Anyone have any luck with cleaning up carb bodies? I've tried a number of methods, but end up with either dull-looking or uneven/too shiny.
Most recently, I ran the carb body through the dip-tank, then bead blasted it. That left it nice and clean, but dull and too dark of a shade.
I thought possibly blasting with plastic beads or crushed walnut shells might shine it up a bit. Anyone have any experience and/or luck with this method, or have any other suggestions?
Ted
Try Arm & Hammer baking in a small blast gun , also depends on how bad the body is dis-colored as it won't get the bad deep stuff off. Looks like OEM cast . On clean-up get the soda all off!
wow, I always just used a bench grinder with a wire wheel to clean them up ? Glass bead works good on the bowls. I've never did the body with the glass beads, seems like them pilot and choke holes are awful tiny...
Raymond
Down East Pentons
I clean my carbs in automotive carb cleaner 1st then use the parts washer to clean them again. Once blown dry, I use a product called "Toon Brite" (aluminum boat cleaner) and a toothbrush to scrub the body, top, ring, and bowl. This has an acid in it and it will start foaming up pretty quickly. Once scrubbed for a few minutes, I rinse the parts in very hot water then blow dry. After that, I polish the parts on a very fine wire wheel to give them a nice luster and they look brand new again!;)CIAO
I recently cleaned a couple up in the varsol tank (after soaking in carb cleaner) with an automotive body shop "scuff Pad" (used the purple one which is about equal to 800 grit). It will polish the carb as much as you are willing to scrub......
While it doesn't quite get into every nook & cranny like blasting - the results were more than acceptable to me, and much less time consuming (I too am scared of blasting the carb with anything because the orifices are so small).
Have to admit that I'm intrigued by the Toon Brite though.
Clark
Kip,
I presume the Toon Brite product is commonly available at marine supply stores?
Ted
10-4
I recently cleaned a Mikuni in an ultrasonic cleaner, worked fairly well, at least didn't change the finish like some other methods.
I had a discolored Mikuni and after analyzing my options and calculating my time, cost of cleaners, etc, for $100 or so I bought a brand new shiny one !
The only down side, now I am polishing everything else to match.
Victor
Why the heck didn't I just go Victor's route? Haha. Actually, I did end up working the carb over with metal polishing compound, on a really deep and soft buffing wheel. There is still some inconsistency in appearance , from outer surfaces to cavities, but I'm satisfied with the outcome.
Note, at a resto-seminar series recently hosted by Bruce Williams, I picked up on something interesting, in our round-table discussion. Someone related supplementing buffing/polishing compound(s) with WD-40, sprayed on the buffing wheel and/or surface being polished. Since I had experienced b/p compounds quickly drying under the heat and friction of the wheel, I tried it. It worked pretty good. Of course when doing final buffing of the surface, you must also remove the WD-40 residue, but overall results were quite positive. I incorporate this process all the time, now.