Can you soak it too much?

[j_k_bisson]

I thought I would ask here the question everyone has wondered at one time or other. Dose it matter how long I soak a carburetor in Varsol? I current have a carb (disassembled) soaking in a container for the last 4 days and don't plan on pulling it out and cleaning it until the carb kit comes in in 3 more days. I don't think there will be a negative effect on it, but don't know for sure.

Anyone know? It is off a pre 1997 Honda BF75.

Its fully disassembled with all jets pulled and also soaking.

 

[pvanv]

Varsol? Seriously? Pretty tame stuff. Likely ineffective on real varnishing. Should be fine to soak a month.

 

[j_k_bisson]

Ok then what should it be soaked in? I was always told Varsol by a mechanic friend. Looking for advice.

 

[racerone]

What is your motor doing / not doing ?-----There are some very small diameter jets in those carburetors.------Poking them with a fine wire might be better than soaking in varsol.---Fine wire is around 0.010" in diameter.-----Make sure there are no plastic parts on the unit if you soak it in a STRONG carburetor solution.------Often times folks have to " clean " these carburetors 3 times before they get the right result.

 

[harringtondav]

At one time you could buy immersion cleaners like 'Chem Tool'. Nasty stuff. I used rubber gloves, and as racerone said, the chemical would eat plastic. Nylon washers would survive, but I never soaked more than one hr. If this stuff didn't do the job, nothing would.

Apparently the EPA did their magic in this area. Newer chemicals don't seem to have the punch of the older stuff.

 

[Scott Danforth]

chase the passages with fine copper wire, verify clean with a spray can of carb cleaner

 

[j_k_bisson]

I looked at the local auto part places (not naming names) and the product that seams to come up is "Berryman Chem Dip - Carburetor Parts Cleaner" It is called Environmentally friendly. When I hear this, It brings to mind Weak Crap. Is this any better than Varsol?

 

[dingbat]

No need to soak.

Used kerosene, compressed air and a set of tip cleaners (acetylene torch) for years.

Have since changed over to using a large can of carb cleaner, compressed air and tip cleaners.

 

[Sea Rider]

Acrylic Thinner is an excellent carb cleaner, dip the dismantled carb for 2 hours, flush all passages with carb cleaner, assemble back carb and out you go boating..Remove all rubber, plastic components. Running carb dry after use is a excellent method to maintain 2 strokes carbs perfectly clean. Varsol is a product used to clean garments , dry cleaners facilities uses it.

Happy Boating

 

[dingbat]

Varsol is a product used to clean garments , dry cleaners facilities uses it.

Happy Boating

Varsol went out of favor by the dry cleaning industry in the late 50's early 60's, at least in the US. Replaced by Perchloethylele (PERC)

https://www.exxonmobilchemical.com/e...-white-spirits

Varsol™ fluids are traditional solvents that are also known as mineral spirits or white spirits. These fluids have been widely used in industry for decades, developed to replace kerosene in solvent applications.

With the recent stricter regulations, Varsol fluids have been increasingly replaced by the dearomatized Exxsol™ D product family, which includes products of equivalent properties while also offering improved health, safety, environment and comfort characteristics.

Interesting....MSDS of a number of popular carb and choke cleaners (ie. Gum out) give a formulation of 60-100% Acetone and 5-10% Toluene

 

[jimmbo]

I’ve mainly used Lacquer Thinner for cleaning Carbs along with compressed air. Plastic and rubber parts are cleaned with something that doesn’t melt/dissolve them though