Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > How do you clean your carburator?
Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions |
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CharlesW
Joined: Jan 9, 2011
Points: 76
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Re: How do you clean your carburator?
Reply #8 Dec 7, 2011 11:05 pm |
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It seems like I have read that many carb cleaners will damage the gaskets and rubber O-rings. Seems likely that the cleaner might also damage any rubber seats or needle tips that it comes in contact with. As with many things, knowing what you are doing is probably a good idea. Comments from the experts????
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trouts2
Location: Marlboro MA
Joined: Dec 8, 2007
Points: 1328
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Re: How do you clean your carburator?
Reply #9 Dec 8, 2011 10:11 am |
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>>It seems like I have read that many carb cleaners will damage the gaskets and rubber O-rings. Carb sprays don’t damage gaskets and O-rings. If you’re doing a quick cleaning and get spray on gaskets and O-rings it evaporates so fast there is no effect. For a bench cleaning or dip those parts are removed and don’t get juiced. It’s rare to have to pull an emulsion tube on a Tecumseh engine and they never have a problem with spray or dip. Plastic connectors on some carbs at the gas line carb port get left on during a dip and are never affected. Thye not affected by spray. >>>Seems likely that the cleaner might also damage any rubber seats or needle tips that it comes in contact with. Needle tips and seats are usually removed for a bench cleaning or dip. For a quick spray the spray evaporates so fast there is no affect.
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RedOctobyr
Location: Lowell area, MA
Joined: Nov 5, 2011
Points: 282
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Re: How do you clean your carburator?
Reply #14 Dec 8, 2011 2:33 pm |
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To flesh out the thought, yes, I also used a lot of spray carb cleaner, some little picks & hooks (not for jets, just for getting gunk off the carb body, etc), and two different diameters of copper wire, for running through openings and passages. Sprayed carb cleaner through each hole to make sure it came out the other side, and used compressed air as well. The only passage I could not get the wire to go all the way through (coming out the other end) was the idle jet/passage, on the engine side of the throttle plate. I could run the wire into it ~2", starting in the flow path by the throttle plate. And I could get it to go into the hole by the main jet, but I couldn't get it in far at all, just into the hole. I think that passage maybe takes a turn right at the hole, so maybe that's why.
The engine runs now, so this pretty much worked. But it does hunt/surge a bit when sitting with no load (it has no throttle control, it's at 4000 RPM). I understand that could be due to it running lean, or having a partially blocked idle jet/passage. And that's the only one I couldn't really confirm was fully open. The carb is not adjustable at all. I'm not sure that the o-ring between the plastic emulsifier tube and the main jet is sitting where it's supposed to be, it slipped out of its groove while installing it, and is somewhat between the end of the tube, and the top of the main jet. I'm hoping the engine will smooth out when I can put a load on it (today's possible-snow turned out to just be rain).
I soaked it in the hopes that the cleaner could help deal with anything internally, which I couldn't really reach (such as the idle jet/passage).
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Dr_Woof
Don't blow into the wind, and don't eat yellow snow. WOOF!
Location: Saskatchewan
Joined: Dec 13, 2010
Points: 253
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Re: How do you clean your carburator?
Reply #17 Dec 8, 2011 8:59 pm |
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To flesh out the thought, yes, I also used a lot of spray carb cleaner, some little picks & hooks (not for jets, just for getting gunk off the carb body, etc), and two different diameters of copper wire, for running through openings and passages. Sprayed carb cleaner through each hole to make sure it came out the other side, and used compressed air as well. The only passage I could not get the wire to go all the way through (coming out the other end) was the idle jet/passage, on the engine side of the throttle plate. I could run the wire into it ~2", starting in the flow path by the throttle plate. And I could get it to go into the hole by the main jet, but I couldn't get it in far at all, just into the hole. I think that passage maybe takes a turn right at the hole, so maybe that's why.
The engine runs now, so this pretty much worked. But it does hunt/surge a bit when sitting with no load (it has no throttle control, it's at 4000 RPM). I understand that could be due to it running lean, or having a partially blocked idle jet/passage. And that's the only one I couldn't really confirm was fully open. The carb is not adjustable at all. I'm not sure that the o-ring between the plastic emulsifier tube and the main jet is sitting where it's supposed to be, it slipped out of its groove while installing it, and is somewhat between the end of the tube, and the top of the main jet. I'm hoping the engine will smooth out when I can put a load on it (today's possible-snow turned out to just be rain).
I soaked it in the hopes that the cleaner could help deal with anything internally, which I couldn't really reach (such as the idle jet/passage). Gasoline is a very good solvent for many things, like grease, oil etc that are non-polar, but, as you mention, obviously not for the kind of deposits that clog your carb. But, when exposed to oxygen in the air for long periods, gasoline fuel oxidizes to more polar things that deposit in the carb. To dissolve these, you need a more polar solvent ie some kind of chlorinated material (carb cleaner), acetone would probably work too. BUT...most of these solvents are toxic so it is important not to be breathing the solvent fumes when you do the cleanup.
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