HOw to dissolve oily carbon goo in exhaust elbow

earlybird

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I'd attack it mechanically, at least to get the bulk out. Tapping with a hammr, thumps with a block of hardwood, an old, bent, screwdriver as a chisel, etc, etc. If the metal cracks, then it was no good anyway!
Soaking in a hot, strong caustic solution might get out a bit more after that treatment.
 

macd

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As earlybaird said.

The old trick with coked-up 2-stroke motorcycle exhausts was to thump a potato in one end, fill from the other with hot caustic soda and leave to stand. Don't let the stuff anywhere near aluminium, though.
 

andf

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I used B&Q Brick Cleaner, which is dilute Hydochloric acid. This not only cleaned the oily muck out but also shifted most of the calcification as well.

The only minor problem was that it cleaned the muck off so well that it revealed the holes in the elbow casting! So it ended up as a complicated route to a new elbow.

Courier
 

kiboteam

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By the way, one question about this issue. When you remove the elbow to clean it, do you have to change the gastket before installing it again?

Thanks from the Med.
 

LittleSister

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The old trick with coked-up 2-stroke motorcycle exhausts was to thump a potato in one end, fill from the other with hot caustic soda and leave to stand. Don't let the stuff anywhere near aluminium, though.

The other old trick with coked up 2-stroke motorbike exhausts (that i would stress I've read about only, and never done or seen done) is to light an oxy-acetylene torch and shove that in one end. That apparently soon heats up the carbon enough for it to start burning, at which point you turn off the acetylene but leave the oxygen running, the coke continues burning until it's all burnt out.

Whether you could use that technique in the OP's situation, I don't know.
 

oldsaltoz

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What's the best stuff to use to dissolve the oily carbon mess in my exhaust elbow please?

Ideally without dissolving the metal too.

Thanks in anticipation...

My Son cleans them with a chisel or screwdriver to start with then applying neat degreaser and standing overnight.

Softens the mass and finishes with an old chisel.

.
 

rich

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I will more than likely get put down by some for this but,

If you can get some Soltron (a,s,a,p) add it to your fuel, you will be surprised at the result.
 

jimmcgee

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The other old trick with coked up 2-stroke motorbike exhausts (that i would stress I've read about only, and never done or seen done) is to light an oxy-acetylene torch and shove that in one end. That apparently soon heats up the carbon enough for it to start burning, at which point you turn off the acetylene but leave the oxygen running, the coke continues burning until it's all burnt out.

Whether you could use that technique in the OP's situation, I don't know.

like this lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oet4qWeZuYA
 

PetiteFleur

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I'd attack it mechanically, at least to get the bulk out. Tapping with a hammr, thumps with a block of hardwood, an old, bent, screwdriver as a chisel, etc, etc. If the metal cracks, then it was no good anyway!
.

Thats what I did - and the screwdriver went straight through the casting! It was a Perkins Perama and the VP identical part was cheaper than the Perkins part - that must be a first!
 

Cloven

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By the way, one question about this issue. When you remove the elbow to clean it, do you have to change the gastket before installing it again?

Thanks from the Med.

Absolutely yes. It's almost certain that the old gasket will disintegrate when you remove the exhaust mixer.
 

Heckler

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What's the best stuff to use to dissolve the oily carbon mess in my exhaust elbow please?

Ideally without dissolving the metal too.

Thanks in anticipation...
As others have said, usually when you clean it you end up exposing the rot, and usually the bit in the middle is non existant and a few holes appear, on my old VP 2030 it was £200 ish for a new one. I still have a spare gasket in my box if anyone wants one.
Stu
 

SeaMark

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Thats what I did - and the screwdriver went straight through the casting! It was a Perkins Perama and the VP identical part was cheaper than the Perkins part - that must be a first!

Agree about the Volvo part being cheaper but when I used the 2030 part on a Perama M30 3 years ago the inlet diameter was smaller (no prob, ground that out just like in car tuning days) but more of an issue was the smaller ex hose dia required - bit of a b*gger that - new hose + fitting on the Vetus water trap. Ouch, but Perkins said I would have to wait 3-4 months for the next manufacturing run as they were out of spares!!

Think that oily carbon mess davidbfox is experiencing is slightly more benign than the hard metallic coke the rest of us get? David please be v careful with big screwdrivers/chisels etc. after the first 12 months these things are on borrowed time internally (the metal seems to go crumbly).

Has anyone on the forum experience of the stainles exhaust elbows fom these guys? - www.trickettmarineproducts.co.uk
 
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