cleaning solution for carbs

When I started working at my first motorcycle shop a mechanic passed on a little seceret (atleast it was to me) to get the nastiest of carb parts clean and looking like new. I have used it ever since and still get amazed at the great results. After you remove the jets and other goodies that get gummed up, soak the parts in OUTBOARD ENGINE TUNE, I have used a couple different brands with the same great results, it is available from just about any boating store. Make sure not to get it on any rubber componets as it will eat thru it. If the parts are really gummed up or corroded I soak them over night, but if they just need a good cleaning I just soak them for an hour or so.

 

SEAFOAM
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http://www.seafoamsales.com/

 

You can always just put a couple of gallons of good old regular gas in a 5 Gallon bucket and swish 'em around some.

Drop the Bowls in the bucket; first.
Take-off the Tops and pull-out the Diaphragm assemblies.

Grab hold of the rack and stick 'em right down in the gas and swish 'em back and forth for a few minutes. This gives them a little bit of "The Hair of the Dog that Bit 'em".

Leave the ugly Bowls in there to soak for as long as it takes for you to do a regular Carb Cleaning.
Spray 'em with Carb Cleaner and all that stuff that looked baked-on just sprays away.

After you get the Body's picked-clean of all the little things. Swish 'em again for a few minutes to get the Passages all soaked and softened-up if need be.

Once back at the Cleaning Bench ... you'll be making time rather than dilly-dallying scraping-out here-and-there.

Now your into your second can of Carb Cleaner and tending to the small details.

No Smoking.
Well ventilated space.
Do the swishing out-of-doors.

 

If you soak anything in a 5 gallon bucket of gas (that's a lot of gas), do it out doors away from any source of spark, pilot light, or other forms of ignition!

 

A couple of Gallons isn't 5 ... that closer to 2 ... which ain't much in a 5 gallon pail.

The No Smoking and the outdoors part were my last three lines.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

 

Any way to get the rubber part of the Diaphragm assemblies more pliable i assume would be the correct word, having trouble getting them to stay in groove upon reassembly.

 

Treat the Diaphragm on BOTH sides with a Q-Tip loaded-up with Armoral.

Take a dab of waterproof grease and smear it in the Diaphragm Holding Channel.
You don't need much.
Just a tiny smear all around the channel to give it some surface tension while you put the Ditphragm in ... all around ... and button it up.

 

My question to the gallery:

Has anyone tried using Pine Sol to clean their carbs? I read a post in different online MC forum by a member touting the effectiveness of Pine Sol to break down the varnish-like residue of old gasoline. The side benefits: Pine Sol does not damage rubber and plastic parts & it is much cheaper than carb cleaner! Old wives tail? Snake oil, pitch? Extra-terrestrial dis-information? Plausible? Comments?

 

Never heard of that method Killer, wanna be the first? It's cheap enough.

 

How about you trying it and Posting your findings.

 

I used Mr. Clean to clean up the pistons from my son's Honda Civic. The engine rebuild company in town suggested this and it worked great.

I tried it on one of my seca's carbs and found that the aluminum changed to a darker tarnished colour.

 

I'm game to try this experiment. I was just wondering if anyone had already "been there, done that" and could corroborate.

Nick, that was one of my concerns with the Pine Sol. Have you tried, or were you able to polish it out?

 

HI , Try using domestic limescale cleaner( the stuff you put in the toilet), be careful as it is very strong.
drop in the carb bits , not any rubber bits , for 30 seconds, varnish just disappears,make sure to rinse off thoroughly. I got the idea from a mechanic who uses battery acid ( diluted i hope) for really bad carbs.
Use at your own risk!

 

I stopped using gasoline to clean car engine parts after my arms ached. yes I was swimming in it, but I switched to diesel, which doesn't absorb into the skin, doesn't have MTBE, and isn't prone to instant ignition. It's a safer bulk solvent--first step cleaner. Be careful!

 

I recently needed to ship a carb set over the border to a rebuilder I trust. I didn't want the smell of gas to be to strong so I dunked them in a solution of Simple Green and Water repeatedly and then let them dry out. It actually did a pretty good job of cleaning them as well and didn't leave any tarnish signs.

 

White vinegar and a heated ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight ($100).

 

Pine sole is well known to be a very effective degreaser . I worked as an engineer for a tug boat company in Chicago . We use "pine Cleaner 'in the engine room .the stuff kicks butt .And hey ,if its gentle on rubber ,I highly recomend using pine sole . You will need to rinse with hot water .
Its a fairly strong degeaser ,and its biodegradable . I really enjoy using it on carburators . Ive had great luck with pine-sole .My last carb cleaning was off an 85 XJ 700. Its seems to run very good now . Im very thankfull for this sight . I would be stuck without all of you .
The bike is running good ,but I need a new petcock ,a spare set of carbs too.
(one float post is broke and has a JB weld holding for two seasons now . but lets face it ,How long will that hold ? how reailable is that ? not very .
anybody have a 33mm hiatachi they want to get rid of ?
Wayne