One for the Aussies - What do you use for Carby Cleaner

[pete]

I've tried searching around both here and on Google and i'm beginning to think there's nothing available in the land down under to dip our carbs in.

In my forum search, I keep turning up Berrymans or whatever it is from the US, but that doesn't seem to be an option for us here in Aus.

Googling reveals many different types of spray type carby cleaners, but everytime something is mentioned in a forum or whatever about a dip type cleaner, the answer inevitably comes back with Yamalube or Gunk carb cleaner, and both seem to be discontinued or rare as hens teeth.

So, while I haven't started scouring the local auto shops yet, it's looking more and more like I will have to improvise unless someone has a carb cleaner source...

So, anyone have any tips on where I could locate a good dip type carby cleaner or can anyone suggest an alternative concoction that would work as well?

I'll be dismantling the carbs in the next week or two hopefully and they will definitely need a good clean as they've been sitting for 9 years now and guaranteed they will have rotten fuel in them that has clogged them.

I have Mr Robert Barr's O rings ready to go and new float chamber gaskets I picked up today, so the only things I'm missing is cleaner and a visit to a bolt shop to get some shiny new allen head stainless bolts to replace the dodgy philips screws.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated, and apologies if I've missed something in my forum search, but there were so many threads and posts returned I won't be surprised if I missed something...

[SVSooke]

Did this to mine http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=165622 .My carbs where not really gummed up and it worked pretty good.

[landshark]

50/50 petrol and metho, its an old mechanics trick, worked very well for me.
But soak the sh1t out of them, and follow all the guidelines on here(i am pretty sure you will anyway).
use a compressor and a can of carby cleaner on the nooks and crannies.

[pete]

Did this to mine http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=165622 .My carbs where not really gummed up and it worked pretty good.

Yeah I remember you doing that to yours, but I feel mine will be far too gummed up for that to work effectively enough.

50/50 petrol and metho, its an old mechanics trick, worked very well for me.
But soak the sh1t out of them, and follow all the guidelines on here(i am pretty sure you will anyway).
use a compressor and a can of carby cleaner on the nooks and crannies.

Cool, that one I should be able to do, and yeah the wash out, blow through, and carby spray at the end are definitely on the list, it's just the first soaking bit that had me confused. Thanks for the formula

[pete]

Glad we're not the only ones finding it hard to find dip

For now I think I'll stick with the 50/50 metho and fuel from Landshark and go from there.

Now to find some sort of container to soak them in, maybe an old strainer or something to sit in there as a basket of sorts...

[max parsons]

We bought Yamaha carby cleaner recently and it works really well if you let the carbies soak.

[landshark]

Subaru upper engine cleaner is good too,but not for soaking. Much too expensive for that.

[GregT]

Here in NZ if I can't get carbs clean enough with petrol and pressure washing I have on occasion taken a set to a local outfit specialising in classic car carbs. Webers and SU's both need professional dipping afer a few years and the same commercial cleaning solutions work well on bike carbs. Usually it's just a nominal cost as I've done all the prelim dismantling.
Check your local yellow pages for specialists.

[oldgrumpy]

yamaha carby cleaner .....

hi guys i,ve recently cleaned my carbys with yamaha carby cleaner ,,,work an absolute treat.... prior to that i suffered with using 98% unleaded.. but i had to keep going back over 3-4 days flushing them blowing them out ... the cleaner was easier regards david

[Matchless]

After I cleaned my carbs I scoured the Internet for a solution as we cannot get proper carb dip here as well
I found the following, but forgot who the author was:

Make your own carb cleaner

1. = Parts gasoline
1. = Parts diesel / kerosene
1. = Part MEK or Acetone
.5 = Parts auto trans fluid

Keep in sealed metal container when not in use.

WARNING:
Keep rags with this mixture on THEM out in the open air or in a ventilated metal container.
EXTREMELY COSTIC AND FLAMMABLE!!!

This mixture will melt most gunky deposits as good and as and as fast as carb cleaner.

Note: cold parts cleaner you buy in gallon cans is EXTREMELY CAUSTIC TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND CAN CAUSE SHOCK!
It also can eat aluminium
Source(s):
30 + Years Master Tech, and carb expert.

Here is another recipe that WORKS.

