Piston soak, alternatives to MMO?

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19jacobob93

19jacobob93

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I want to do a piston soak before my next oil change but i'm not sure what i'm going to use because all the tutorials and everything i've looked at online use MMO which isn't available over here as far as i know I was thinking about using Lucas UCL/fuel system cleaner or make my own soak from TCW3, a PEA cleaner and maybe a solvent Any recommendations would be good cause i don't really have a clue! Thanks
 
Back in the day we used to use Redex. Red stuff about as thick as ATF, smelled a bit funny and got into your skin and that smelled a bit funny. Run engine to temperature, pull plugs, put 50ml in each pot, crank over two revs and leave a couple hours...if it's for the 'coon, at least all the pistons are straight up/down, so it will sit. Crank with a towel over the plug holes to prevent hydraulicing. Plugs in, start engine, then pout remaining couple hundred ml through the carb. Have no idea what off the shelf product would likely work, and not really sure that a PEA additive would be good. Cue stream of consciousness, (and I really should make some and have a crack at the mower), would be biodiesel, an ester made from natural triglyceride oils (vegetable/tallow), which is a pretty good solvent.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Go down to the Subaru dealer and get/order the upper engine cleaner. Follow normal piston soak procedures. Subaru.au website. http://www.subaru.com.au/parts/catalogue/fuel-system-carbon-maintenance
Trav, we posted at the same time...never knew about the subaru product, good heads up (no pun intended). Interesting how such would work on a boxer, when given my comment in my post at least the falcon has a horizontal piston face...I always thought that piston soaks on Vees were a bit iffy, but on a horizontal cylinder, I can't see it "soaking".
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: Trav
Go down to the Subaru dealer and get/order the upper engine cleaner. Follow normal piston soak procedures. Subaru.au website. http://www.subaru.com.au/parts/catalogue/fuel-system-carbon-maintenance
Trav, we posted at the same time...never knew about the subaru product, good heads up (no pun intended). Interesting how such would work on a boxer, when given my comment in my post at least the falcon has a horizontal piston face...I always thought that piston soaks on Vees were a bit iffy, but on a horizontal cylinder, I can't see it "soaking".
As you say it cant, there may be some minor capillary action going on in the deposits but i doubt it amounts to anything. I think thats why they are selling it in a spray can to spray it as its running then close to the end of the can use enough to stall the engine then let it site for a few hours. An inline engine is best suited to actual soaking IMHO. With the V engines the wand may be able to spray enough around the whole piston to help with the rings and wet the piston head deposits but definitely not a good soaking.
 
Thanks for the recommendations Wd40 is an interesting one but will that break down the carbon deposits? Maybe looking for a dealer piston soak is the go, we take our dodge to a toyota service center for its oil change and service (under warranty) and it is due soon, do toyota have a piston soak product? If so it would be easy to pick it up from the dealer when we take it in
 
