Carbon Cleaner Test Picture Heavy

[birdiemc]

I had to replace the catalytic converter on the wife's truck so I decided to cut off a piece of exhaust pipe and open it up to test all the cleaning solvents I have on hand.

This one I scraped away some of the carbon with a screwdriver just to see how fouled it was, note the pile

Lineup of cleaning solvents

After about a 15 minute soak

I rubbed lightly with a patch to clean here's the results, in order I tested not quality of performance.

1. Hoppes Elite- while rubbing the carbon feels gummy under the patch, did not remove carbon down to bare metal

2. Otis Firearm Surface Prep - This removed carbon with light rubbing down to bare metal, left behind oily residue, note smear marks in the carbon.

3. Carb Cleaner- Clean and dry, down to bare metal

4. "Control" - this place had no solvent applied, carbon required heavier rubbing with patch but came clean to bare metal

Continued...

 

[birdiemc]

5.Montana X-treme - cleaned with light pressure, not quite the oily residue left behind by sample 2, but definitely not dry like sample 3.

6. Wipeout - Carbon came out easily cleaned to bare metal, not bone dry like sample 3

7. Break Free CLP - removed less carbon than scrubbing without solvent, heavy pressure slightly removed a bit of carbon, definite oily residue, no gummy feel as with sample 1.

8. EEZOX - Required more pressure to clean to bare metal, oily residue left behind

9. Hoppes 9 foaming bore cleaner - slight pressure removed carbon down to bare metal, not dry like sample 3, light residue remains

 

[birdiemc]

I know it's far from a scientific evaluation, but I got the idea after using the Hoppes foaming bore cleaner to clean up the EGR off my truck...I was amazed by how easily the carbon wiped away after a very short soak, so been wanting to give this a shot.

 

[birdiemc]

This is an hour later, I wiped once with heavy pressure horizontally across the solvents being careful to avoid where solvents overlapped. Not sure how well it shows in the pictures, but it appears the hoppes foaming bore cleaner revealed the most bare metal, followed by wipeout, then Otis, then Montana, with the others not revealing any bare metal at all.

 

[birdiemc]

This is after brushing each sample with a nylon bristle brush then wiping clean with patches. From the looks of it in person Montana and Foaming Hoppes did the best with the Otis a close third. The feel of patching with the Otis is much more oily, I predict this product would take several more patches till they come out clean than the other 2 products because of the oily residue it leaves behind. The Montana seems to dry better and patch out well, with the hoppes neck and neck. The Montana requires less brush strokes than the Hoppes to break loose the carbon.

 

[birdiemc]

So there's my highly unscientific test. I had higher hopes for wipeout, but not surprised that Montana did well, very surprised how well the Hoppes foaming cleaner did. I figure I'll definitely keep buying the montana for sure, and probably will incorporate the hoppes a little more than the wipeout in the future depending on whether I am trying to get at copper too or just carbon. I like the eezox for oiling down my shotgun to prevent rust, but the rest of these aren't going to make the cut for future purchases.

 

[Jakeweb09]

You should try the accelerator for wipeout. Be curious if it actually does anything

 

[new2mud]

What a fun test. Do you feel any of them perform better than Carb cleaner? It seems that required no rubbing.

 

[cohunt]

Thanks 4 the info , I like to see these tests
Wipe out is a general cleaner, carb out is their "carbon cleaner", I wonder how it would have faired-- also would be interested to see of the accelerator helps at all
Not sure how it would relate directly to a barrel as the temps in a barrel are much higher, and cars get "oily residue" with the carbon build up due to burnt oils --- it seems like a viable test though as it does directly compare cleaners to each other on the same fouled surface.

 

[338 dude]

I know it's far from a scientific evaluation, but I got the idea after using the Hoppes foaming bore cleaner to clean up the EGR off my truck...I was amazed by how easily the carbon wiped away after a very short soak, so been wanting to give this a shot.

You say it's far from scientific and maybe it is but I think it was a great test and a great idea the open section of pipe let you view the different cleaners and how they acted on the carbon all in all I think it was a great idea thank you for showing us

 

[Hugnot]

So there's my highly unscientific test. I had higher hopes for wipeout, but not surprised that Montana did well, very surprised how well the Hoppes foaming cleaner did. I figure I'll definitely keep buying the montana for sure, and probably will incorporate the hoppes a little more than the wipeout in the future depending on whether I am trying to get at copper too or just carbon. I like the eezox for oiling down my shotgun to prevent rust, but the rest of these aren't going to make the cut for future purchases.

Like !, deserves 8 attaboy's - one for each sample tested

Keep in mind carbon, the black colored element, is essentially inert and will react with oxygen only with high temperatures that would damage rifle barrels. Various acids won't touch it. My guess is that the carbon (black stuff) inside the bore is part of an amalgam, a mixture of carbon, heavy metals-primer residue, powder residue all bonded together by heat. The effective solvents/foams break up the amalgam allowing mechanical removal.

My cleaning routine involves an overnight soak with Gunslick foam (now Hoppe's foam?) to attack copper fouling, and break up amalgam, followed by a patch to push the foam/fouling glop out, then nylon brushing with 0-5W synthetic motor oil that has surfactant/detergent action to bind and float away junk followed by dry patches.

Try exposing a copper bullet to the Hoppe's foam and watch blue stuff forming in a short time, heat speeds things up.

I know some PhD types who could not present the data as well. Good work! (looks scientific enough for me)

 

[adamjp]

Try upper engine cleaner and on a different section, CLR.

Both are far superior to firearm cleaning products.

 

[flyguy1]

You went to a lot of trouble to do this.

 

[Muddyboots]

Inquiring minds are always testing the limits and stepping out of the box to find an answer. Great thought process and yes I do think it helps seeing results on actual carbon. Yes there are tons of other cleaners out there but no one should expect you to purchase every one to test though we could do a Gofundme so you could keep this going on others?

Thanks for the info much appreciated!