This may have been discussed here, but I thought I would share anyhow. Was cleaning a block and using oven cleaner to strip the grease, oil and paint. Experimented on a piston with carbon deposits. Let it sit for a few hours. The carbon build up wiped off with a paper towel. No scraping or scratching the piston top, surprised how easy it wiped off.
Going to give this a try on some exhaust valves and see what happens.
Oven cleaner or caustic soda can corrode aluminum. lemon juice will neutralize it...then wash with soap and water afterward.
Carbon is a weak acid.
Oven cleaner usually has a pH greater then 12. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 1 being extremely acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being extremely alkaline
Last edited by tom moore; 05/08/2020 11:52 AM.
