Carb cleaning - can I dunk it?

[MrSharky]

Okay, digging in for the long haul, FAQ'ers.

In anticipation of my new carb rebuild set & new jets coming from Pierce, I pulled off my 32/36 manual choke carb today. Not a pretty sight, to be sure - lots of build up & crud. I didn't get to dismantling it today, though.

Wondering if I can get one of those gallon cans of carb cleaner they sell at Advance Auto and let it sit in there overnight as a complete unit, or if that would be bad for inside parts? Not good for the floats, maybe?

Any advice is appreciated.

Happy Sunday!!

Matt

[M3M3]

take it apart, and let all the parts sit in the can overnight. the cans come with a parts strainer in them.

[wegweiser]

Here are some photos of the carbs from a 1962 Ferrari 250GT Lusso I did a few months ago. (3 carbs...12 cylinder motor)

Process as follows:

1. disassemble and label all internal parts (see sorting tray - very handy!)

2. dip all aluminum/brass/steel parts overnight (at least) in carb dip can.

3. use flux brush (also called acid brushes) cut to about 1/4" bristle length to scrub any tough stains after soaking

4. use same brushes with baking soda and water paste to clean additional stains before reassembly. (optional)

5. I used a satin/dull finishing coat of aluminum protection spray - brushed on, then wiped dry quickly to add a bit of wear/stain protection without making them too shiny.

Took me many many hours (3 carbs = 30-40 hours), but we didn't want to destroy the patina (ie: make the aluminum too light and shiny) by using media blasting. Turned out perfectly for the restoration we're doing.

Some before/during/after photos. All steel parts sent off for re-plating before reassembly. I f*cking LOVE my job.

I love rebuilding carbs...extremely relaxing activity. Note: I've written float settings on top of each carb with an ultra fine Sharpie...for future reference when tuning.

Hope this helps....eye candy below.

Paul Wegweiser

[alpinweib]

That V12 looks AMAZING!!

[ziff73]

Damn...after the paint photos you showed us in another thread, I've gotta say, this almost brought a tear to my eye...in a good way, of course! Very awesome.

[Napes]

Very nice work on the carbs - they're beautiful. Fun, also, to balance those once they're on the engine.

I once had the priviledge of watching an Italian Ferrari mechanic balance six, two-barrel Webers on the V-12 engine in a '61 Testarossa. "Mechanic" is probably too mundane a word. Maestro would be a better description.

It made balancing the two, two-throat Solexes on my flat four Porsche engine a less daunting task after watching him.

Bob Napier

[02for2]

Absolutely!

But, first take a nylon bristle brush and clean the entire exterior of the carb.

Next, take it apart and allow all the parts to soak for 48, not 24 hrs.

The Varnish built up will not completely dissolve in 24 hrs.

I've seen more than one set of DCOEs fail after reassembly because the owner failed to soak the parts long enough.

A 24 hour soak may work... a 48 hour soak will work!

Cheers!

[TobyB]

The cleaner, depending on which you use, will destroy the rubber.

Berryman's does. Works great, though, and I've had

good results after just half an hour.

It doesn't do much with grease, though, so the most

effective thing I've found was to degrease, dissasemble,

degrease again if needed, then dunk.

As above, I worry about brass/soldered floats, so I don't dunk them.

Or just give them a wipedown and a rinse.

this is what I do...

t

[codigoRojo]

I quit using it years ago. My wife is a cancer nurse and talked me out of it. Plus, last time I disposed of a can at the local haz-mat site, one look at the can and guys came running out in suits and respirators. They hate the stuff and told me it's one of the most toxic things they get in there. It's chock full of nasty stuff that will eventually give you leukemia, esp benzene.

That said, if you're determined to march onward... the smell is beyond obnoxious. And it permeates everything. Wear old clothes you don't mind throwing away. Wear two layers of nitrile gloves, one layer isn't enough and it will eat through. Change them often. Once it gets on your skin you'll be smelling/tasting it for a day or two (a clue that you shouldn't be using it). Open the can only outside. Rinse the parts where the runoff will move away from your house. That shit is just plain gross.

-Rojo

[Dave_PA]

wow Paul that looks HOT!!

I do need to come up and drool up there a bit...

phew...amazing job on the carbs.

Dave

[Fishhead]

I quit using it years ago. My wife is a cancer nurse and talked me out of it. Plus, last time I disposed of a can at the local haz-mat site, one look at the can and guys came running out in suits and respirators. They hate the stuff and told me it's one of the most toxic things they get in there. It's chock full of nasty stuff that will eventually give you leukemia, esp benzene.

That said, if you're determined to march onward... the smell is beyond obnoxious. And it permeates everything. Wear old clothes you don't mind throwing away. Wear two layers of nitrile gloves, one layer isn't enough and it will eat through. Change them often. Once it gets on your skin you'll be smelling/tasting it for a day or two (a clue that you shouldn't be using it). Open the can only outside. Rinse the parts where the runoff will move away from your house. That shit is just plain gross.

-Rojo

That's why I quit using chemical washes years ago.

I use an ultrasonic cleaner now. It's amazing what water, a little bit of soap and sound waves can do.

Same carbs, pics taken about 3-4 hours apart.

[hanksjim1]

WOW...can you share more details about the sonic cleaner set up you used?

[Fishhead]

WOW...can you share more details about the sonic cleaner set up you used?

Its a Healthsonics 5 gallon cleaner. They are not cheap($$), but work alot better than any other ultrasonic cleaner that I have used. I chose the larger size so I could clean a complete rack of motorcycle carbs (taken apart of course)at 1 time. Both of the PHH40's fit in the cleaner at 1 time (disassembled- with the manifolds also) so it speeds the rebuilding process up alot.

http://www.healthsonics.com/

I've cleaned more than a lot of motorcycle carbs in the last couple of years, so my U/S cleaner has paid for itself many times over.

I used to buy the expensive cleaner that they sell specifically for the U/S cleaner, but I have found that K&L Cycle Wash (A re-labeled massage table cleaner) works best. Even dish washing soaps and detergents work very well.

[jgerock]

A few years ago, Hot VW's Magazine did some testing on some old Italian Weber 48IDA's and 40 IDF carburetors (both down-draft) using the commonly available gallon cans of carb cleaner. After removing the "delicate" parts and soaking one for about 2 hours, the carb body was permanately discolored - it might have been the Berryman brand - not sure.

While I like the idea of dunking carburetors if they are really nasty, I'm a fan of the hand-scrub method. Maybe a dunk in diluted carb cleaner would be less harmful.

Pat Allen (if you are reading this) - curious if those DHLA carbs had a plastic fuel screen on the inlet.