Cleaning Valves... Wire Wheel and/or Acetone

M

mjr67

Junior Member
I have removed the valves from my new to me project Model A engine... The valves are pretty dirty with carbon etc... Was advised to soak them in acetone and then wire wheel them with a steel wire wheel with medium to light bristles... Will this work or damage the valves...?
Thanks
 
no, I always wire wheel ---I have seen many valves damaged by the shot blast system---the stems nothing but small dings -----most valves are hard enough that a wire wheel can't damage them, although sometimes the ash deposits I have had to chip odd benz valves
It won't work as well on mushroom valves like original A valves but I have put a piece of hose on the stem and glass beaded the head
 
See if you can find a garage or shop or buy your own ultrasonic cleaner. It doesn't remove any material like a wire wheel does and it is not nearly as messy as sand blasting. Do a little research, it's a neat process.


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If you are working on old cars, and don't already have a wire wheel, get one at Harbor Freight. They are very useful for cleaning rust off small pieces, and cleaning up the threads on bolts. They will do a nice job of cleaning up those valves,too.
 
Be very careful when around a wire wheel. Bits of wire fly out and one stray bit in your eyeball can blind you. For that reason I won't have one in my shop. If you must, then wear proper eye protection and make sure your grand kids are not watching you. Ted
 
I use a 1" putty knife to remove the caked on carbon, then use the wire wheel. It does a great job and does no damage.

If you have oily carbon caked up below the valve head, then you have worn guides passing oil.
 
Like motordr said, ifn you use a wire wheel, make sure you use eye protection. Remember, when it comes to eyes, only one pair to a customer.
 
Eye protection is always a good thing. I managed to shove a screwdriver thru one 40 years ago. I survived, but, the eye didn't. I must confess, I still don't wear protection as often as I should.
 
Last week my left foot felt like it had a sliver in it, but didn't hurt unless I walked on it with pressure near the front. After a couple days I decided to have a look and pulled out a 1" piece of wire that had come off the wire wheel. In the past this particular pair of shoes has picked up wires from the wire wheel, but they stayed in the rubber sole, and didn't go into my foot. Those shoes are going in the garbage.
 
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