Carb cleaning (economic method)

[K2-K6]

I had a small carb (not sohc) that is essentially a pilot jet system with no needle valve, just air passages to meter the fuel.

Been left atanding about ten years and I could not get through the small airways with anything physical and the jet holes are really small stopping it from running at all.

Wondering what to do with it, so bit of lateral thinking (deck-chair, sunny garden, cold beer) and came up with boiling it.

So 50p on a old saucpan at the local car boot, gentle simmer in plain water for 15mins.......and clean as a whistle, reassmbled, primed and motor fired second try.

Used to run a chemical analytical lab and remembered that they always used to steam all the kit to clean it of any residue, also they use steam in other industries like petro-chemical....so that's my thinking logic and it does seem to be effective for naff all cost.

Suppose you could also use one of those walpaper steam/stripper kits with a nozzle to clean out oilways, carbs etc.

Let us know if you try it with any success.
Nigel.

[K2-K6]

I've seen some of those steamers at boot-sales oddjob, that's before I did this so i'll pick one of those up to try it as they'll probably clean quiite a few bits that are hard to get at.

[Green1]

I'v always boiled things to clean them normally with good results.A wall paper stripper won't do anything as there is no pressure behind it.
I have used a steam cleaner in a very crappy oven with good results so it should work well on bike parts. 

[Ian DB]

We have one of those steam cleaners, (H2O-X5) which has the option to use it as a hand held steam cleaner, great at this kind of thing but what it will do is melt/move the grease from the area you want to clean and if you dont wipe it off, it will settle where it lands when cooled down etc. probably ok for small components like the carbs tho and cenrtainly worth a try. not sure about the heavily soiled bits tho.

[AshimotoK0]

How about a pressure cooker?

[AshimotoK0]

Oh yeah Ash the missus would love you for that.

Oily carrots anyone??? 

We binned  ours years ago.. which is a shame because it cooked really nice. You are talking to a guy who put his 400/4 crankcases in the dishwasher    (they were pretty clean before going in though) and his 750K0 airbox in the oven to cure up the epoxy repair. 
  Anyone ever had an MG1300 A series engine in their downstairs toilet ( back in 78 though) My wife recently wrote a play about a saddo who did this kind of thing, drawing on personal experiences
Cheers ... AshD

[Green1]

Dishwashers make brilliant parts cleaners so do saucepans on the hob drop in a dishwasher tab even better.My oven and microwave have even copped it.My dad dried the paint on a T500 petrol tank in the oven    incredibly dodgy and the smell was horrendous.
Even the washing machine isn't safe I have cleaned my paint brushes and rollers out in it.


Mick

[UK Pete]

I am all for using kitchen apliances for bike parts
Just never get caught by the missis otherwise its game over
Pete

[JamesH]

I quite like the idea of using a pressure cooker....food for thought...who's brave enough to have a go??