Carb cleaner, exactly where to use it?

[bigchris]

Where do you actually spray carb cleaner? In the carb bowls? When the engines running?

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[leebex]

Best to use when the engine is running as it does strangle the air/fuel mix in the engine for a second or 2.

When ive used it, I just sprayed into the carb mouth, open the throttle a little too and spray some more.

[hardhat_harry]

Nope

Take carbs off

Undo float bowls

take pilot jet out spray in there

take main jet out spray in there

take emulsion tube out and guess what, spray in it

get rid off all brown goop inside float bowl by, you guessed it, spraying,

while you have the carbs off check linkages and grease

[hardhat_harry]

Spraying in the carb mouth will do naff all

[B1k3R]

You can spray small amounts into the airbox with the filter out and engine running. Too much will cut the engine.

[leebex]

never needed to go that far into myself hardhat_harry, although worth a go if its clogged up badly though.

[hardhat_harry]

Again this will do naff all as well

You can spray small amounts into the airbox with the filter out and engine running. Too much will cut the engine.

[DarrenSV650S]

:eek: How would it clean the carb if it's put in when it's running?

I'm no expert, but I've always completely stripped the carb and cleaned out everything.

[hardhat_harry]

I think they are expecting it to mix with the petrol and magically clean the carbs.

The reason why carb cleaner is in a can with a high pressure spray is to blow any gunk away and clean it.

:eek: How would it clean the carb if it's put in when it's running?

I'm no expert, but I've always completely stripped the carb and cleaned out everything.

[B1k3R]

Again this will do naff all as well

I disagree. Obviously it is not as effective as stripping the carbs and cleaning each part, remembering to wear rubber gloves because it dry's fingers to cracking point but it does clean all it touches so the jets and needles get a blast but not the bowl or floats.

[leebex]

It disolves the oily gunk, and on the can it says to use it while the vehicle is running, so thats why Ive always gone that way with it.

[hardhat_harry]

Well your wrong.

I disagree. Obviously it is not as effective as stripping the carbs and cleaning each part, remembering to wear rubber gloves because it dry's fingers to cracking point but it does clean all it touches so the jets and needles get a blast but not the bowl or floats.

[B1k3R]

I think they are expecting it to mix with the petrol and magically clean the carbs.

The reason why carb cleaner is in a can with a high pressure spray is to blow any gunk away and clean it.

I think they think that the air magically blasts away crud.

[hardhat_harry]

And it disolves rubber gloves too (same as petrol)

Just wash your hands after using it.

[hardhat_harry]

I think you will find the cleaner and the pressure acts together.

and guess what air does blast away crud.

I think they think that the air magically blasts away crud.

[leebex]

And it disolves rubber gloves too (same as petrol)

Just wash your hands after using it.

Didnt know that!!! admittedly been careful with it, although always wear gloves now, cant be doing with the grease monkey hands these days :D

[B1k3R]

It kills my hands and have never has a pair of gloves melt but normally I can't be ar5ed to find a pair. It is better to use when the carbs are being stripped but it depends if you are doing a full strip down or not. The jets are normally the things that get clogged with residue from petrol so spraying when running helps most of these.

[yorkie_chris]

I disagree. Obviously it is not as effective as stripping the carbs and cleaning each part, remembering to wear rubber gloves because it dry's fingers to cracking point but it does clean all it touches so the jets and needles get a blast but not the bowl or floats.

How?

You got petrol coming out of the jets under a pressure gradient (that's how the fuel comes out, innit) so how does the cleaner get in?

Don't get it on your hands, it contains methanol, xylene and loads of other nasties.


You want to do job right, strip carb down and clean passages out with cleaner plus air line. Do not get carb cleaner on rubber or plastic parts of carb.

[B1k3R]

Through the air intake, touching anywhere where the air passes and anywhere the fuel and air mix to form an emulsion. I think even cleaning the choke plunger.

The best way is to take off the carbs and strip them but if a bike has been standing a short while a few squirts of carb cleaner into the airbox helps. I think.

Not a good idea to run the bike without a filter for too long.

[yorkie_chris]

None of those areas are subject to the sort of varnish build up that carb cleaner helps remove.

You are also risking spraying aggressive solvents onto delicate rubber bits like the diaphragm.

[B1k3R]

I totally agree with perishing rubber. .

I only use it like this when I get a project and after I have checked the necessary I check for a spark and then a little fuel down the bore to see what happens. If if fires I spray some into the carb when running for a short period before a total strip down. This gives me time to see it a bike "pulls" and I throw away the carb gaskets anyway. Some of these bikes haven't been run for a decade and have normally been stored with fuel in. I am not sure how much benefit spraying cleaner into a SV carb, that has only been standing a couple of Months, would do but probably not much.

As you have said, do it properly. Ultarsound, dishwasher without detergent or air gun and carb cleaner (watching both with your hands). Depending on what you can afford.

[bigchris]

Thanks for the advice, id like to strip the carbs down but to be honest im not that clued up on carbs??? A bit out of my depth!!

[beabert]

At the very least do it when off, so the cleaner has a chance of working its way down from the top.

I filled a plastic party bowl up with carb cleaner once to soak the jets, when i returned, the bowl was no more, just a white liquid mess lol.

[beabert]

Thanks for the advice, id like to strip the carbs down but to be honest im not that clued up on carbs??? A bit out of my depth!!

Well you have to start somewhere, take photos and have the a manual present, do one thing at a time then put it back, its not hard at all :-)

[yorkie_chris]

At the very least do it when off, so the cleaner has a chance of working its way down from the top.

I filled a plastic party bowl up with carb cleaner once to soal the jets, when i returned, the bowl was no more, just a white liquid mess lol.

Yeah I've had the same, working with one of those grey plastic trays. Had my montesa carb in bits in it, went to pick the tray up to put it on the bench and picked up the walls of the tray... the bottom of it stayed on the floor :smt103

[Lozzo]

Don't let carb cleaner get anywhere near paintwork or screens. Don't ask me how I know this, I just do OK?

[hongman]

This is actually on my list of things to do this year to the bike (not that it particularly needs it, just fancy having a go) and I'm glad I read this, didnt realise how dangerous carb cleaner was!

[yorkie_chris]

If it doesn't need it then don't do it. Not worth risk of c*cking something up.

If you want to try something like that learn how to balance carbs.

[hongman]

I was going to strip em down, clean, reassemble and balance.

I have no idea what state the carbs are actually in, iif they've ever been serviced, etc. Thought this would be a good learning exercise as well as some nice preventative maintenance. no?

Edit: The choke is a little sticky!

[Lozzo]

If it doesn't need it then don't do it. Not worth risk of c*cking something up.

If you want to try something like that learn how to balance carbs.

Incredibly difficult to do with a complete bank of four. Do it over a mattress if you can't risk breaking them.

Start by balancing them on your open palm, then on the end of a finger before progressing to balancing them on your nose... :D

[hongman]

lol, I had to read that twice!