Carburettor - stuck slide...any tricks to getting it loose? '78 DT175 enduro

Hi Guys, thanks for all the comments and suggestions on the rings in my other post about this bike.

Ran into another snag, I'm hoping that there may be a trick.

The slide is stuck in the carb, I've soaked it overnight in WD-40 to no avail. Can't even get the cable disconnected as it is.

Gord

 

Pardon me a moment while I step up on my soap box.

WD-40 is NOT a penetrating fluid. It's a Water Displacer (they failed 39 times before they got it right). Use PB Blaster or, better yet, Kroil.

 

Soap boxes are handy I'll see if I can find some real penetrating fluid.

Thanks bmarzka

 

Interesting, just read all about the short falls of WD-40, I guess I'll have to hand in my roll of duct tape as well...shucks!

I came across this little line in one review:

"... if you don't mind a little mixology, try concocting a homemade cocktail of automatic transmission fluid combined 1:1 with acetone, which can be as much as four times—repeat, four times—as effective as any other product..."

I may just try this out.

 

Odds are the slide is gummed up with varnish. Carburetor cleaner will be the best choice to dissolve that. You don't have a rubber diaphragm to worry about so you can apply it pretty liberally.

After it's had a few minutes to soak you can attempt gently pry it up with a blunt object. Or better yet, try to force it open with the throttle.

 

Thanks MiCarl,

I had that thought on the way to Canadian tire, so I picked up some seafoam as well. I'll start with that.

You are right, it's probably old gas that has turned into varnish.

 

Soak it in Methyl Ethyl Ketone if all else fails. Wear gloves, and don't breathe too deep.

 

No luck with the slide as of yet. I soaked it several times today with PB Blaster (couldn't find Kroil around here).

I just soaked it in carb cleaner, I'll leave it overnight and see what happens in the morning.

I'm thinking of putting it in a pot, getting a hot plate from a flea market and boiling the whole carb in situ as I can't get the cable off the slide valve with it stuck like that.

 

Thanks K-Moe, I happen to have a small can of MEK on my shelf. I'll do that before boiling it.

 

If it's stuck from varnish, etc, then boiling it will work. Remove any rubber parts.

 

Thanks Tabaka45,

I seem to remember doing this once before to loosen a stuck slide. Must've been a hundred years ago or so

I'll report back to the group.

 

Success! Thanks to all for your input. This is a great group!

I'm not sure what eventually did it, as I tried all the suggestions (even MEK)

The last thing it did was set up a hot plate and an old pot right beside the bike. Boiled it for a few minutes, tugged on the throttle and the slide unjammed.

Thanks again, now I get to clean out the messy carb - Yay!

Gord

 

I got that information from a carb cleaning article written by a m/c mechanic with over 40 years experience. He said that he never used anything but boiling water and compressed air to clean carbs. So I gave it a try. Glad it may have helped you.