How To Clean A Motorcycle Cylinder Head

Cylinder head cleaning.

Isaish305

Posts: 76

Joined: 6/11/2016

Location: Phoenix, AZ USA

11/1/2017 10:13 PM

Vital members I need your advise. I just tore apart my top end on my 2016 rmz 450. Im just wondering what you guys use to clean it out with? The valves are pretty dirty to.

Any advise would be much appreciated!

Acidreamer

Posts: 1729

Joined: 8/25/2015

Location: Mansfield, OH USA

11/2/2017 1:14 AM

Soak it in a heated degreaser. A combination of brake cleaner and scotch brite with get the carbon off. Inside the cylinder id probably pass on the scotch brite tho. Maybe 0000 steel wool would be ok. Razerblade for the gasket material

2009 Kawasaki KX450F
2009 Kawasaki KX250F
2002 Suzuki GSXR 600

RCF

Posts: 532

Joined: 4/1/2008

Location: PA, USA

11/2/2017 8:31 AM

Have you been running fuel with lead in this bike ? That's not a good idea in modern bikes titanium valves don't like LEAD.
For cleaning the valves I picked up a cheap ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight. it only runs in 5 minutes cycle you have to keep resetting it but they come out like brand new, run a 50/50 mix of water and Simple Green.

Hondas4Life3

Posts: 741

Joined: 7/30/2013

Location: Louisburg, KS USA

11/2/2017 11:24 AM
Edited Date/Time: 11/2/2017 11:25 AM

The pros use soda blasting for the heads/valves (or vapor blasting). The cylinder inside will clean up with WD40 and scotchbrite

11/2/2017 12:38 PM
Edited Date/Time: 11/2/2017 12:39 PM

RCF wrote:

Have you been running fuel with lead in this bike ? That's not a good idea in modern bikes titanium valves don't like LEAD.
...more

RCF wrote:

Have you been running fuel with lead in this bike ? That's not a good idea in modern bikes titanium valves don't like LEAD.
For cleaning the valves I picked up a cheap ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight. it only runs in 5 minutes cycle you have to keep resetting it but they come out like brand new, run a 50/50 mix of water and Simple Green.

Positively, absolutely 110% obsessed with anything MOTO .

Isaish305

Posts: 76

Joined: 6/11/2016

Location: Phoenix, AZ USA

11/2/2017 4:13 PM

RCF wrote:

Have you been running fuel with lead in this bike ? That's not a good idea in modern bikes titanium valves don't like LEAD.
...more

RCF wrote:

Have you been running fuel with lead in this bike ? That's not a good idea in modern bikes titanium valves don't like LEAD.
For cleaning the valves I picked up a cheap ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight. it only runs in 5 minutes cycle you have to keep resetting it but they come out like brand new, run a 50/50 mix of water and Simple Green.

I just got the bike. Not sure what the previous owner ran. I run 50/50 mix of vp 110 and 97 pump gas.