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Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2022 6:25 pm
by mcsherry1328
Wanted to check with the experts on best way to clean old dirty carburetors. I have cleaned them in a solvent tank, that didn't do much. I have a small tank bucket with carb cleaning solution I thought I would try that next. Wondering what the restorers do to make them look as new ?

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:35 pm
by toolmandoug
I used soda blasting (baking soda) and it made my carbs look like new. If you have a blast cabinet and use abrasive media, make sure it’s ALL vacuumed out. Wash with soap and water and dry immediately.

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 1:57 pm
by mshields
Gumout is the best carburetor cleaner for those in a hurry. If you need to dislodge gunk and don't have time to take apart your carburetor to let it soak for a day, use an aerosol cleaner

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 7:51 am
by spacey1
On my recently purchased R69S barn find, the LH carb slide was stuck solid with some white stuff. Obviously water had been sitting in this carb for some considerable time. I thought about water and the stuff that's in it.
  • Calcium
  • Lime
  • Rust
In our hardware stores in Australia, there is a cleaning product called CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust Remover...)

So here's my solution to seriously stuck slides.
  • Dismantle as much of the carb as possible.
  • IMPORTANT: Remove all brass items.
  • Boil the Billy filled with water. Simmer slowly...
  • Add CLR at ~25%. I had to start somewhere...
  • Suspend the carb on a wire submerged in the bubbling solution, jiggling occasionally.
  • GENTLY tap the slide and the slide body after each 5 minute session.
  • Mine wasn't closed properly so there was a little wriggle room tapping down from the top.
  • GENTLY lever on the thick part on the bottom of the slide.
  • Repeat and be patient.
  • Note 'GENTLY' !!!
  • 25 minutes and mine was free...
r69s_carbClean-20220625.jpg
The photo shows the results of the process. The brass cable adjuster still in the top of the carb. I couldn't get into the slide to pull the needle holder pin out. So I didn't submerge the top.

This process doesn't make the carbs shine like new, but certainly cleans them.

After cleaning both carbs, I got this engine running easily. It was very responsive, but sadly, noisey. But that's another whole story...

A friend had a similar carb issue. This worked on his carbs too.

Hope this helpful...

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 6:30 am
by mcsherry1328
Great post, thanks for sharing. Always good to hear different cleaning techniques. These original Bing carburetors are becoming more expensive and rare so nice to learn ways to safely service them.

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 7:07 pm
by toolmandoug
I tried my soda blast method on my carbs off a 93 RT and it did not work. Had to resort to acid and a brush. I was surprised that the soda worked so well on one set of carbs, but not the other. Just when you think you have everything figured out….

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:51 pm
by Viejo
Riders,

Unless you have some major caked on crud to remove a good soak in straight Simple Green (after complete carburetor disassembly) is usually very effective. I've done this with both CVs and slides. I would also suggest that anyone think long and hard and media blasting of any kind...... no matter how supposedly non-aggressive the media is purported to be. IMO it's almost impossible to remove it all before reassembly. Vapor blasting is another possibility, and while I've never used it personally, I've heard good reports about the process.

YMMV,

Viejo

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 9:38 am
by GD1949
I spent ( or possibly misspent ) over 50 years working on automobiles and motorcycles. I did many carburetor rebuilds in my career. I those days we immersed in acid solution. Nowadays I do all my carb repairs and cleaning with a two hundred dollar sonic cleaner. It’s the slickest invention since sliced bread! Everything comes out squeaky clean and it harmless t O rings and gaskets. After using it I carefully inspect all jets and origins with an optivisor. If any obstruction are noted I carefully remove with tapered jet reamers. Also do not try to remove stuck jets with tapered screwdrivers. Use close-fitting hollow ground Gunsmithing screwdrivers.Hope these suggestions are helpful

GD1949

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 7:08 pm
by BigWally
Berryman's Carb Cleaner in its own dip basket. All parts go into the basket after complete disassembly and removal of old gaskets and o-rings. Rinse with aerosol carb cleaner and air dry.

Re: Carburetor cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2024 10:03 am
by Tekreck
Just did mine with a bucket of Berryman Chem-Dip to get the heavy stuff off and then a few rounds in the ultrasonic using 4:1 Simple Green Pro HD. Very happy. Blow out passages as soon as it comes out of the ultrasonic while it is still warm. At this point you are clean but not polished. If you want polished then get some NAPA or Autosol aluminum cleaner, some Mothers or Autosol metal polish, and finally some ACF-50 aluminum protector. Dremel with various shapes of polishing attachments is essential.

Note steel items like throttle bracket have different routes to perfection. Take them over to the polishing wheel.

Make sure to pressure test float chamber when you’re all done. I had to go back and replace a float needle seat.

Kevin