Carburetor clean versus carburetor rebuild

[ShoestringMariner]

Hey guys I know this topic can go in any engine for them however I’d like to know when it is that you simply clean a Carburetor and when you do a full on rebuild?

I’ve been through a few carburetor rebuilds, that once I tore into them, appeared to need nothing. Rebuild kits are expensive and I’m wondering at what junction do you go forward with a full rebuild?

Every time?

Or only if you see varnish/crud buildup?

Also what is your go to non-nasty carb cleaner?
I have been using a Pine-Sol soak but I’m not sure if it’s aggressive enough to get into all the fine passages

 

[stresspoint]

i always try a good ultrasonic clean first , trying to avoid damaging gaskets or Orings.
if issues still are not resolved or new ones pop up then its rebuild kit time.

in the grand scheme of things , rebuild kits are cheap insurance for a few years of having a trouble free carby.

i work on a lot of dirt bikes , carb kits or carb replacement is a very expensive exercise so i try my best to get a result on the first clean before forking over for a kit or a new replacement

 

[racerone]

There is not much that can go wrong with a carburetor.-----Old fuel plugs them up.------But for some strange reason many folks pick on the carburetor first to start the repair / trouble shooting.----No idea why that is so.

 

[tphoyt]

For me the fine passages are usually what I’m after. I invested in ultrasonic cleaner a few years ago and they work really well with just dish soap and water. If I come across a varnished carb I’ll go with a chem dip first. I’m guilty of reusing gaskets from time to time but usually only if they were oem as most of the new stuff just can’t handle it. At the end of the day the cost of a kit for me is worth not have to do the job twice and buy the kit anyway.

 

[ThomW]

I usually go with a real good cleaning versus just assuming I need a rebuild. Tear them down, remove any plastic/rubber parts, soak in a can of carb cleaner, the hit it with compressed air. Like tphoyt mentioned check the tiny holes in the jets and the like to make sure you got any gunk out. I will usually just buy a gasket set for the cleaning job, as they can often be worn out or rip during the breakdown...

 

[Chris1956]

Most marine carbs need to be periodically torn down cleaned, and rebuilt. The rebuilding parts are gaskets, which are real cheap and floats and inlet needles and seats which are pretty cheap. You need to make the aluminum passages and brass parts are nice and clean, when you do it.

Considering the carb work involved, and the short boating season, it makes sense (in my mind) to install those new parts, versus installing old gaskets, needles and floats. You only need a clean work area, some carb spray, safety glasses, rags, and some patience to make a clean and precise job of it. Remember to set the float height correctly.

2 Cycle motors have new fuel and lubricant in them, each time you use them. Make sure the fuel is clean and not old, and you should not need to rebuild carbs more than once every 5-8 years or more. I run some fuel stabilizer in the tank each off season.

I do not drain or run the carbs dry at lay up, and have rebuilt my carbs once in 17 years. I did that because the carb bowls warped, and I had to fix that.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Thanks guys. My username gives my cheapness away a little bit. Currently on a fixed income so any little bit helps. Thought maybe I could get away with just fuel bowl and intake gaskets as opposed to rebuild kits.

 

[stresspoint]

Thanks guys. My username gives my cheapness away a little bit. Currently on a fixed income so any little bit helps. Thought maybe I could get away with just fuel bowl and intake gaskets as opposed to rebuild kits.

it not being cheap in most cases to reassemble a carb using original or used parts.

IMO its being practical , reason : in most cases the carb is just dirty and in need of a clean , the parts in there would have been working just fine.

as i posted above , older dirt bikes are expensive for parts , carb kits , parts or replacement carbs are sometimes out of the question (not viable) so i have learned over the years how to take a carb apart and retain all the original parts including gaskets and most O rings.

outboard and inboard boat carbs fit the bill , being that i am in Australia , most carb kits a 3 or more times the price they are in the USA , plus i need to allow for shipping and wait times. so it is in my best interest to work a little longer on a boat carb and not damage stuff before ordering new parts if need be.

i have heaps of carbs for different outboard and inboard boats , and many motorcycle carbs all categorized so if i do happen to have to destroy a part i will more than likely have a spare part or gasket i can use.

 

[Chris1956]

Good for you, however, did you ever consider how much fuel costs, if it is leaking from the carb, because of a faulty inlet needle or float? A drip a minute will waste gallons over the course of a day.

