cleaning carburetor body and parts

[72LuxuryLeMansLa.]

I am going to rebuild a couple Q-jets. The cleaner that I used 25 years ago, last time I did this, is "Berryman Chem-dip" and it is now useless. I swear this stuff is about as useful as Formula 409 and smells just like it (ammonia base). I am not going to spend the money required for an ultrasonic cleaner for two carburetors unless this is BY FAR the best way to do this. Will soaking everything in a bucket of mineral spirits work? Is there a time limit to soak these things in mineral spirits? Is the ultrasonic cleaner the only really great option? I used them to clean Helicopter altimeters and airspeed indicators years ago so I know they work well.

Karl

[Ethan1]

I am going to rebuild a couple Q-jets. The cleaner that I used 25 years ago, last time I did this, is "Berryman Chem-dip" and it is now useless. I swear this stuff is about as useful as Formula 409 and smells just like it (ammonia base). I am not going to spend the money required for an ultrasonic cleaner for two carburetors unless this is BY FAR the best way to do this. Will soaking everything in a bucket of mineral spirits work? Is there a time limit to soak these things in mineral spirits? Is the ultrasonic cleaner the only really great option? I used them to clean Helicopter altimeters and airspeed indicators years ago so I know they work well.

Karl

 Welcome to Cliff's High Performance!

 I've used SuperClean before and it works great. Beware though, it takes EVERYTHING off. Including the plating on the flaps, etc.

[Frank400]

Not wanting to hijack this thread but when you say SuperClean removes everything including the plating, do you mean when left soaking for too long ?  If so, how long (max) should it soak so as not to remove any plating ?  Frank.

[TommyK]

I'm going to try Pinesol on the next one I do.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=560117&page=15

[Ethan1]

Not wanting to hijack this thread but when you say SuperClean removes everything including the plating, do you mean when left soaking for too long ?  If so, how long (max) should it soak so as not to remove any plating ?  Frank.

 Frank,
 Yes, if left in the solution for too long, it will do that. That's a mistake I made and now I take all the flaps off (Choke, secondaries, primaries, etc.). The rest of the linkage and stuff will probably need replated anyways, so I just put the rest in the SuperClean. It removes the dirt and crud pretty quick. You may try the Mineral Spirits as well. That is good stuff, too.

[429bbf]

F.W.I.W. I dont know if any of you guys have access to a hot water washer.we have one at work that runs 195 degrees and use a little simple green. it cleans the carbs up real nice and doesnt remove any of the plating.when you take them out they dry in about a min.the one i use  is made by better engineering.dean

[Paul]

I have always used Lacquer Thinner. Don't know if that's good or bad, but soaking parts over night, it cleaned everything.