Carb cleaning Options ?????????????????

[00.]

I want to clean my carbs but found that there are many options out there,,, I have used the pinesol mix which is 50% pinesol and 50% water, than I boil the carbs and scrub them down, that work very well and makes the carbs look great but I'm not sure how well it works on the internall passages. So i guess I would like to know what works best on carbs some of the options I heard of is listed below....

1. use vinigar and water

2. Ultrasonic cleaner, use a solvent in the ultrasonic cleaner ((( I have tryed a cheep ultrasonic machine and found that it works worse than my pinesol mix but I heard the more expensive $3000 machines work well but not sure)))

3. old school bad for the enviroment CARB DIP

4. Soak in antifrezee

5. Soak in baking soda

6. Soak in 50% lemon juice and 50% water.....

These are just some of the options I have heard of but if anyone can show some pictures of clean carbs and or techniques they use that would be great.... I would really like to know the secrete formulat that works magic on cleaning carbs....

 

[Steel Toed Tank]

#3


Everyone will pick number three.

 

[Guest]

#3


Everyone will pick number three.

Agreed - Carb dip is your friend...

 

[tkent02]

Door number three.

 

[Nessism]

What Tank said.

Lemon juice will cause the bodies to turn dark. I suspect vinegar will too.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Carb dip is the only true way of knowing they are clean.

 

[chuck hahn]

Heres a few pics and I only use Berrymans..now as for shining up the bodies outsides. I simply run them on a wire wheel on my bench grinder, then take a green dish scrubbie ..rolled up and hel;d witn heomostats..and get into all the cracks and crevices. Notice the side by side shot.

 

[chuck hahn]

Few more of a finished rack...

 

[robertbarr]

My rule of thumb, whether I'm shopping for oven cleaner, carb cleaner, paint stripper or anything similar, is: If the container isn't plastered with Jolly Rogers, it's probably a waste of money.

Berryman's is no exception.

 

[chuck hahn]

Jolly Rodgers would be the skull and crossbones warning folks...for those that didnt get the quip.

 

[Steve]

... if anyone can show some pictures of clean carbs and or techniques they use that would be great.

Sorry, but pictures will do NOTHING to show that the carbs are clean where it is important.

Yet ANOTHER vote for #3.

By the way, carb dip also leaves them clean enough to look good.

But, sinc you wanted pictures:

.

 

[GateKeeper]

This is my result with the Pine Sol method, bear in mind my carbs were not really dirty, gummed up, full of crap and so on, I guess it all really depends on how your carbs are to start with, on what will be required to use to get them clean..

the before

and the after

This is only after about 6 hours of soaking, and yes I will take them apart even more, and let them soak individually as well for at least a day....

But it sure does look like the Pine Sol kicks A$$

 

[GateKeeper]

Steve I think your pictures are a bit deceiving, those are not carbs that were just dipped in what ever solution, for X number of hours, dried off and assembled, were they ?

I have a feeling, those were somewhat massaged a bit, cleaned by scrubbing, some polishing via a polishing wheel, etc......

or did you really get carbs that clean and shiny by just doing a carb dip ?

.

 

[twotimeGSr]

I used GUNK carb dip becaused that's what was available. Worked fine.

 

[Steve]

Steve I think your pictures are a bit deceiving, those are not carbs that were just dipped in what ever solution, for X number of hours, dried off and assembled, were they ?

I have a feeling, those were somewhat massaged a bit, cleaned by scrubbing, some polishing via a polishing wheel, etc......

or did you really get carbs that clean and shiny by just doing a carb dip ?

.

OK, you caught me.

I did polish the tops and the bowls on a buffing wheel.

Those shots did not show the best part of the bowls, though. :-k

OK, here, for your viewing pleasure, are some before and after pictures on a couple sets of carbs I have worked on this summer.

Sorry about the mis-adjusted macro setting, but here are the BEFORE pictures on VMass' CB450:

And the AFTER pictures:

I might have used my nylon-bristled brush, I don't remember, but this is just a 2-hour dip on some carbs that have been "not in use" for several years.

(continued)

.

 

[Steve]

Now for the BEST pair of pictures.

This is with NO brushing, just the dip, a hot water rinse, a couple quick spritzes with carb cleaner spray, then some compressed air through the holes.

Yes, I dipped the floats, too.

Not conviced yet?

How about a set of GS carbs?

Here is a better comparison:

And they look SO much better on the bike.

.

 

[Steve]

I used GUNK carb dip becaused that's what was available. Worked fine.

I have used GUNK brand a couple of times, because I am at the mercy of my "weekend victims" as I travel.

I have Berryman's at home because that's what I have available there.

I have noticed virtually no difference between the performance of the two brands.

.

 

[Guest]

Hope you're not in Canada, or at least not in BC. Good carb dip is out of the question.

 

[XXWoodmanXX]

I have used both GUNK carb dip, as well as lemon juice (1 qt + 2 gal of VERY hot water). Lemon juice did real good, leaving a dull, even "blue'ish" finish on the carb bodies. Gunk was my personal fav. however

 

[cowboyup3371]

I think Steve's comment earlier about not being able to see how clean they are in the important areas is a critical one for the OP. Passages deep inside the carb will get so clogged that fuel will not flow correctly. Don't go based on looks but the experience of dozens of people here please.