what kind of cleaner to use during carb rebuild?

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dlb
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what kind of cleaner to use during carb rebuild?

Post by dlb »

I have my carb disassembled and need to soak it in stuff, but all I hear about is how there used to be really effective but really toxic cleaners and how you can't get them anymore. So what should we use now? It seems silly to stand around and spray an entire can or two of carb cleaner into a dish but maybe that's the route to go? I see this video with lots of views and thumbs up recommends 33% muriatic acid, anyone have any thoughts on that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y23cfaH4hE
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NWMO
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Re: what kind of cleaner to use during carb rebuild?

Post by NWMO »

David,

Soaking is good, but compressed air and the correct “carb cleaning” tools are what’s needed. If cleaning/re-building, just make sure to ream all the small/tiny holes, ports, etc.

Chris
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Petros
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Re: what kind of cleaner to use during carb rebuild?

Post by Petros »

Muriatic acid is simply hydrocloric acid but sold in hardware stores and pool supply stores. white vinegar might also work, but you must soak it much longer. back when I was in high school autoshop we had this nasty acidic parts dip for carburetors. we put the parts in a metal basket and lowered it into the barrel of parts dip over night (it was located outside the auto shop because of the caustic smell). All the parts would look like new after we washed them off with soap and water the next day. Most auto parts stores used to sell a one gallon metal can with a parts basket similar to this, but smaller of course. I worked well too, but I have not seen that product in decades. I have been told this has been kind of solvent has been outlawed. It was nasty to work with, but if it is mostly acid I do not see how this is any worse than Muriatic acid you buy at the hardware store. Seafoam, Berrymans, motor flush, and similar product may make a good parts soaker, but I have not tried them.

I have to rebuild my carb this weekend, in the past I just used carb cleaner, fine metal brushes and bore brushes and compressed air to get it cleaned out. usually worked okay, but it is possible stuborn scale in the small passages will not come clean this way. will have to see.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
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dlb
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Re: what kind of cleaner to use during carb rebuild?

Post by dlb »

I ended up not soaking anything when I rebuilt my carb last week. Just sprayed carb cleaner, wiped and brushed, and used fine soft wires to clean out the various passages. It was quite painless actually.

If I was going to scrub the entire carb to make it look new, that would have been a different story. Luckily I'm not worried about the appearance so it was pretty quick and easy to do.
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