Cleaning junkyard carburetors.........

I've gathered up several Rochester 2G carburetors for a 3X2 project. Any tips on what the best solvent/cleaner would be to clean the carb bodies before rebuild. Some throttle shafts are seized up so this may become a real challenge to resurrect enough useable cores. I'm gonna try Kroil to free up the parts.
Any suggestions?

 

I would use carb. cleaner

 

a can of that carb. dunk works good

 

Try varsol....it is oil based which will get into those seized parts...a lot cheaper than carb cleaner too.

 

what is varsol and where do you get it?

 

On a really rusty carb. I soaked in vinegar for a time and it cleaned up. I removed the grease, grime first with lacquer thinner. Don't leave it forever in vinegar or the it might dissolve. Not all carb cleaner is created equal. some is much better than others. The stuff I have is rather worthless.

 

You should be able to get it at any hardware store...it is quite common. It is used to thin oil based paints a lot......Fuel oil and diesel fuel is very similar.

 

I like Stoddard solvent (you can still buy it here) to clean stuff with. For seized stuff like your throttle shafts you mention I like PB Blaster beter than Kroil (Aerokroil anyway). There was a thread around here recently that a guy reccomended Citric acid to clean carb bodies with. He said to soak them in it, for a MAXIMUM of 10 minutes. Then flush with lots of water (said it would start to pit the carb if you left it in too long). You can evidently get it at a feed store, some hog feed supliment or something.

 

Plain ol' Coke a cola..soak them for a few days. it will remove rust on the steel parts, dissolve the crusty corrosion in the zinc parts too. Then carb cleaner, acid based,for a few minutes,rinse with lots of water, and blow dry with compressed air..

 

combustion chamber cleaner, works in minutes, no need to soak, not rubber friendly.

 

If you have napa near by try there brand of carb cleaner comes in a gall. size jug then dip carb in work on mine very well.

 

If I use the varsol, how long do I soak the carbs in it?

 

b-12 chem tool , let it soak overnight , I didn't know there was any thing else ?

 

Yup, $45 for 5 gallons, and then use B-12 carb cleaner, doesn't leave that white crap all over everything like the cheap carb cleaner does. I use the brass toothbrush size brushes from HF or elsewhere.

 

If you have time, prep'em and save your expensive carb cleaner for the last dip.
I use Foger's coffee plastic cans for 94's and 97's, but you'll need bigger for 2G's.
If just dirty, fill can with cheap paint thinner. If stuck, fill with diesel or heatting oil. Everything will be looking better after a few days. Carb cleaner with dip basket for the final cleanup, surface cleaning and appearance improvement at end with a container full of cheap generic white vinegar. Dip castings, scrub with toothbrush. Also good for removing white corrosion on the zing.
I don't leave them in vinegar for long...pretty sure there will be severe loss of Zinc soon.

 

I've found ultrasonic cleaning to be the best method. A good industrial ultrasonic cleaner, some electric dishwasher soap (I prefer Cascade! ) and hot water will clean even the dirtiest, corroded carburetor body. For the rusty parts, I use a bead blasting cabinet.

Buying an ultrasonic cleaner is a bit expensive. But, results are well worth it! You'd be amazed!

 

ha, I cleaned the parts of my YF in a US cleaner w/ Isopropanol.
Worked ok.

Ironically, I also worked in the rocket industry at the time

 

vinegar is acetic acid, it will not dissolve metal or brass. It will dissolve calcium buildup, and other mineral deposits.

 

Yamaha carb cleaner , mix it 50/50 with water , soak until clean , or you can throw it in an old crock pot to heat it up , works faster that way , its reusable , just strain it thru a coffee filter

 

I think I was close to inventing the sonic cleaner the other day...I was soaking a Stromberg 48 in a can of solvent on top of a washing machine with a single blanket on spin cycle...really interesting patterns of movement in that can...

 

I think all the directions given will work..When finished with all that, get a can of brake cleaner, in a aerosol can. Attach the little red hose and spray all the little holes, orfices, let set about 2 minutes and doing it again..Amazing what comes out. The pressure with the cleaner does a great job..When finished, get big pan of HOT water, add Oxy-clean. Let soak for about 10 minutes, again you'll be suprised what comes out..When finished, rinse with hot water..That is my direction..
Duane.

 

I wold use ZEP. it is expensive but its like the old kind that really works. The smell stays with you for a few days if you get it on your skin.

 

I wold use ZEP. it is expensive but its like the old kind that really works. The smell stays with you for a few days if you get it on your skin.

 

I don't know what kind of acid vinegar is but I do know it will dissolve the zinc coating off nuts and bolts.

If carburetors are zinc, which I think they are I wouldn't leave them in vinegar to long.

 

I have used carb cleaner and a tooth brush, It did a great job in cleaning the carb.

 

I have used oven cleaner successfully on tore down carbs. rinse with water after. 52 csb

 

Two things-

1) BE CAREFUL WHICH OVEN CLEANER YOU USE!!! One type will RUIN your carbs, so...

2) A few posts up is strombergs97's input. Now considering all he knows about carb work, it might be an idea to follow his directions???

(I know, stop trying to make sense, blah, blah, blah)

 

Oxy-clean...whatzit?? Is it something for laundry? want to try it...
Sounds like my approach to the non-food aisle at the grocery store: Read the warning labels...if the warnings are LONG and SCARY, I buy whatever it is to see if it removes rust, grease, or unwanted corpses...

 

I had a carb this winter that was corroded bad. I tried carb cleaner, laquer thinner and brake cleaner. I ended up using CLR.
I put it in a bucket of the stuff and it worked.

 

What? That carb. was spotless! It was rebuilt and ready to bolt on.