Suggestions for cleaning BCG?

[jrumann59]

If you really want to strip and dip, I'd suggest something like marvel mystery oil and a narrow mason jar. It is a mild cleanser and lubricant. Basically cleanser and mineral oil mixed. Let it drip "dry" and then do the grease/motor oil soak when done.

That sounds like an over cleaning. Remember things like mobile 1 oil bakes on also, hence why many gearheads I know use it as anti-seize on the threads of their spark plugs. If for some reason you need to use a detergent I would use something like a simple green in a water bath and thoroughly dry and lube the parts. I do not think I want a detergent even in small amounts floating around near friction surfaces.

 

[lazarus]

That sounds like an over cleaning. Remember things like mobile 1 oil bakes on also, hence why many gearheads I know use it as anti-seize on the threads of their spark plugs. If for some reason you need to use a detergent I would use something like a simple green in a water bath and thoroughly dry and lube the parts. I do not think I want a detergent even in small amounts floating around near friction surfaces.

Don't use CLP then.

Cleansers aren't inherently thinning or high friction. I wouldn't want to run MMO as the only thing in my frank case, but a small amount can help clean out an engine without adding undue wear. If you soak gun parts in it, let it drain, clean off and then use "proper" lubricant on them the diluted amount of MMO left is going to be minuscule.

 

[TheGunnyRet]

Ultrasonic cleaner is the easiest way to clean if you have the commercial version which stays on longer. You can use it for your cans too.

Need to know that ultrasonic Cleaning REMOVES Metal to Clean...

Leave it in Long enough and it will get Pitted/Pitting/Remove Bluing or any Coatings...especially Aluminum parts.

If you don't believe, take a pieces of Aluminum Foil and place it in the Cleaner and run it for a long time and see what happens.

There are a Million ways and Chemicals to Clean your weapon...Just use common sense and you should survive the outcome...

 

[John from MD]

Ultrasonic cleaners do not eat aluminum if you use distilled water and the proper additive. The important thing about ultrasonic cleaners is to know what medium to use with the metal being cleaned. For BCD's Simple Green works as does Dawn dish washing soap. For cleaning cans, I use water with a few drops of Dawn concentrate or a couple of squeezes of Simple Green.

 

[outrider58]

Do as clandestine does and you can't go wrong.

 

[Airbornemp]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CaN18K_txvc



Use this tool

 

[outrider58]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CaN18K_txvc



Use this tool

Not needed...

 

[protegeV]

What the clown said.

 

[ashershapiro]

I thought Pistons run fairly clean. Either way there are a lot of tools/ scrapers designed to clean bcgs.

 

[clandestine]

Tools for scraping are awful. Scraping a BCG is like pulling the heads off your vehicle to "clean the carbon" from around the valves. It self limits in an engine and on the AR.

 

[omegared24]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CaN18K_txvc



Use this tool

That's one way to ruin a BCG.

 

[protegeV]

Tools for scraping are awful. Scraping a BCG is like pulling the heads off your vehicle to "clean the carbon" from around the valves. It self limits in an engine and on the AR.

I hear you, but if I'm going to pick a nit, it's this one. There are sometimes solvents used to clean carbon from valves when they get too crusty. Particularly on direct injected engines. Though the closing of the value does "self limit" and clear the valve mating surface, it can get so bad that the carbon interfered with the valve's ability to properly close.
I don't think that much carbon is possible with an AR simply because of the lower cycle and heat. It's not running constantly like a combustion engine.


The analogy is still very valid though.

 

[outrider58]

Notice I did NOT say scrape any carbon from any part of the BCG or gun in general.

Excerpt from post #2

 

[Blaster229]

I hear you, but if I'm going to pick a nit, it's this one. There are sometimes solvents used to clean carbon from valves when they get too crusty. Particularly on direct injected engines. Though the closing of the value does "self limit" and clear the valve mating surface, it can get so bad that the carbon interfered with the valve's ability to properly close.
I don't think that much carbon is possible with an AR simply because of the lower cycle and heat. It's not running constantly like a combustion engine.


The analogy is still very valid though.

How often do people get engine valves cleaned compared to how often joe schmo can take one of these scraper tools and scrape after every use?

 

[Biggfoot44]

Humm. My father pulled the heads, cleaned the carbon, lapped the valves , and reassembled on his 392 Hemi back in the 1960's .And that was anachronistic at the time. For the last 40yrs, carbon removal has been done by chemicals.

I swear by my results with MMO in both gas and diesel engines, but hadn't occured to me for guns. But I guess worth trying if you don't want to mix a batch of Ed's Red .

 

[protegeV]

How often do people get engine valves cleaned compared to how often joe schmo can take one of these scraper tools and scrape after every use?

Not very often. Maybe around 100k miles. So maybe once or twice over the life of the vehicle. And thats only certain vehicles. This is not normal maintenance or repair. It is extraordinary.

No doubt an AR would be hurt by scraping.

 

[dist1646]

Just watched 3 different videos on cleaning the AR over on the accurate shooter forum. Counting what Clandestine says the proper method is, there are more ways to clean & lube a BCG than there are ways to skin a cat!

 

[Biggfoot44]

Was 30sec of nylon toothbrushing, wipe off with rag, dip in synthetic motor oil, reassemble, one of the four so far ?

 

[Airbornemp]

If tool that scrap are so bad why does the military issues them?

 

[Airbornemp]

And that method leaves to oil doing storage specialy with that weight of an oil . Maybe with R.E.M. Oil for storage and bearing grease at sub zero temps can cause feeding issues.