Boiling a carb, good or bad idea?

[3 on the Tree]

Hi all, it is about time for me to clean the carbs on a few of my toys and this time I was going to try a different route; boiling them. Now In the past I've just disassembeled them and cleaned everything by hand with gumout. I've been reading up on boiling carbs and it seems to be a popular alternative. Has anoyne here done it? Would I just disassemble them and put them in a container and boil them, or do you leave the jets and everything in and just remove the bowl? how long would I have to let them boil for?

I was going to boil them one at a time in a tin coffee can on my grill outside to keep down on the smell.

[ceaserthethird]

Works well, I tried this method once.

About a 10 min boil should do it, just keep checking on it.

[3 on the Tree]

Should I remove all rubber gaskets and O rings prior to boiling? Also, should I give everything a once over with carb cleaner after boiling?

[briano]

I like to boil mine till fork tender.lol

[200XMichigan]

I would remove any O-rings and other plastic or rubber components.

[3 on the Tree]

should I take the jets and the slide and needle out too?

[200XMichigan]

I haven't tried boiling one before but you would want to remove the jets to make sure they are clean anyways. Otherwise you won't really know if it worked. I usually disassemble everything and soak it in some solvent, then blow it out with compressed air or aerosol carb cleaner. Also there may be a rubber sealing ring in the top of the carb.

[atctim]

these are cheap and work great for cleaning clogged jets.
http://www.amazon.com/CD-2800-Ultrasonic-Jewelry-Eyeglass-Cleaner/dp/B001DKDAVW/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0

[200XMichigan]

these are cheap and work great for cleaning clogged jets.
http://www.amazon.com/CD-2800-Ultrasonic-Jewelry-Eyeglass-Cleaner/dp/B001DKDAVW/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0

That is fricken sweet. I was looking into getting an small ultrasonic cleaner from Northern tool but it was still like $200. That thing would pay for itself after buying a couple cans of carb clean.

[Ironbnder]

When I hear of boiling out a carb, I think of Berrymans B9 in a 1 or 5 gallon container for 10 minutes to 1 hour, then rinse with water and assemble. I never heard of actually boiling them in hot water. Either way, make sure everything rubber or plastic is removed or it will not exist when you are done. :confused:

[atc350xer]

these are cheap and work great for cleaning clogged jets.
http://www.amazon.com/CD-2800-Ultrasonic-Jewelry-Eyeglass-Cleaner/dp/B001DKDAVW/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0

HA! That's the same exact model I dropped off at Peepers' yesterday. I got mine for a buck at a yard sale.
And 200xMichigan, Harbor Freight has a 2.5 liter one for $50

[79fordblake]

When I hear of boiling out a carb, I think of Berrymans B9 in a 1 or 5 gallon container for 10 minutes to 1 hour, then rinse with water and assemble. I never heard of actually boiling them in hot water. Either way, make sure everything rubber or plastic is removed or it will not exist when you are done. :confused:

Kinda what I thought, except I let mine set in it almost two days, lol.

[briano]

That Berrymans works awesome, took the paint right off the side of my dads pole barn a few years ago. Big spot on the outside where I was blowing out a carb that I was cleaning, some got on the wall and didn't rinse it right away.

[Dirtcrasher]

I would boil it in typical 3WW fashion - gasoline :lol:

Honestly, it's petroleum based so I'd just soak it in the carb "GUNK" basket.

However, possibly boiling it with some CLR would remove some of the contaminants that have built up.

[3 on the Tree]

Well I boiled it with marginal results. Next time I'm just sticking with gumout. I can't get tme damn thing to take fuel now. I've never had that problem before. There must be a spring loaded fuel cutoff somewhere in the carb I'm missing.

[tri again]

Well I boiled it with marginal results. Next time I'm just sticking with gumout. I can't get tme damn thing to take fuel now. I've never had that problem before. There must be a spring loaded fuel cutoff somewhere in the carb I'm missing.


Which carb/trike? Some passages are drilled and plugged in funny ways so they can go around corners.

I've boiled a few with a splash of vinegar and blew thru the internal passages with the jets removed.
Gunk does like to hide.
I like dc's clr suggestion considering some of the stuff I've seen growing in carbs.
Some of the crystals/corrosion is so hard, it's almost like drilling or scraping brass or aluminum.

Also thinking water boils at 212 F and these engines prob see higher operating temps than that. but I'd take out the jets and plastics.

No fuel inTO the float bowl now??

That's usually a straight shot from fuel inlet thru the float needle valve into the bowl.

