What to Soak a Carburetor In

[Pech33]

I have been looking online at the different ways to soak a carburetor for rebuild. Rather than pay $30 for the gallon of "carburetor cleaner" at the auto parts store, what is an acceptable substitute. I have read about lacquer thinner, Pine Sol, Simple Green and a couple of others. What works well and doesn't do any damage?

[cadillac512]

Acetone does a great job. Very flammable and a lot of vapor so best used outdoors. Cover the vessel to slow down evap.

[Jack E/NJ]

I've found that slow simmering in a covered CrockPot full of straight SimpleGreen or ZeppCitrus for about 24 hrs does a pretty good job. Occasionally must add water. I think it works even better than one of my favorite de-varnishers and brake-cleaners of yesteryear --- a blend of carbon tet & benzene. Claimed to be better for health too. 8^)

[19Fordy]

I have used PineSol.
Here's a video about using it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UtCf3yw4yI

[Pech33]

That's the video I saw regarding Pine Sol. I'll give it a try.

[Pech33]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

OK to toss the float in too? Although it is not dirty that I can see.

[19Fordy]

Originally Posted by Pech33

OK to toss the float in too? Although it is not dirty that I can see.

If it's not dirty I wouldn't toss it in the PineSol.. Also, I took the carburetor apart and put the pieces in the container of PineSol. I did not soak the complete carb as a unit. The carb I cleaned was a Holley 390 4bbl.

Note: If you have an extra carb body do a test run in the PineSol to see if you like the color after cleaning.

Here's 2 videos on using swimming pool acid (muriatic acid).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y23cfaH4hE
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnoIX6sxlXg

[miniceptor86]

Crockpot, buy your own.

[aussie merc]

gave all this up bought an ultrasonic cleaner big enough to hold a carby its amazing how much crap came out of a so called clean unit

[Tim Ayers]

I would add to consider purchasing a cheap vibratory cleaner at Harbor Freight. It has a heating element too. The vibratory action wit Pinesol or similar cleaner really gets into those tiny passages. I use it for auto and motorcycle carbs. They come out looking new.

[ford38v8]

In addition to the chemical cleaning, select a good sturdy bristle from a straw broom to verify all passages are clear. Alternatively, compressed air will verify, but don't forget to wear a face mask.

[Flathead Fever]

At the phone company they took away our can of Berryman carb dip. The company doctor decided it was too toxic. He probably was not wrong, get it on you your hands and it won't come off for a week. It dyes your hands yellow, and they smell toxic for days. It dissolved latex gloves. Eventually all we had were cans of carb spray for rebuilds and that worked just fine. It was a fleet of 400 vehicles, all with carburetors so we rebuilt a lot of them, especially Holleys on the bigger trucks.

When it's done soaking in whatever you come up with, use a can of that spray carb cleaner with the straw. Jamb that straw against each passage and watch to see that it sprays out the other end of the passage. If it won't flow through the passage, blow compressed air through the passage using a blow gun with the low-pressure tip removed and replaced with a 3/16th brake line. That will usually unplug the passage. That was how I was taught to rebuild carbs by a Ford dealer mechanic that did all of the carbs at the dealer he was at in the 1960s and 1970s. Another tip he taught me was after the carb is rebuilt, blow with your mouth into the fuel inlet with the carb in the normal position, while still blowing flip the carb upside down and you should not be able to blow past the closed needle and seat. It's better to find out that that the needle and seat is not working properly before you install the carb. If all the passages are clean, minimum throttle shaft play, the float level is correct and the needle and seat is working properly your rebuilt carb should work well. Be gentle tightening those carb screws, you don't want to strip them out or distort the parts.

Prefill the carb bowl through the vent tube. Look to see that the accelerator pump squirts, and it should start up right away. Make your final idle air fuel adjustment using a little propane bottle slightly opened, it's called the "propane enrichment method". When you pass the propane over the carb if the idle goes up your too lean, if it goes down your too rich. if it stays the same, you're really close. Make sure both screws are adjusted the same and give the screws another 1/8 to 1/4 turn out so your slightly on the rich side. You need that to compensate for changes in barometric pressure and temperature... There is no better way to adjust the A/F mixture than using propane. As a licensed smog station that was the only way the State of CA allowed us to adjust carburetors. Except they wanted the final adjustment to be to the lean side. They wanted the rpm to go up 50 rpm when you gave it the propane. The 4-cylinder cars idled really rough adjusted that way with the AC on.

[mcgarrett]

I worked at a Ford commercial truck dealership for several years and the technicians swore by it. This is the best stuff I've ever found to really penetrate deeply into all the passages of a carburetor to dissolve unwanted gunk. The key is to spray it on and into every part of the carb and give it time to work. It also brightens the metal of the casting and makes the carb look like new again. If it's good enough for Ford service techs, it's good enough for you and me.


https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.autowis...03178462-1.jpg

[glennpm]

[QUOTE=Flathead Fever;2135348]
Prefill the carb bowl through the vent tube. Look to see that the accelerator pump squirts, and it should start up right away. Make your final idle air fuel adjustment using a little propane bottle slightly opened, it's called the "propane enrichment method". When you pass the propane over the carb if the idle goes up your too lean, if it goes down your too rich. if it stays the same, you're really close. Make sure both screws are adjusted the same and give the screws another 1/8 to 1/4 turn out so your slightly on the rich side.


Great advice.


Glenn

[GB SISSON]

Can't wait to try the propane enrichment method. I only have mapp gass, that ok to use?

[markdtn]

I'm with the ultrasonic group. Bought one a couple years back and it really works well for carbs. You can get one that holds 6L (over 1.5 gal) on Amazon or Ebay for $130ish. With a gallon of liquid plus the part it is about full. You will be amazed at what is in the bottom of the tank when you are done.

[deuce lover]

I agree with the Ultrasonic.Mine holds 3L .Excellent results but have to do it several cycles.

[Flathead Fever]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Can't wait to try the propane enrichment method. I only have mapp gass, that ok to use?

I've never tried map gas, but it should work just like propane. It's great for finding vacuum leaks too. Especially on modern cars with lots of vacuum lines. You let it flow around everything and when the idle changes you have found your leak. You can use carb spray or starting fluid too but that stains aluminum parts and it dissolves paint. The propane does not damage anything. I had an engine at work I suspected of sucking in an intake gasket, inside the intake valley. I removed the PCV valve and flowed the propane into the crankcase and the idle changed. That confirmed the vacuum leak was inside the engine. I only saw that happen one time in 30-years. It really is a great tool for diagnosing vacuum leaks fast.

If you're interested in seeing a video on using propane for finding vacuum leaks this one is pretty good. I did not see one for adjusting carbs with propane, but it works the same. The idle goes up or down when you give the carb just a little propane if its too lean or too rich. On a non-computer-controlled fuel system the idle will go down with a vacuum leak and run rough and then straighten out when the propane flows into the leak. A computer controlled system works the opposite. The computer sees a vacuum leak as a lean signal from the oxygen sensor, so it commands the system to squirt more fuel so you end up with a really fast idle. If your modern vehicle is idling smooth but too fast there is a pretty good chance its a vacuum leak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h0j4Y8T2FY

[Fairlane514]

Yes, ultra sonic and Pine Sol....works great

[glennpm]

Be careful with using Pine-Sol. It will remove any plating on parts.


Glenn