Combustion Chamber Cleaner for Cleaning Carbs?

I've decided to give my carbs a little cleaning to see if I can get my bike started. I also wanted to do some inspection to determine if an entire rebuild is needed.

I poked around the internet for a couple hours, trying to find out the best method to use. I read a lot of complaints about how "new carb cleaner doesn't work as well as the old stuff." In addition, some other suggestions pusheed me toward Combustion Chamber Cleaner (of the Mopar brand).

I've got an old lawn trimmer that wasn't starting, so I decided to 'test' the Combustion Chamber Cleaner on that thing. What I found was that it left an oily film on all the carb parts. I don't know if that's good for carb parts, so I cleaned off the oily film with WD40... which seemed to remove the residue pretty well. Then I wiped them all down with paper towel and blew them all with compressed air (and hit all the passage-ways).

I still have more work to do on the trimmer, so I didn't get it started. But I'm worried about continuing to use the Combustion Chamber Cleaner on carb parts.

Any thoughts on this subject?

Thanks in advance!

Sea foam in the gas tank,best/easiest carb cleaner I know of on a running engine anyway

I soaked my carbs in 50/50 Simple Green and water for 24 hours. Then scrubbed them with hot water. Then probed all the passage ways with a very small wire. Then blew compressed air, of the can variety with the squeeze trigger and straw, through the passage ways like shown in the FSM to make sure all circuits were clear. You could use carb cleaner in the aerosol with the straw too, but I didnt have any. I did this once to my carbs and seemed to work. Compressed air/fluids should be used sparingly on carbs and only as a diagnostic. I don't believe just soaking carbs will clean junk from passage ways, only softens/loosens what's in there so you can dislodge it with a wire or torch cleaner.

Alan

Welcome back Wireman.

If your going to run some thing thru the tank try Berryman 's b12.
It won't leave an oily residue, Sea Foam does but it works just as well.
Just throwing another option out there.
As for spray can stuff, I use CarQuest's house brand.

PaulyWally wrote: I've decided to give my carbs a little cleaning to see if I can get my bike started. I also wanted to do some inspection to determine if an entire rebuild is needed.

I poked around the internet for a couple hours, trying to find out the best method to use. I read a lot of complaints about how "new carb cleaner doesn't work as well as the old stuff." In addition, some other suggestions pusheed me toward Combustion Chamber Cleaner (of the Mopar brand).

I've got an old lawn trimmer that wasn't starting, so I decided to 'test' the Combustion Chamber Cleaner on that thing. What I found was that it left an oily film on all the carb parts. I don't know if that's good for carb parts, so I cleaned off the oily film with WD40... which seemed to remove the residue pretty well. Then I wiped them all down with paper towel and blew them all with compressed air (and hit all the passage-ways).

I still have more work to do on the trimmer, so I didn't get it started. But I'm worried about continuing to use the Combustion Chamber Cleaner on carb parts.

Any thoughts on this subject?

Thanks in advance!

WD-40 will leave oily residue on everything. Get some spray carb cleaner or non chlorinated brake cleaner. It leaves no residue.

Brake parts cleaner is ok for carbs? Will it hurt any non-metal parts?

Will simple green hurt any non-metal parts?

I ask because I will be disassembling the carbs to clean them. And I'm wondering what parts I can and cannot clean with certain cleaners.

PaulyWally wrote: Brake parts cleaner is ok for carbs? Will it hurt any non-metal parts?

Will simple green hurt any non-metal parts?

I ask because I will be disassembling the carbs to clean them. And I'm wondering what parts I can and cannot clean with certain cleaners.

Protect anything rubber like the diaphragms from any chemical solvents. Most carburetors use plastic that is resistant to strong solvents. I have not had any problems using commercial carb cleaners or non chlor brake cleaners.

I don't use simple green or water based cleaners.

wireman wrote: Sea foam in the gas tank,best/easiest carb cleaner I know of on a running engine anyway

I agree with wireman!!
I use SeaFoam in my '75Z1-B 900 gas tank.
Follow regular "Mixing instruction during the riding season.
When its sat all winter I double the mix ( label says to do that for "Cleaning" on first tank of season.
Since I started doing this, my bike runs and starts much better. :woohoo:
Seafoam also says it acts as a "Stabilizer" for Winter/Storage use. just my .002
Regards
TennesseeZ Ed

ed spangler wrote:

wireman wrote: Sea foam in the gas tank,best/easiest carb cleaner I know of on a running engine anyway

I agree with wireman!!
I use SeaFoam in my '75Z1-B 900 gas tank.
Follow regular "Mixing instruction during the riding season.
When its sat all winter I double the mix ( label says to do that for "Cleaning" on first tank of season.
Since I started doing this, my bike runs and starts much better. :woohoo:
Seafoam also says it acts as a "Stabilizer" for Winter/Storage use. just my .002
Regards
TennesseeZ Ed

That sounds great. Unfortunately my bike isn't running. On top of that, all I can start her with is the kick start. So I'm going to disassemble the carbs for a good cleaning. I'm also finding that this bike was abused quite a bit prior to my acquisition of her. In that sense, I feel like a tear down might be more apt.

Thanks!

Give Sea foam a try... I´ve been using it in my jeep after many water trails and runs really good after all the abuse I have given him. just yesterday used sea foam in my EFI kz1000 who used to die while hard opening the throttle from idle (too much air due clogged injectors ?). Today she idle as brand new and recovered a fastest throttle response.

I used 2/3 in the fuel, 1/6 in vacuum not letting her die, 1/6 in vaccum letting her die and then rest all night.

When the carbs and chambers get flooded with so much fuel+seafoam and little O2 it dies, letting the liquid trapped there. There is where the cleaning magic really happens.

After 12 hrs the first run made her trow out all the dirty seafoam (where from? I want to believe it was the return hose from pump) and keep puffing white smoke for 2 miles.