Cleaning the Carburetor

[KrisNMo]

I have used several cleaning solutions to clean my carburetors in the past and have never had good luck in how they look. I have a gallon Berryman's Chem-Dip in the garage but I haven't been impressed by it's cleaning. What do you guys use to clean your carburetors? I have seen some pretty good looking carburetors on this site in the past.

 

[Royse]

I have an old can of Berryman's (not the same as the new stuff)
and a can from NAPA that works Ok. Neither will get it "white"
clean without media blasting or a good job with a wire brush.
I use both, media blasting and a wire brush on a Dremel tool.

 

[JMOR]

That pile of rust has a different bowl vent than I'm accustomed to seeing. What is it off of?

 

[Royse]

It's a Zenith off a '45 Farmall BN. It was definitely in sad shape.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 22:04:27 01/20/15) It's a Zenith off a '45 Farmall BN. It was definitely in sad shape.

ays so right in the casting! Guess I need to open eyes! Thanks.

 

[Mo in NE Tx]

Muriatic Acid does the best job ever, just make sure you take off anything aluminum or pot metal and it will disappear.

 

[leonard j. etta]

Why are you showing two different carbs on your
sample?

 

[Royse]

(quoted from post at 22:37:12 01/20/15) Why are you showing two different carbs on your
sample?

It's the same carb, top and bottom halves, before and after cleaning.

 

[KrisNMo]

That's a nice looking carb Royse. I may have to invest in a soda blaster. Thanks for your input.

 

[pconnie]

looks like top halv r different

 

[Royse]

(quoted from post at 12:12:44 01/21/15) looks like top halv r different

Same one, facing opposite directions. I flipped it around below.
Still has the gasket on it in the first picture too.

 

[greywolf224]

Very easy to see that you take extreme pride in your work.

Years back I brought in a 4 barrel Rochester carb off my Pontiac to get rebuilt. I swear the only thing the guy did was sit it in a bucket of kerosene for 2 days remove it, hang it to dry and $125 later gave it back to me

 

[ASEguy]

Berryman's is ok. I put my non-rusty halves in the can, sealed it, and drove around with it in the back of my pick-up for a week. It looked decent.

 

[phil_n]

Electrolysis?

 

[KrisNMo]

(quoted from post at 20:33:34 01/20/15) I have an old can of Berryman's (not the same as the new stuff)
and a can from NAPA that works Ok. Neither will get it "white"
clean without media blasting or a good job with a wire brush.
I use both, media blasting and a wire brush on a Dremel tool.

Royse, What kind of media are you using? My neighbor has a blast cabinet I can use. He has black oxide in there right now. I take it you blast it first and then soak it and blow it out? Do you need to block and holes so you don't get media in them?

 

[Royse]

I'm using glass beads right now. I have used black sand in the past.
The black sand is harder for me to see to clean out.
I do not block the holes, but do a thorough job of cleaning them after.
Air, then rodding with wire, air, spray cleaner, then air again.

If you soak after, it will still "look" dirty until wire brushed well.
You will get more gunk in the blast cabinet, but less in your cleaner.
I use the same port cleaning routine after soaking too.
Never know what might come loose in the can and float in.

 

[pconnie]

i see it now..optical illusion with the float
hanger on before pic..these 70yr.eyes aint what
they used to be..great carb work royse

 

[GarryinNC]

I bought an electric crock pot at the thrift store ($5) filled it with Greased Lightning and have done a couple of carbs in it. Fully disassemble and let the housings cook for 18-24 hours, then flush with water, some wire brushing, then compressed air. Worked pretty good. Cannot get 'good' caustic carburetor cleaner anymore. The kind of cleaner that gave old time garages part of their special smell.

 

[Ken(Ark)]

(quoted from post at 22:14:42 01/24/15) I bought an electric crock pot at the thrift store ($5) filled it with Greased Lightning and have done a couple of carbs in it. Fully disassemble and let the housings cook for 18-24 hours, then flush with water, some wire brushing, then compressed air. Worked pretty good. Cannot get 'good' caustic carburetor cleaner anymore. The kind of cleaner that gave old time garages part of their special smell.

Heat will double your results . I bought a one burner hot plate and I save my metal 1 gallon coffee cans . I buy powdered hot vat caustic acid in 5 gallon pails but you can get smaller quantities .

Caldwell sells electroplating supplies , caustic acid , zinc plating solution as well as nickle , chrome , etc

http://www.caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing.html

My bead blaster will break down the sand into smaller and smaller pieces . New sand is big and sharp , good for heavy stuff . I save the old baby powder looking stuff and cut the air pressure down a little for carbs .