Will carb cleaner ruin floats?

I'm taking apart my 1977 kz650-b1 and the carbs are a mess. Im going to soak them in a carb cleaning solution but i need to know if the floats are going to survive the process. I have tried removing them but all 4 are stuck. I tried spray cleaner but it hasn't helped much.
I tried to figure out what the floats are made of but i haven't had any luck so far.

you should be able to soak them for a short time, real short, if you have the plastic one it will eat them, did you try to drive the pin out with a small hammer and punch, dont hit too hard or it will break off the ears

They used some sort of plastic foam in a form to make the floats. I don't know that I would soak them in carb dip but I have never actually tried it. When I encounter a float that is frozen, I carefully apply a bit of heat to the metal part that covers the pin... just a second will usually get the float where it will pivot some. The floats will melt, but I have a lot of spare floats bwhahahaha... If you do get the pin out and yank on it with vise grips, make sure you file or sand the pin before re-installing so it will slide in smoothly.

I've soaked them in carb dip many times, even the great Napa stuff I use. It doesn't hurt the floats.

Something designed to function in gasoline for years on end better be able to take a product designed to clean it from time to time.

KZCSI

If the floats are ruined when I try this is it easy to get some new ones? I expected them to be included in carb kits but they aren't.

I personally wouldn't leave those floats on when I dipped the carbs. Lots of folks have indicated that it shouldn't hurt but I didn't hear anyone say they had tried it. The floats are not available in the aftermarket for your bike... later BS floats are available but not the ones on your VM24 carbs. You will need to buy another set of carbs to get the floats (parts carbs) if yours are ruined. I am not saying they will be; only that carb cleaner disolves plastic and rubber. Although the floats are made to sit in gas, the carb cleaner you are going to dip them in is made to dissolve dried gas goo.

You might try the vinegar trip reported in a post a couple of days ago. Looked like it cleaned up his carbs pretty well, and it's not toxic.

Z1Boise wrote:

You might try the vinegar trip reported in a post a couple of days ago. Looked like it cleaned up his carbs pretty well, and it's not toxic.

Actually, Ive been kicking that idea around. I saw that post last night and if i cant get the floats out then thats probably what im going to try.

EDIT: i have managed to remove 3 of the floats but unfortunately the last one wont budge for some reason. I'm going to keep trying every hour or so for the rest of the day and then I'm going to decide what to do with it.

EDIT #2: WOOOOOHOOO all 4 carbs are off. the counter punch idea worked like a charm. thanks everyone.

Post edited by: Shiska, at: 2007/06/30 17:00

Post edited by: Shiska, at: 2007/06/30 22:06