Staypuff578

Today i was doing my headgasket on my crx (still in the process) and when i pulled the head the top of the pistons on cylinder 1 and 4 are CAKED with carbon. My question is what is the best way to remove it without doing any damage to anything? I've searched here and couldn't find anything and google gave me a lot of results but for turbo dodges and other cars/trucks. I just want some fellow honda owners opinions on this. Any help is appreciated

One more thing, i'm installing my oil pressure gauge in the process of this and the fitting i have seems to be a little too big (1/8 npt i think). What fitting do i need, and if anyone would happen to know where to get it? thanks again guys.

justastockef

most likely the reason ALL of your pistons are not coated with carbon is due to your headgasket blowing between cylinder 2 and cylinder 3.
just try to brush off with a stiff PLASTIC bristle brush the excess carbon. you can use gas or kerosene to clean it more without harming anything.
after it is back together... run a can of seafoam thru your fuel system
that should help.
the coolant flowing into your compression chamber caused the 2 and 3 pistons to basically clean themselves off.

Staypuff578

thanks man im gonna try that tomorrow when i have some daylight. I know what you mean thats why i was doing the headgasket cause it was burning lots of coolant and when i seen the two squeaky clean pistons i knew for sure thats what the problem was.

Staypuff578

anyone else?

gator88

4 inch grinder with flapwheel. Okay Im joking, I've had good luck carefully using scotchbrite to just knock off the big stuff while using a shopvac to try to collect most of the debris from falling in the cooling ports. Don't go too crazy cleaning up, carbon isn't a bad thing unless it is so extreme your compression is raised to where you are detonating. Have yet to hear of that actually happen though.

Staypuff578

i've heard that quite a bit today that scotchbrite is the way to go. idk about it being that extreme but its pretty bad. i'll try to get some pictures in the morning and post them up so you can get an idea how bad it is.

acmoc

Don't do anything. It helps with compression

Staypuff578

i didn't i've just been dealing with the old headgasket that is left over on the block. idk how the hell to get that **** off! lol any tips?

DazeMS

stuff rags in each cylinder and use 600 grit or higher sand paper. remove rags after done and make sure material bits didnt get into the cylinder, that or brake clean works well once sprayed on rags and rubbed on the surface..

Staypuff578

ill have To give that a try. I literally have been scrubbing at it with scotchbrite and gasket remover since 10am. I noticed quite a bit of gunk and gasket and other materials/chemicals have nearly flooded the cooling channels, how do i get all that out?

AndThenYouSay

Thats a B*TCH! maybe compressed air or dust remover for some of them little ones?

DazeMS

the cooling channels arent that big adeal as you can flush those out fairly easy. Try turkey basting the crap out of the coolant channels the best you can.. just run a hose through it later once you completed everything u needed to do. scotch brite pads work okay, but what you need is a 3m red cloth much more abrasive then those washing sponges lol

Staypuff578

Thanks for the help so far guys. Here in a few minutes im gonna grab the turkey baster and the last bit of hope i have in me and scrub the **** out of the block lol. If that fails like it has been im just gonna rip the F23A1 out of my accord and stuff it in the little bastard

Eighty-Nyne

Why in the hell would you remove all the carbon when it will be back on the cylinders in 10 seconds of running.

Also, carbon crystals on the tops of pistons is a natural cooler and resists detonation. As well as minimally raising your compression ratio.

If you have thick moist carbon on a piston, of course remove that. But you don't have to spit polish them.

Staypuff578

i decided to leave them alone. Now its the leftover headgasket thats killing me.

DazeMS

but hey.. in the end.. a tiny mini specs left are okay.. I have never had a problem with tiny spots that you could see.. main thing is to get the high spots off. If you can feel the spots with your finger nail thats not good, but if you cant feel them, dont beat yourself up over it.. :-)

Staypuff578

Lol i know what you mean. The biggest trouble im having is with the big pieces, they just dont want to come off. On a good note my head is getting an all new valvetrain and resurfaced and all that good stuff for.............40 bucks