We don't know what carb it is, do we?

if it's a 90/110 type, the fuel shut off is part of the carb casting and that has issues all it's own between the rubber
selector disc and filter screen.

I usually also turn them over a few times while blowing into the fuel inlet to make sure I can hear the float valve open and close.
You'll get it, unless it's a 1985 250cc Keihin QA01 pre-recall and then we'll start a bank account in your name.

[3 on the Tree]

It's the XL in my signature. It has a strange "L" shapred fuel inlet into the bowl. I tried blowing through it with a straw (since I don't have a compressor at home) and it is CLOGGED like you wouldn't believe. I will be soaking it in a container of gas, them bringing it to work with me tonight and cleaning it in our parts wash. I work at a Dodge dealer and if our parts wash doesn't work, I'll be looking for a new carb. That thing has some serious solvant in it.

[200XMichigan]

The aerosol carb cleaner works great. you can also use it spray through the jets since it has pressure and solvent it works really good. On really crusty jets I used copper wire if it will not come clean any other way. But you need to be really careful doing this, fortunately copper wire is very soft and won't easily damage the jets, drill bits and steel wire can damage the jets however.

[VintageHondaKid]

I always have a problem with pilot jets getting clogged. I've found that a torch to heat it up and quench it in non flammable solvent helps the gunk come out. It may take a few trys but it works

[tecate 250rr]

When I hear of boiling out a carb, I think of Berrymans B9 in a 1 or 5 gallon container for 10 minutes to 1 hour, then rinse with water and assemble. I never heard of actually boiling them in hot water. Either way, make sure everything rubber or plastic is removed or it will not exist when you are done. :confused:

X2 I used to boil my carbs but several carbs that i had were really gunked up and i ended up boiling them like 4 times. I bought the 1 gallon can of berrymans carb cleaner from Vatozone for $20 and what do you know 30min. later that carb looked new.Hust be sure to completely disassemble the carb and remove any rubber parts.
A word of caution though , DO NOT leave the carb in the solvent to long it will start eating the aluminum, I also used the solvent to clean small parts and found that if the part has a coating like zinc plating it will eat it off if left too long.

[cr480r]

yeah the chem-dip cleaner works well... and a $20 pail will do several years worth of carbs and other small parts... Its smelly stuff and will make your whole garage stink, A 5 gallon pail works well for removing paint from cylinders.. I clear clogged pilots jets by buying a new one.. especially on smaller sizes

[Mosh]

+ 3 on the cans of carb solvent.

I have taken carbs that looked like they were burried in a grease/mud pit, and they come out looking new after a few hours.

[3 on the Tree]

Thanks guys. I ended up cleaning it the old fashioned way. I took the same coffee can that I boiled it in, but this time I filled it up with gas and let the carb have a nice 4 hour soak. I came back and used a tooth brush to remove the rest of the crud that was left over and it came out squeaky clean. In fact, I put it back on the bike and got it running tonight for the first time in years. Too bad it's about 3* out tonight or else I would have taken it for a ride.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa260/olbluesilverado/XL250SII001.jpg?t=1297316425

Man what a trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro disaster!
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa260/olbluesilverado/XL250SII002.jpg?t=1297316425

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa260/olbluesilverado/XL250SII003.jpg?t=1297316425

All cleaned up; everything adjusted and running finally!
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa260/olbluesilverado/XL250SII004.jpg?t=1297316425

[bugler30]

holy trailpros batman, thats alot of snow

[bcredneck]

that motor looks similar to a 350x

[sixpackrt]

I use this.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx220/sixpackrt/crest-1.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx220/sixpackrt/crest4.jpg

[200XMichigan]

3 degrees, man that's a good night to ride. Its been so cold, and of all the expensive gloves I have bought for riding the best thing when its around zero is a 10 year old pair of Burton snowboard gloves.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/record-lows-thursday_2011-02-10

[Frankencelery]

I tried Berrymans on a 200x carb a couple years ago, and since the machine was not running, I wasn't in a hurry. Three weeks later, I removed the black carb-shaped thing from the tank and ended up throwing it away. Oops. I've never used Berrymans since, but that's not really a fair test, is it?

[tri-Z ripper]

sixpacrt what is that an autoclave?

[tecate 250rr]

I use this.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx220/sixpackrt/crest-1.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx220/sixpackrt/crest4.jpg


CHEATER!Dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tecate 250rr]

What is the pink solution in the tank? Looks like the same stuff they used on the movie ABYSS. HaHa.

[sixpackrt]

It's just a degreaser to clean them up. bolts bearings

[sixpackrt]

sixpacrt what is that an autoclave?

No Its just a Ultrasonic cleaner heated.