the engine RPMs high enough to keep things moving until its smoking like hell then shut it off. I usually take the plugs out and spray around in the cylinders too and roll the engine over a bit to work it around.
You can let it sit even overnight if its super bad. When you start it up drive the crap out of it to blow everything out, then you maybe have to change or clean the spark plugs and its probably a good idea to change the oil just in case.
I have had non running engines with stuck rings go from 70-90% leak down to 5% leak down just from this (4 stroke outboard on always idled pontoon) and it will leave a pile of black crap behind the exhaust.
 
Doug650L said:
Ok. Really basic question: what methods are available to turn the engine over? Battery out, tank off, carb off. I'm new to this but loving every minute of it!
Click to expand...


place the trans in 2nd or 3rd gear and spin the rear wheel..
 
Do the water treatment to clean all the carbon out of the cylinders, off the valves, and off the pistons.

Set a fan on high in front of the engine to keep it cool.

Start the bike with the air cleaner off and let it get real good and warm..maybe 10 minutes at idle.

Then take a squirt bottle full of water and get it at the throat of carb 1 and run the RPMS up to around 5 or 6G.

Slowly squirt just enough water to not stop the engine ( and tweek the throttle up at the same time) into the carb. The idea is to keep the engine at as high an RPM as you can without it stalling as you squirt in the water...but not redlining either.

As the water hits the hot cylinder and the piston and valves, it literally will knock the crap off instantly. Same principle as when you put water in a hot skillet to loosen the charred on stuff in the bottom. There will be some black gunky water shooting out the pipes so be outside when you do it.

Give each one maybe 6 or 8 good doses and do the rest on down the line.
 
Doug650L said:
Hi everyone! My Memorial Day project consists of replacing the o-rings (thanks Cycle O-Rings) at the engine intakes. Upon removing the ports, there is noticeable "gunk" visible. Since the oil is out of the engine already, is there a treatment, flush or spray I should use to get rid of it?
Click to expand...

Did you fix the problem? could be a leaking valve seat and/or seals, or bad valve adjustment to tight, or bad cam timing.
 
Nessism said:
Leave it alone and ride. Carbon like that won't hurt anything. Maybe some Seafoam (or similar) in the next few tanks. Trying to clean it off will just flush some down into the engine where no good will come.
Click to expand...

Agreed. This is completely normal buildup on these engines. Don't monkey with it.

Even if you managed to clean it up with an assortment of dental tools, curved q-tips, and advanced laparoscopic surgery techniques, it wouldn't matter -- the carbon would be back in a few thousand miles.
 
bwringer said:
Agreed. This is completely normal buildup on these engines. Don't monkey with it.

Even if you managed to clean it up with an assortment of dental tools, curved q-tips, and advanced laparoscopic surgery techniques, it wouldn't matter -- the carbon would be back in a few thousand miles.
Click to expand...


Am I missing something how is that normal to have carbon build up on the intake valve it should remain clean



.
 
No...they dont all stay clean because it too is in the combustion chamber...subjected to the same things the exhaust valves are. What good for one is good for the other.

Anyway, I swear to you that the water squirting will instantly knock the crap off all the valves and the tops of the pistons..clean.
 
chuck hahn said:
No...they dont all stay clean because it too is in the combustion chamber...subjected to the same things the exhaust valves are. What good for one is good for the other.

Anyway, I swear to you that the water squirting will instantly knock the crap off all the valves and the tops of the pistons..clean.
Click to expand...

Could you also use an oral syringe and push, IDK, 10ml's of water through the vacuum port? A friend uses that Seafoam Spray and he just takes the vacuum cap off (one at a time) on his Yammy and gives her a few squirts. I have never tried it. Is there any reason water through the vacuum port would not work?
 
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