Stuck rings

[countryhog]

My old backpack blower wouldn’t start. After testing I was thinking stuck rings. Upon tear down I was definitely correct. those things are STUCK all the way around. was able to get a couple small pieces out. Been soaking in carb cleaner for three days; no joy.
Never had this happen to this extent. What can I use? Will a light application of propane flame hurt or help. Don’t need to destroy this piston. TIA

 

[huskihl]

My old backpack blower wouldn’t start. After testing I was thinking stuck rings. Upon tear down I was definitely correct. those things are STUCK all the way around. was able to get a couple small pieces out. Been soaking in carb cleaner for three days; no joy.
Never had this happen to this extent. What can I use? Will a light application of propane flame hurt or help. Don’t need to destroy this piston. TIA

Couple hours in an ultrasonic cleaner with mean green or LA’s totally awesome removes all the black anytime I’ve tried it. Couple dishwasher pods in boiling water will remove it also

 

[countryhog]

Couple hours in an ultrasonic cleaner with mean green or LA’s totally awesome removes all the black anytime I’ve tried it. Couple dishwasher pods in boiling water will remove it also

Thanks for tip. Will give it a try

 

[Lightning Performance]

Pods... good answer.
Going to try that on nasty parts.

Franks

 

[Nutball]

I have not had luck with pods removing hard carbon or freeing rings, but it will soften some carbon allowing it to wipe off easier, and does a good job of otherwise cleaning a cylinder. Maybe it is brand dependent?

Heat seems to help free rings, so a torch may help. My guess is a USC is best, but I've never used one.

Soaking in a wood stove glass cleaner may help. I have found it a good chemical for softening hard carbon, but I'm sure there are powerful part cleaning solvents that are way better.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Orange oil is all you need to move the toughest of carbon. Furniture polish with lemon or orange oil will melt it most times. Never used pure citric acid but was told its not piston friendly stuff.

Truth be told that hard thin carbon is your friend in the right places.



This piston here I got looks like it had a date with a cylinder wall and it ended poorly just like yours. Got to empty my phone out and upload some pics of these slugs with stuck rings. Some are welded in, some not, just carbon on those. The lands appear black after prying out the rings with some soaking first.

 

[huskihl]

I have not had luck with pods removing hard carbon or freeing rings, but it will soften some carbon allowing it to wipe off easier, and does a good job of otherwise cleaning a cylinder. Maybe it is brand dependent?

Heat seems to help free rings, so a torch may help. My guess is a USC is best, but I've never used one.

Soaking in a wood stove glass cleaner may help. I have found it a good chemical for softening hard carbon, but I'm sure there are powerful part cleaning solvents that are way better.

I had one that was all black carbon in the combustion chamber and the outside was burned black. Three dishwasher pods and boiled it for about 4 hours and it came out like new

 

[beaglebriar]

Couple hours in an ultrasonic cleaner with mean green or LA’s totally awesome removes all the black anytime I’ve tried it. Couple dishwasher pods in boiling water will remove it also

We used totally awesome on the kids motorcycle carb and it cleaned better than mean green...was a nice surprise.

Stuck rings never come out in less than three pieces for me but a couple hours in the usc certainly helps loosen them.

 

[countryhog]

Got em out. The usc and awesome along with some picking and “chiseling” did the job. Thanks all for replies