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Carburetor Cleaning

Started by Magicman, April 10, 2014, 04:37:44 PM

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Magicman

I know, ethanol gas, but stuff happens.  This old lawn mower is sort of a community item in that all of the family uses it at the Cabin.  Although I am very strict about only using ethanol free gas, I can not dictate that to everyone else especially since they help with the grass cutting chores.

When I first cranked it a couple of weeks ago it would only run with the choke operated.  I brought it home and did the normal carburetor cleaning.  No help, so maybe I missed something.  I pulled it down the second time and thought that I did a more thorough cleaning.  No help.  So now I go and talk with my friend that services small engines and told him that I would bring the mower to him and I probably would be replacing a carburetor.  He told me to first use his secret weapon.  Easy Off oven cleaner.

That is some nasty stuff.  It foams, bubbles, and is as slick as you don't want me to say.  I sprayed it into every hole that I could find, let it set for a few minutes, and then started trying to clean that mess off.  I had gotten a large can of spray carburetor cleaner which finally did the trick.

Did it work??  Yes.  It melted and bubbled something out of somewhere.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

woodmills1

Nice trick
My small engine guy uses torch reamers to physically push out junk before spraying
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

Reddog


yukon cornelius

around here, maybe everywhere, the dollar store sells oven cleaner for, well, a dollar. I buy it by the case. it is the best degreaser I have ever found and since its aerosol it gets into tight spots and then power wash it off. I use it on all antique tractor, car and truck  restorations we do.

I also add a fuel shutoff on all my small engines. I always shut off the valve and run them til they die. it doesn't seem to be the running of the ethanol but the leaving it set in the carb. a shut off is only a few dollars and hasn't failed me for since I started using them.

It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

beenthere

QuoteThat is some nasty stuff.  It foams, bubbles, and is as slick as you don't want me to say.  I sprayed it into every hole that I could find, let it set for a few minutes, and then started trying to clean that mess off.  I had gotten a large can of spray carburetor cleaner which finally did the trick.

So what do you think did the trick?  The combo of oven cleaner and carb cleaner, or in the end just the carb cleaner?

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Rockn H

I'd of been scared! LOL   I get nervous about ruining some of the rubber parts with just Sea Foam. ;D

I've got a suzuki carb I may try that on before I buy a new one... somebody let it set for a year with ethanol in it.   Everything on the inside has a greenish coating.

Dave Shepard

Isn't oven cleaner sodium hydroxide?
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Magicman

Quote from: beenthere on April 10, 2014, 06:25:51 PMSo what do you think did the trick?  The combo of oven cleaner and carb cleaner, or in the end just the carb cleaner?
I had used two cans of spray carb cleaner the first two times and did not clear the problem, so my opinion is that the oven cleaner melted some gunk from somewhere and then the pressurized carb cleaner blew it out.  My small engine guy did call it his secret weapon.   ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

coxy

we use it to clean the radiators in the skidders and dozers ez off works the best its a little more but don't have to use as much  thanks for the tip MM never though of it for carbs  8) 8) 8)

sandhills

Thanks Magic, I've used about everything one time or another but never thought of oven cleaner.  My small engines get a good cleaning on the magneto and flywheel as well when I have trouble, only once has it actually fixed the problem but can't say it ever hurt either.

Magicman

Just remember that it is sorta nasty stuff after it bubbles but the carb cleaner removed it.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Bilge Rat

I think that is what we use for boiler compound. It keeps scale from building up  in the water side.  Hard water, calcium,and crud in the water  is left in the boiler so you treat the water to keep the crud soft. Blow down the boiler and out comes the crud.

It is a base, caustic soda it should work on most metals.  Be careful on aluminum, it will etch it and encourage more corrosion.  For aluminum try vinager, it works on outboard motors in the water jackets just dilute it a little.

Oven cleaner should be washed out good after use and don't let it set in the metal very long.

I would apply it then rinse it and see if the metal is affected in that time then reapply for that amount of time or a little longer.
It is worth a try, the carb was junk anyway.

Ultrasonic cleaners are very good for small carbs. Outboard motor carbs are cleaned with them for best results.

scsmith42

Neat trick! Thanks for sharing.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

sawguy21

Is that a plastic carburetor? I wonder what oven cleaner would do to them. Many carburetors are replaced because the tech cannot get them clean enough to work.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

pine


Magicman

My carburetor was aluminum and my friend told me not to leave the oven cleaner on too long.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

21incher

When I was younger we used to buy carburetor cleaner at the auto parts store that came in a 3 gallon can that was 1/2 full. You placed the carb in it to soak for a couple of hours and it came out looking brand new ready for rebuilding.
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

Reddog

Quote from: 21incher on April 11, 2014, 05:01:21 PM
When I was younger we used to buy carburetor cleaner at the auto parts store that came in a 3 gallon can that was 1/2 full. You placed the carb in it to soak for a couple of hours and it came out looking brand new ready for rebuilding.

You can still get it, for $30 a gallon. Then you have to dispose of it at some time.

50/50 mix Pinesol, hot water,soak over night. Dump the used down the drain.
If you have a stubborn one you can boil on a camp stove in the driveway for a few minutes. Plus it will clean your sinuses for free if you get on the down wind side.

The oven cleaner dissolves the aluminum. All your ports and passages are over sized now.

kevin19343

I use this stuff called "Mechanic in a Bottle". You put it into a nearly empty gas tank and crank the engine over long enough to get the stuff into the carb. Let it sit for a few hours and the gunk is all gone.


Magicman

Carburetor cleaner is naphtha, same as Coleman fuel.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Bilge Rat

The old carb cleaner in a pail had caustic in it too.
It would eat a Holley if left in too long. The Q-jets being more pot metal were more tolerant.

Ultrasonics, boiling, moving fluid, etc. will dislodge crud  better than just chemical action.

One trick if you are not going to use the saw for a while after draining the gas shoot some silicone spray into carb while turning the motor over. It coats the metal without getting real gummy or forming hard clumps.

Bill Gaiche

Sounds like a good secret. I think there is enough caustic in the oven cleaner, that it will start to eat the aluminum if left on to long. No different than using the good old time carb cleaner that you could buy years ago.
I have found at the end of the year, or when your not going to use your equipment for several months is to let the engine run until it has used up all the gas in the tank. Yesterday I got out my vacuum system to clean out the wife's flower beds. Put fresh gas in and it started the very first pull. My splitter and tiller start very easily when I do this. bg

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