Best way to clean carbs

The $60 can't be right. Try another NAPA dealer. I don't like using the NAPA stuff as it has too much oil in it that stays on the carb bodies when removed. It fouls the solution in my ultrasonic cleaner. GUNK brand, sold at Autozone, is about as good and isn't as oily. The new reformulated CHEM-DIP, is as Ron pointed out, a waste of money. Used to be, Chem-Dip was nasty but now is weak and very ineffective. I mainly use chemicals for stripping paint off painted carb bodies as the chemicals don't do a great job cleaning internal passageways.

Hey, I'm going to throw my experience into the ring.. I'm not an experience carburetor person but have done some carb rebuilding for my own uses. I am not refuting anybody else, I am only giving information that I know.

I agree that the Berryman Carburetor Cleaner that comes in the round can part #0996 is worthless.. Seems like mineral spirits with oil. I do like the Berryman Chem Dip #0901 gallon square can. Its more yellow in color from the other stuff. And, it worked well for me. I noticed on its container (I'm no chemist) it has benzene and chromium which I know are really frowned upon by the EPA. So it must be good.... I use it in the can with the basket after I dumped the other stuff out...
About $20 bucks for the gallon can

The next set gets the lemon juice... At least my ands will smell nice...

Richard Z

I wish I'd read this thread before I wasted money on Chem-Dip. It's crap.

George, where did you get your ultrasonic cleaner? I'd love to get something like that.

Cheers,

Matt

I wish I'd read this thread before I wasted money on Chem-Dip. It's crap.

George, where did you get your ultrasonic cleaner? I'd love to get something like that.

Cheers,

Matt

They either made a mistake or are way out of line for $60 on the Napa cleaner. The pail, which includes the solution, the dip tray ect, should be around $25 and a gallon of the solution alone somewhere around $15. It's been a few years though, some stuff has skyrocketed like gas and the price of a quart of oil, so I could be wrong.

del

I went to Napa's website but couldn't find it. I only have one Napa store near my house. I took Wiredgeorge's advice and bought the Gunk brand. That should work fine!!

Am I the only one that remembers Ibsen's carb cleaning method?
Get 2 litres of very hot water and toss in 4-5 teaspoons of Baking Powder, not Baking Soda. Put your carbs in and let it set until the water is cool.

can u chuck in the whole carbs as one ? or do u first need to remove all the rubbery things and seals?

Hey Guys,I just came back from Napa and the carb cleaner that they are selling is called kleen-flo in a gallon container but they want 52.00 dollars plus tax so i went to a small engine repair shop that sells chain saws and snow blowers and bought it there for 45.00 bucks tax in.I hope this stuff works because i just bought a 1975 900 kawa and the carbs are varnished.
Mike
1975 900
1980 kz750
1975 cb360
1994 fxdl 1340

Hey yggy, You will need to take them all apart because most of these carb cleaners will harm o-rings, gaskets and plastic parts.

I've used Honda-Brite on almost every carb I've rebuilt. Its not the spray on aerosol, but the stuff in the red bottle at your Honda bike dealer. I have a tupperware bowl that's big enough to submerged a carb in that I use to store it and to soak the carb in. Let it sit in there for a half hour to an hour and rinse with clean water. It normally takes the tarnish off and makes the carb squeaky clean. Just remember to remove all the rubber pieces you can.

The Honda-Brite comes in, I think, 1Qt. And it retails for somewhere around $7-8. I just keep reusing it. The same quart has lasted me about 10 carbs and still going.

Later, Doug