90% kerosine (diesel will work too but it's smelly) and 10% Methyl Cloride paint thinner from a hardware store. Methyl Cloride is the active ingredient in commercial carb cleaner. Use the highest concentration paint thinner you can find - 990gm per liter Methyl Cloride (or what ever the USA equivalent is) if you can find it. Watered down paint thinner won't mix in the kero as well as the concentrated stuff.

Keep it in a metal tin (3lb coffee can or similar) with a tight lid and it will store for a long time and you can reuse it over and over (an overnight soak works best).

Paint thinner is bad on skin and eyes - use rubber gloves and don't breath the fumes.
The two best cleaners for carbs..one previously mentioned, are methylene chloride and MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) . By the way.,..they are/were the primary ingredients in a product you used to be able to buy....called "chem dip". It came in a gallon can with a built in parts basket...made just for carbs.....nasty stuff!
Also by the way...both chemicals cause liver damage, nervous system damage and are both carcinogens. In fact, MEK usage has been outlawed in 48 states for usage over 1 gallon at a time without permit and OSHA/EPA inspection......but you can buy quarts and gallons at home depot. Just be very careful with it.

You can simply add MEK with either xylene or 90% isopropyl alcohol to make a decent carb soak. The MEK does the work. The xylene simply raises the flash point so it does not just go screaming out of the can.

Or...you could simply drop into the store and buy a gallon paint can of Berrymans chemtool with the strainer in the top...and just be done with it for $10. That is what its made for.

I have never tried it yet, but maybe it helps someone bold enough!

[Hoosier Daddy]

*WARNING- I am not in OZ!*
I see it was mentioned in the link provided earlier with negative results but...
I boiled my GL1100 carbs one at a time in a coffee can with a cup of lemon juice an enough distilled water to cover it about an inch.
They came out nice. Maybe the difference is the distilled water or because I only went for about 45 minutes. Sure, I sprayed them down well before to remove the really bad stuff then again afterwards while scrubbing them with an old toothbrush. Here is one after compared to the others before...

[pete]

Thanks heaps for all the replies and input guys, so many different ways to achieve the same results... confusing...

I'm tempted to stick with the 50/50 petrol and metho for the moment as both components are very easy to get and the price will be hard to beat I would imagine, but I may call a Yamaha dealer and see what they say about the carby cleaner. There's one at Enoggera that is quite handy if they have it.

I noticed it's about $7 for a stainless steel strainer at Woolies today that's got a very fine strainer on it which means it should be safe for tiny needles etc., so just need to find something to put that in and it should make a good way of getting the parts in and out.

[Suzuki_Don]

Pete, This Is What I Use

Hi Pete, Ill attach a few pics of how I do the cleaning of my carbs. Remove any rubber parts that you can. Don't put your float needles in the mix as they should have rubber tips.

The main difference between what others have suggested and what I do is that I boil the solution and the gentle aggitation of the solution causes the residue to come loose and leave the parts very clean. When I say boil I mean just a gentle rolling over of the surface of the solution, not boiling vigorously.

The solution I use is the yamaha carb cleaner in the proportion of 2 parts cleaner to 1 part water (this makes the solution non-inflammable and quite safe to use).

Enough chat, now to look at some pics of how I do it.




This is the solution that I use. Yamaha Carb Cleaner.




Parts boiling away in the solution.




Carb before cleaning, grunge can be seen on intake throat.




Carb after cleaning, it only required 20 to 30 minutes in the solution.




Some of the individual parts after cleaning. I did not do the screws as they were being replace with stainless screws. The brass parts come up very clean.


Hope this helps.

P.S. My bike runs perfectly after doing this cleaning job on the carbs. No problems at all on the road. Clean carbs certainly make a difference.

[pete]

Cheers for the great pic's there Don, very helpful!

I called the local Yamaha dealer and they stock the carby cleaner for about $27 so will try to get some this weekend.

I have a portable gas hotplate at home so that should be safe with an old sauce pan or something and one of those strainers I saw from Woolies.

Not having to leave the parts soak overnight would be an absolute bonus for me too.

[pete]

Picked the bottle of carby cleaner up today, however Don this is one for you...

The bottle says 1 part cleaner to 2 parts water... but you say 2 parts cleaner to 1 part water... which one's right?

I'll start hunting for an old or cheap saucepan now and I should be laughin'...