Carb gaskets for an inline 6 Merc carb are $4US/carb. Gaskets, inlet needles, seats and floats are $50US for the 3 carbs. You pays your money, you takes your chances.

 

[lindy46]

If I'm going to all the trouble of removing the carb, I figure might as well put a kit in rather than just clean it. That way I'm sure everything is new and will last for years. This is especially true on larger engines where removing the carb requires removal of other components. On smaller engines like the 3hp Johnnyrudes, pulling the carb is easy, so I may just pull it, clean it and if the parts look OK, put it back together and see how she runs. If it subsequently needs a kit, it's no big deal to pull the carb again.

 

[racerone]

A carburetor is just a simple device that responds to the airflow in the venturi.-----If it is clean it will work just fine.-------Gaskets should be in reasonable condition and the carburetor will work for years.-----Carburetors do not fail instantly like modern sensors , computers and fuel injectors.-----And many folks will be shocked with unavailability of these modern parts.-----Many parts listed as NLA for motors as new as 2010 models.

 

[Crosbyman]

Case in point... BRP simply folded the Evinrude ETEC division a few years ago... thank you... good night... good luck !! while my 1950-1960 oldies still run fine with no sword above head .... they are my back-up now in case my modern beauty folds like Evindue 10 miles from camp.

 

[stresspoint]

Good for you, however, did you ever consider how much fuel costs, if it is leaking from the carb, because of a faulty inlet needle or float? A drip a minute will waste gallons over the course of a day.

Carb gaskets for an inline 6 Merc carb are $4US/carb. Gaskets, inlet needles, seats and floats are $50US for the 3 carbs. You pays your money, you takes your chances.

? do you not know how to check if either of those things are faulty ,
FYI> a quick check with a magnifying glass on the needle and a shake and inspection by eye will tell if the float is in reusable order or not.

this is part of the problem with society today people are too useless to inspect and determine if a part can be repaired or reused as is.

lots of fuel related parts get thrown away that is still perfectly usable and replaced with cheap china crap ,from what i have seen , 9 out of 10 times is going to need replacing again after it has sat up with fuel exposure for any length of time.

lets all keep a nice clean environment , just chuck out the old and buy new junk from china just so as you can chuck that to waste in a year or so .
or worse still have the china crap fail and leave you stranded .

 

[racerone]

Agreed---Parts for many older motors are easy to find.-----The new generations do not have knowledge of simple mechanical , reliable stuff.-----Wait till the wiring and sensors on new EV cars start to act up.----Hugely expensive repairs or " throw it away " are in the future.

 

[racerone]

Can you imagine a $20,000 battery that can not be repaired.-----And nobody wants to repair this stuff either.------The liability on the fire risk in an underground garage is huge.----Insurance simply will not approve the repairs to this modern " junk " in my opinion.

 

[stresspoint]

Agreed---Parts for many older motors are easy to find.-----The new generations do not have knowledge of simple mechanical , reliable stuff.-----Wait till the wiring and sensors on new EV cars start to act up.----Hugely expensive repairs or " throw it away " are in the future.

,(sarcasm ) did you not know that electric vehicles keep the environment clean.

well , yea , they recon they do but i tend to disagree,? what happens when all the materials and parts they are made from either become obsolete or they break down or worse still catch fire and cant be fixed by anyone , half the stuff can be recycled , yea , but ? what is the cost of that to the environment and the cost to the environment of the half that cant.

anyway all that is talk for another thread , OP has the right idea to clean and run his carbs and cudos to him for starting this thread as a discussion topic.

 

[Crosbyman]

soylent green is coming....

 

[racerone]

I used to work in a big powerplant that was considered " clean " by some.------I do not believe a coal fired powerplant is clean.-----I see the great lakes freighters bringing coal to power stations at 70,000 tons / load.-----Not clean electricity in my opinion.-----I have heard that many used gasoline powered cars / trucks end up overseas.-----Huge demand for them in Africa.-----So we are cleaning up the air on our continent at great expense.----Atmosphere will still be polluted elsewhere.

 

[stresspoint]

soylent green is coming....

i hope not . then again how do we know what is put in the foods we eat.

 

[racerone]

A visit to ---Mackinac Island----Might explain what clean transportation is.