Carb clean up advice

[Rampmonkey]

Doing a bit of autumn fettling and thought I'd give the webbers a bit of a once over. Any top tips for cleaning up old fuel residue, oil grease gunge and stuff? Is there any harm in whipping them off the engine for bench cleaning?

 

Cheers in advance!

 

Jase

[Drumster]

No harm in taking them off and if you do it's probably worth buying the service kit and replacing needle valves, gaskets fabric washers, springs etc. I think I just bought some carb cleaner and set to with a small brass bruch and old toothbrush. I also found a can of 'air duster' was useful for blowing out the bits you can't readily reach.

[kenny.]

Hiya Jase, I'd personally take the carbs off, it's very awkward to do much of a meaningfull clean up in situ.

 

I did this on my last carbed car 2 years ago. I actually used a super horrible chemical which I even had trouble sourcing to batter the bodies with when they were stripped down........a tip I got from a nice man on here...........but alas swore me to secrecy on it. Don't worry about a total nut and bolt strip down either Jase, honestly there is only one way all the bits go back together, very hard to make a mistake if not impossible, the job will be better dismantling them.

 

I'd soak the bodies in thinners first, then wash and scrub in the sink with soapy water, if OH is out then the dishwasher is better . Then it's just a question of putting a bit of a finish on them, when thoroughly dried out. Autosol via toothbrush or buffing wheel on Dremmel.......and then vigorous buffing off before reassembly.

 

Another must for a good job is to root out the guy who calls himself "fastroadcars", he's on Ebay and has a website and can supply every nut,screw and twiddly bit for the carbs............this makes the difference. I did touch lucky though and bought 2 refurb kits from another seller which saved a few bob..............it's a great job to do and the results can be great.

 

Good luck mate.

 

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp243/lotusman/IMG_0963.jpg

 

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp243/lotusman/IMG_0977-1.jpg

[Rampmonkey]

Epic! :-) I think I'll get cracking then! Fellas, did you have any issues with tuning etc when it's all back together or is it simply a case of making a note of settings etc?

 

Jase

[kenny.]

Again Jase not much tuning to do at all, just the normal setting up and balance.........in fact I'm certain there's a step by step guide for this in the FAQs on this site for you to look at

[kenny.]

Yep here

 

Edited by - kenny. on 30 Sep 2012 12:30:06

[Drumster]

Another vote for Fast Road Cars

 

Good effort Kenny, couldn't be 🙆🏻ed to get mine quite as shiny as yours 😶‍🌫️

[Rampmonkey]

Armed with that......off to the man cave! :-)

[Tyrone]

Why, oh why did I look at this thread! I've just had the carbs off to help with the rewire and I didn't bother to clean them. I must stop getting engine bay envy.

 

How much does he charge for the nuts, bolts and twiddly bits?

[Paul Deslandes]

Not sure about wisdom of putting the carb bodies in the dishwasher. Apart from the wroth of SWMBO the salt might attack the ali castings.

 

Blow through all drillings to clear water and any foreign bodies, either with compressed air or aerosol carb cleaner (also great for cleaning fouled plugs). If there's any hint of a blockage, gently clear with a thin oil way brush or thin wire. We found something had crept in and died or pupated, completely blocking the idle jet airway on one of John Bourne's Webbers. The car went a lot better after it was cleared out .

 

Definitely check float heights while you're in there as well.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Aluminium is a real no-no in a dishwasher. It turns very black !

[Mick Day]

Don't use dishwasher solution/powder/tablets with aluminium. Use automatic clothes washing solution/powder/tablets instead.