Small Engine Carb in Ultrasonic Cleaner

[NeubCont]

Just picked up an ultrasonic cleaner from neighbor who didn't get much use for it. Stainless Steel about 2 gallon with timer and heater
Question-
What is everyone is using for solvent?
Are you disassembling the carb or putting it in whole?
Value or Difference of-
New rebuild kits versus Cheap Chinese knockoffs
Any other pointers or uses for it?
Thanx
Bob

 

[honcho]

water with some Dawn dish detergent in a heated ultrasonic cleaner has worked well for me in the past. An old country small engine repairer showed me his method of using a hot plate with a pan of hot water with Dawn to clean carbs. Since I had a heated ultrasonic cleaner, I just used the water and Dawn with it with good success.

 

[nadogail]

Dawn dish detergent in hot water for extended time may work well.

IMHO, just go to Amazon and buy a new carburetor, the low price compared to the value of your time will amaze you.

 

[dcg9381]

I remember dad using an ultrasonic cleaner for clock repair / cleaning. Pretty sure he used an ammonia based cleaner - I remember what it smelled like more than 4 decades later.

I don't know if dawn and water will get it done for the type of stuff that messes with carbs.

Like others, for simple motor carbs, I might do one pass at replacing the jets. Beyond that, I replace the carb - there are so many knock off carbs that get good reviews and I've had really good luck.

Some carbs - like those on my KTM, they are a real bear... It takes some experience to work on them and know what to open up (like the main carb body) to get them right. I do my best to take these to "non-dealer" experts.

The real solution is fuel injection....

 

[sberry]

I keep a can of carb cleaner. If it isn't running, off it comes, outdoors if possible, drain it, be gentle with the gaskets, take any passage screws out, shoot some cleaner in holes and needle seat, blast with air. I am so used to doing this there is no mystery, did one yesterday in about 10 minutes.
Life skill, getting stalled enines running. I have bought about 2 carb parts in 20 yrs I can remember and havnt bought a kit in decades. Used to be we "rebuild" them, now I fix them.

 

[engineer2]

Many types of cleaners are available depending on what you are cleaning. Be careful what you use with zinc and aluminum parts. Dawn+ water should be safe for about everything. A general purpose cleaner I have appears to contain castile soap and ammonia. Never use flammable solvents in an ultrasonic cleaner unless you want to be on the evening news.

 

[Augus7us]

Some carbs - like those on my KTM, they are a real bear... It takes some experience to work on them and know what to open up (like the main carb body) to get them right. I do my best to take these to "non-dealer" experts.

The real solution is fuel injection....

Funny you mention KTM. I've cleaned many carbs on dirt bikes in my younger days, so this is nothing new. I went to sell my KTM a couple years ago and I could not get it to run in higher rpms.

I took that carb apart and cleaned it so many times I could rebuild it blind folded. One of those little channels got a piece of crud in it and eventually I took it to a dealer to have them use the ultra sonic on it. Worked like a charm after that.

 

[honcho]

Dawn detergent is known as an excellent and gentle degreaser. Combined with heat and the "exploding" cavitation bubbles of an ultrasonic cleaner, it probably will, with time, cut through or at least loosen just about anything fuel deposits can leave in a carburetor. If water has sat in the carb and there's a bunch of aluminum / pot metal corrosion then it might be beyond what an ultrasonic cleaner can do. Aluminum oxide is very hard stuff!

 

[live4soccer7]

Usually disassembling them, shooting with carb cleaner, and air does the trick. Just check some of the seats and o-ring for deterioration as well and replace as needed. I usually buy a rebuild kit if it needs anything. It seems like a lot o the small carbs use similar/same parts so having extra is always good IMO.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Soak overnight in carb cleaner... but I like the ultrasound idea. When I was young, I had access to an ultrasonic freon tank (used it to clean copy machine parts), and did carb parts in that until I got caught. They were less than amused... but man, it worked!!! I laughed at clogged jets as if they smelled of elderberries...

 

[dusterdude]

Simple green purple is supposed to work well too

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[brewchief]

We take them apart and put in the ultrasonic with hot water and a couple capfulls of simple green, to much simple green or to long of time in it will cause discoloration.

We have saved carbs that were so bad that it looked like replacement was the only option.

Jets get dropped in a small jar and the jar goes in the ultrasonic as well, normally the jar gets Amsoil power foam carb cleaner, it's the second best stuff we have found and the best is no longer made or sold.

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[brownbagg]

them cheap chinese knockoff are pretty good, I bought three for different engines and has have no issues

 

[gunner3773]

This is what I have used for years. Carbs come out looking like new and the solution is reusable.
https://www.sharpertek.com/encashandvab.html

 

[csp]

Simple green and a couple drops of Dawn in mine. I take carbs apart at least to the point where every passage way is exposed