Replacing my rocker box gaskets today thought I might clean the carbon off the piston tops and the valve area... Would steel wool be ok to use or? Tips to clean piston tops?




As always you guys are the best

 

You went a little too far if your intent was to replace your rocker box gaskets and you're now looking at the top of your pistons... Your now in head gasket territory.

If you're going to scrape off carbon, wet it with some light oil so dry miniature flakes don't sneak towards the cylinder walls. And I would only get the 'big' stuff', there's no point in 'polishing' the top of the piston.

 

Gotta pull the head to change the rocker gasket... Thanks for the response though! It's not much gonna leave it be and just do the valve area

 

Wire wheel & drill brass ones work well and no dinging the pistons or combustion chamber , steel wool won't touch that build up on the pistons just tape over the oil return hole and blow off dust & particles . Don't worry about it getting into the rings it'll all blow out in about 3 seconds when you start . What ever you do spend the bucks and get the metal wafer rocker gaskets don't go back to the old paper ones you'll much happier and they don't blow out every 2 years .

 

IF I had been paying attention..I would have seen that you have a Shovel, my bad!