Saturin TSB: Pour 3 ounces of GM Piston and Ring Cleaner (P/N 12378549 12 ounce bottle) into each cylinder through the spark plug hole. All 1991 - 1997 Saturn S-Series Vehicles Condition Some customers may comment that the engine is using 1 quart (0.951 liter) or more of oil every 3000 mi. (4827 km). Cause Engine oil consumption greater than 1 quart (0.951 liter) in 3000 mi. (4827 km) may be caused by stuck/sticking oil control and/or compression rings. Engine deposits may build up on and around the oil control ring(s), compression ring(s) and piston ring land(s) causing the ring(s) to stick and become less effective. Correction Perform internal engine cleaning procedure or engine repair procedure depending on amount of oil consumption. IF engine uses 1 quart (0.951 liter) of oil in: 1500 mi. - 3000 mi. (2414 km -4827 km), perform Procedure 1: Internal Engine Cleaning 1499 mi. (2414 km) or less, perform Procedure 2: Engine Repair While Saturn still considers oil consumption of 1 quart (0.951 liter) in 2000 mi. (3218 km) to be an acceptable level, the engine cleaning procedure contained in this bulletin may improve oil consumption performance to an even more acceptable level. Engine Inspection and Oil Consumption Test: 1. Inspect engine for external oil leaks and repair as necessary. 2. Verify that the correct crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve is installed. Some aftermarket PCV valves do not meet Saturn specification and can cause oil consumption. (Refer to the following chart for correct application.) 3. Change engine oil and filter (3.8 liters [4 quarts] of oil are required to properly fill the crankcase). 4. Start engine and bring up to normal operating temperature of 197°-212° ;F (97°-100°C). 5. Park vehicle on level ground and wait a minimum of five minutes after engine is shut off. Check engine oil level to make sure it's at the FULL mark on the dipstick. 6. Mark the oil level on the dipstick with a scribe, if it is not exactly at FULL mark. 7. Record the vehicle's mileage, date of oil change and exact location of oil level on the Customer Service Order. 8. Return vehicle to customer and have customer check the engine oil level at each fuel fill and return the vehicle if oil level is at the ADD mark. If the oil level remains in the "cross-hatch" area, have the customer continue operating the vehicle for a minimum of 2000 miles (3218 km) before returning the vehicle for final oil consumption verification. If engine uses 1 quart (0.951 liter) of oil in: * 3000 mi. (4827 km) or more, return vehicle to customer - this is acceptable oil consumption. * 1500 mi. -3000 mi. (2414 km - 4827 km) proceed to Procedure 1 in this bulletin. * 1499 mi. (2414 km) or less proceed to Procedure 2 in this bulletin. Procedure - 1 Internal Engine Cleaning 1. Warm up to normal operating temperature. Important In order for the cleaner to be effective, the engine must be warm. 2. Disconnect negative battery cable. 3. Remove spark plugs. 4. Rotate engine crankshaft until notch in crank pulley is at 3 o'clock (90° after top dead center) position. This will position all of the pistons midway in their bores. 5. Pour 3 ounces of GM Piston and Ring Cleaner (P/N 12378549 12 ounce bottle) into each cylinder through the spark plug hole. 6. Cover the cylinder head and spark plug holes to prevent debris from getting into the combustion chamber and to prevent excess evaporation of the cleaner. 7. Allow the engine cleaner to soak for a minimum of 2 hours. Notice After the minimum 2-hour soak, there may be some cleaner left in the combustion chambers. Do not start the engine until all of the cleaner has been removed from the combustion chamber or severe engine damage may occur. 8. After the minimum 2-hour soak, remove the remaining cleaner from the combustion chambers by placing shop towels over all of the spark plug holes and cranking the engine through a few revolutions. 9. Install the spark plugs and spark plug wires. 10. Start the engine and run only enough to reach normal operating temperature. 11. Drain the engine oil and remove oil filter. 12. Install new oil filter (P/N 21000872). Important *Mobil® 1 Synthetic 5W-30 or 10W-30 engine oil is to be used during the initial oil change interval following this procedure. Mobil® 1 Synthetic oil has excellent engine cleaning properties that will aid in removing deposits that were loosened and softened during this procedure. *We believe this source and their products to be reliable. There may be additional manufacturers of such products. General Motors does not endorse, indicate any preference for or assume any responsibility for the products from this firm or for any such items which may be available from other sources. 13. Install 4 quarts (3.8 L) of Mobil® 1 Synthetic 5W-30 or 10W-30 engine oil. 14. Return vehicle to customer. 15. After 1500-3000 miles of operation, have the customer return for next oil change. 16. Drain engine oil and remove oil filter. 17. Install new oil filter (P/N 21000872) 18. Install 4 quarts (3.8 L) of engine oil meeting Saturn specifications. 19. Refer to Oil Consumption Test and perform steps 4 through 8. "
 
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Good info, thanks! So would Lucas UCL be any good for a piston soak? I don't think it has anything in the way of strong detergants but would the light oil its self help loosen up the carbon? Surely it will help the rings somewhat too
 
NO wd 40! , you don't want silicone introduced into a lambda controlled engine - its a O2 Sensor killer. I'm assuming WD40 still uses some Si-Xx in its formula.
 
Originally Posted By: MarkM66
Why do you want to do a "piston soak"?
That's what I'm thinking. Why do you (the OP) feel that you need to soak your pistons? Is there a symptom (like carbon knock) that you are trying to deal with or is it all a "feel good" thing?
 
Originally Posted By: 19jacobob93
Yep some pretty serious carbon build up and pinging. Using 98 octane to prevent ping but that's only hiding the problem
Have you tried the Italian Tune-Up? IE, beat the tar out of it? A properly running engine shouldn't experience that unless the design is defective. It is usually a symptom of something else. AC Delco Top End Cleaner is effective at removing carbon, as is Berryman's B12. Both are very aggressive (far more so than MMO or Seafoam) and will definitely clean you up. However, I would look into WHY you are getting the build-up, as there is obviously something going on.
 
WD-40: "While the ingredients in WD-40® Multi-Use Product are secret, we can tell you what it does NOT contain. WD-40® Multi-Use Product does not contain silicone, kerosene, water, graphite, or chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)." People used to use WD-40 soaking overnight to treat stuck oil control rings. YMMV I guess, it is something our teacher taught us at school.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: MarkM66
Why do you want to do a "piston soak"?
That's what I'm thinking. Why do you (the OP) feel that you need to soak your pistons? Is there a symptom (like carbon knock) that you are trying to deal with or is it all a "feel good" thing?
popcorn
 
Yep these past few months i have taken it out of economy mode and have been giving it the shoe a bit more often Econ mode just shortens the shift times, under normal acceleration with it on it normally shifts at around 1400-1600rpm, with econ mode off it changes gear at 2000-2500rpm I think the main reason for the carbon build up is because it's such a low revving engine and it never saw north of 3000rpm for the past year. Another reason could be that it was used for short trips before i bought it. I got it in 2012 and it was 12 years old and had only covered 115,000km (71,000 miles) but it now has 190,000km (118,000 miles) already thanks to lots of long highway runs Another could be using cheap fuel for all of its life prior to last month
 
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