Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => SOHC Singles & Twins => Topic started by: 545863 on January 31, 2026, 05:31:55 PM

Title: Leaking carb.
Post by: 545863 on January 31, 2026, 05:31:55 PM
I posted a piece recently about my CB100N carb leaking petrol after it was ultrasonically cleaned and rebuilt. The problem was not the float bowl leaking so I assumed it might be a worn float valve seat, (new ones are not available as a separate part). Looking more closely at the seat it looked slightly rough and dull in colour. I cleaned the seat with a tiny amount of grinding paste on a cotton bud held in a cordless drill. I then polished the seat, again with a cotton bud in the drill with a small amount of brass polish. I then sprayed some carb cleaner into the seat. The carb now works perfectly with no leaks. I assume that the ultrasonic cleaning process must have left some form of deposits on the seat causing it to leak?
Title: Re: Leaking carb.
Post by: Bryanj on January 31, 2026, 06:57:25 PM
Probablynot, just did a set of 400 carbs ultrasoniced twice and they still smell like an old lawnmover.

Stale petrol varnish is really hard to get rid of only worse thing is stale ethanol
Title: Re: Leaking carb.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on February 01, 2026, 03:50:59 AM
On my 400/4 three carb sliders that hold the main jet were seized solid in the Carb body due to standing unused for some 10 years. I tried Diesel,Carb cleaner & a variety of solvents to release them without any success. At that time I did not own an ultrasound cleaning bath.

In the end I soaked them overnight in fresh petrol in a plastic type food container with the sealed clipped lid.
After about 12 hours the petrol turned  brown, I renewed the petrol repeating the process for several days. Two freed off in the first 36-48 hours or so. The last one iirc took 4 days to free off using just hand pressure to push them out, I did not want to risk any damage. I used Carb cleaner & Brasso wadding afterwards to clean/polish the inside of the carb body.