Carb cleaning solutions

[fishndvm]

I'm about ready to tear down and clean the carb. The manual says to use a solution that doesn't hurt either plastic or rubber. Are commercial carb cleaning solutions safe for this application? Any brand names in particular that anyone can recommend?

 

[budman8330]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

If you are talking about jets, orfices etc, compressed air will do fine. When I did my carbs, I took everything that would get eaten up by the solution, out. Blew them out with air, and just to get the crap that was varnished on the outside of the carb i let them soak in the parts cleaner for 2 days. Worked beautifully.

 

[Perfidiajoe]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

Gumout spray cleaner worked well for me, you can also soak the disassmbled carb in parts cleaner, remove the plastic pieces. After good soaking, & inspection, (you can clean any stuborn gook w/ spray) rinse with water then dry with compressed air. Good Luck, Joe

 

[TxShorty]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

Very important to make sure the orifice openings are perfectly clean. Ideally do this with an indexed drill bit. If they appear clean but are a dark color, then likely there is a 'varnish' build-up and at least partially obstructed.

 

[andy6374]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

Regular automotive carb cleaner, like "Mac's" from Napa works really well. My wrench said that you really only need to soak the carbs (disassembled) for 3-5 minutes and that this amount of thime won't hurt the plastic peices. Then just rinse with water and blow out and dry with compressed air. <br /><br />Worked great for me

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

The stuff you DON'T want to use is the nasty stuff you get in pails to soak the carb. The aluminum is porous, so they use a sealer to fill them. That stuff will eat that. Any carb spray works, I like Berryman's B-12 available at Walmart and other sources. It's the cheapest and the best ... a rare combination! For stubborn varnish, use Power Tune (Merc) or Engine Tuner (Johnnyrude) which is actualy for decarbonizing combustion chambers. It is also excellent for stubborn varnish. Both will total a tad over $10 (about $3+$8).

 

[andy6374]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

I heard from many a wrench that soaking the carbs in liquid carb cleaner is the only way to go and that spray carb cleaner can't get into every little dipple and hence isn't nearly effective.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

You're talking to car mechanics, aren't you? Different animal. The instructors at the factory schools are emphatic about that. Car carbs are made of different stuff, not neary as crude. But it would be okay for sterndrive carbs since those are just car carbs built slightly different.

 

[Kenny Bush]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

Put a can of SeaFoam in your gas tank every other fillup.......after you kit your carb of course. This will push out the next carb rebuild another 10 years. I also soak them in SeaFoam.........

 

[andy6374]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

Nope, marine mechanics. They said soak em' in the liquid. I did it and it worked great, perhaps I was lucky maybe I wasn't. <br /><br />Confusing that they would be emphatic about it. Since the carbs metal I don't know why the liquid stuff would hurt anything.

 

[fishndvm]

Re: Carb cleaning solutions

Wow! Thanks to all for the responses. I'm so used to getting goose eggs for responses that I thought I was blacklisted. I'll get to work.