Carb Cleaner

[garrettccovington]

My 1979 KTM MC80 Carb is nasty. I heard Berrymans will eat away  "The Coating on Motorcycle Carbs"  Any sugestions?
G

72 six-day

[454MRW]

I have heard of extremes like blasting them with walnut shells or soda blasing them with a siphon type air hose and a box of Arm & Hammer baking soda, depending on the condition or amount of corrision present, but I simply use the Walmart brand (Super Tech spray carb cleaner in the blue and red can), that sells for $1.37 a can. Portable, handy, relatively inexpensive, and one of the few brands still mostly consisting of lacquer thinner. In fact, I use it as a convenient pre-paint engine, frame, exhaust, etc, prep/cleaner since it dries quickly and doesn't leave any oily residue like some others. It will remove most clear coats and paint though, so use caution on how you apply it around painted surfaces. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S

[Kip Kern]

Hydroseal carb cleaner, with dip basket.  Soak for a day then wash in parts washer.  Blow out all orfices then let dry, use "toonbrite" (aluminum boat cleaner)to wash and scrub with toothbrush, rinse in very hot water and blow out again.  Lightly polish with very very fine wire wheel and it will look like new again.  Don't blast with anything, too many small holes in carb to get plugged and a partical could get loged or worse yet break free and cause problems on the trail;)

[firstturn]

Thanks Mike on the Super Tech.  I had been looking for some that has lacquer thinner.

Ron Carbaugh

[bildough]

Funny this question would come up. For years I could never find a good carb cleaner. Then John Kovalcik in AZ said by far the best is Yamaha Carb dip. Its expensive but man OH man does it work good. Mix 50% with water and dip for 24 hours.
It removes all the lacquerish petroleum based residue and makes a 30 year old soiled carb look brand new. It worked so good my brother who restores WW2 jeeps took my expensive Yamalube and used it on his jeeps carbs.  I found out how good it works when I asked him if he had seen my carb cleaner. He says " man that stuff really works great". And yes it is all gone.
Had to order it online as the local dealer wont stock it because he says no one wants to buy iy because its twice the cost of "carb dip". You get what you pay for.

Bill cappel

[firstturn]

Bill,
  Good point.  Yamaha offers some of the best chemicals on the market.  I know, I used to sell Hondaline Products back in the 1980's and we had some catching up to do.  Thanks for the suggestion of cutting in half wuth H2O.  Long live The Team Pelican Guano.

Ron Carbaugh

[garrettccovington]

Good deal. Thanks for the info.  I soaked the carb last night in some VP C-12 fuel and its slowly breaking up the Thick Tar thats in float bowl.  I want to see if I can at least get it running on the main jet to hear the motor.  I have never seen the Float Bowl look so bad with varnish/tar.

G

72 six-day

[joe novak]

GREAT TIPS FROM ALL THOSE WHO RESPONDED!  If varnish and tar is the only thing in the carb, you have not seen a BAD carb with corrosion and other debris, yet.   Be sure all non-metal parts are removed from the carb before cleaning, and especially dipping.   I believe it is best to dip a carb in the condition which your's is because of all the little passage ways inside the carb body need to be cleaned out well.   I usually dip them once, rinse them out, blow them out with air, then re-dip and repeat.  Do it right the first time.   You do want the bike to run off the small jets and orifices, too.   joe

[garrettccovington]

I used  1 can of super tech. removed idle jet, main jet and atomizer screen. WITH SAFETY GLASSES, blew everything out real good. Glently blew out around float needle.  Soaked the float bowl in the stuff.  pieced together the cork float bowel gasket and cover o-ring, put it on the bike and a couple of kicks later Wa La I'm off and riding. It actually ran really good.  I need to do a proper rebuilt and will order a kit from Bing ASAP.  I just wanted to hear how the motor sounded. LOUD.  It doesn't idle, but just off idle it will run and rev's out with a snap of the throttle.  I'm not sure if it has a little Rod Knock at off Idle.  It sure does run good up the street though and when it hits mid range it really takes off.  I didn't what to run it too hard yet. Besides, Brakes are just a concept right now.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.  I'm really happy with the Super Tech.  The float bowel Atomizer screen and jets looked like the La Brea tar pits and that stuff took it right off.

G


72 six-day

[Mike Lenz]

Ditto on the Yamaha carb cleaner.  Works like magic and doesnt hurt rubber, ect! Just fill up the float bowl, set the carb in, and in the morning a clean carb.

[garrettccovington]

I'll see if I can get some Yamaha cleaner when i do the full rebuild. I like the idea of just letting it soak overnight.
G

72 six-day

[Mike Lenz]

I forgot to mention I use it non diluted,  and can sometimes re use it again if the carb was not so bad.

[sixdazed]

The yamaha carb cleaner is great stuff as is honda's aeresol cleaner.The manufacturer's are  now recommending the ultrasonic benchtop cleaners ,(a small parts cleaner with dip basket you fill with cleaner and plug into the wall)probably due to tightening EPA regulations,etc.These are also used for cleaning jewelry but now there are motorcycle/automotive specific ones.I can't vouch for how good they work but supposedly they are very good and now that they are becoming more popular the prices have come to within reason.Harbor Freight has them now for less than 200.00 and i'm going to pick one up soon to try it.They advantages are they are heated and you don't have to remove the rubber bits (according to the ads) and the cleaner is less or non toxic.
                                               Ric

ric emmal