Anybody know how to remove old dried up gas thats turned into chalk in the fuel bowls? Its a 4 barrel Holley. I have tried carb cleaner and a wire brush and it barely removes anything. I thought I might give oven cleaner a try but am open to suggestions. Thanks
Do Not try oven cleaner!!!!!! I have put Ospho in cruddy carb bowls with great results. Removes the crud but does not harm the carb. I just pore a little in and swish it about. I have done this to Stromberg 97's and Carter WCFB's.
We used to soak them in Kerosene for a few days- just don't smoke while your working on them I also agree DO NOT USE OVEN CLEANER!!! It will destroy the carb (bad and expensive personal experience)
For white water type stalagmites, I use extreme methods: Toilet bowl cleaner with HCL warning on label. The scarier the warning label the better... This stuff WILL eat your carb away entirely if you soak. I just cover the crud, wait a few minutes, then blast with really hot water. Repeat several times, mke sure stuff goes down any holes below the crud line. Boil it for a while when done to make sure all chemical warfare materials are removed.
According to: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=217744 budd says: "i have done 1/2 diesel fuel and 1/2 oil in an engine to clean it out before i pull it apart, other things i misuse are combustion cleaner as a carb cleaner when working on carbs, if you have that green crap in the bottom of a float bowl this stuff cleans it out in almost seconds, makes brass look like new, another trick is spray bomb paint remover as vinyl softener, if you have some old seats or dash pads you think you could poke your thumb through with a little effort then spray some paint remover on and give it and givei t good wipe with a rags and it comes out soft as new."
So far I have soaked the bowls in gas, carb cleaner, engine cleaner. It hasnt done much of anything. This is thick stuff not just a film, its more like dried concrete or plaster. The toilet bowl cleaner is a good idea. The problem is I need something to wash it out because in the nooks and crannies I cant scrub it. Well I will see what I can do.
Mudslinger, Have you noticed that 20 years ago you could leave a car with gas for 2-3 years and it would start right up - now you leave gas sitting for 6 months and you get the awful munge. I have found that when standard spray carb cleaners won't cut the munge I turn to Chevrolet "Top End Engine Cleaner" from a dealer. It comes in a spray can for $7 or so. This stuff will really cut the gas munge. Try it, I think you will be pleased. Paul
There was a guy on here that recomended Citric Acid for that. Gets it from a feed store supposedly (hog feed?) dips the parts in it for a MAXIMUM of 10 minutes. Says they come out and look like a new casting. That was for Strombergs though, I don't know how the metal Holley uses would react. Have you tried Berrymans Chem Dip?
No I havent seen the Berrymans anywhere. Yes I know all about the cheap gas quality now. This carb is off of an engine that I know the whole history of. I bought the carb new for a fresh rebuild. I ran it for a few years and stored it about 2 years. It fired right up. The gas didnt smell old or anything. I did this a couple of times while the car was stored and I was out of state. In the last three years with me running and flushing the gas tank out the gas would go bad setting just over a year. About a year ago maybe a little longer I had the car out and man it ran terrible. I pulled the bowls and OMG its full of chalk. The filters are clean. The gas evaporated to thick chalk. It wont scrape off with a screwdriver.
Don't know if they still make it but Dupont Gun and Equipment cleaner does a good job of disolving all kinds of crud in carbs and leaves them squeeky clean (after blow drying it leaves no residue). I used to disassemble a carb and immerse everything in it over night, blow dry the next morning. Most everything comes out looking like new. Frank
Have you tried Lime-Away? It's a lime scale cleaner for household use. This stuff might surprise you.
Like the toilet bowl cleaner, the various acids mentioned will work but must be used cautiously. I think the white compounds in carbs involve both lime from water and crud formed by corroding zinc--again from water, probably. Whatever they are, they are not affected by carb cleaning methods meant to remove dirt and petroleum related crud.
Yamaha makes a carb cleaner...... mixes with water Doesn't hurt rubber parts. It comes in plastic quart bottles like oil. Trick is to heat it up a bit. You can strain the crud out and use it over and over You have to ask for it and may have to order it. Yamaha doesn't push the stuff very hard. You have to ask
The best stuff I have ever used is a G.M product call "CLEENS" it is a cumbustion cleaner/injector cleaner. Buy it in the spray can, it will eat though any crap that you will find in a carb bowl.
Ospho is a trade name for a metal prep solution. It puts a chemical wash on the metal to remove rust and keep it from coming back. I wash everything in it asap after sandblasting. Parts will keep for years with just the bare metal plus the Ospho. You can find other brands in the box home stores. Look for some greenish stuff. Usually says metal prime or some such. Will have phosphoric acid in it.
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