Using Carb Cleaner

[freckvan1]

Evening All ,

I'm going to attempt the hand over Carb method in trying to clear dirt within ,
following up with Carb Cleaner .

1984 , 1,9 DG , W/C , Pierburg 2E

Read the Wicki and just need confirmation of removing Air Filter on Carb , is this
done prior to start up ? Anything to watch out for ?

When using Carb Cleaner which is the best method/procedure in spraying
the Carb and any advice on which Carb Cleaner is most effective .?
Thanks,
Atb,
Chris

[fairwynds]

Take top of carb air box off. With van cold and before touching accelerator pedal, spray carb cleaner over inside and outside of carb. Follow directions on can but usually leave fir couple minutes to allow it to 'de gum' the throat of carb etc. Now depress accelerator pedal to floor once, and release it. Do not start engine yet. Go peer down carb to check position of choke flap, should be closed. Now go start your van, and when running give some revs to clear the crap out. Again, follow directions on can.
As for which is best product? Any of the named brands will do pretty much same job..
If carb really bad, only way is to remove and do complete refurb.....pays fir itself in no time with improved economy.

[freckvan1]

Cheers Fairwynds , just what I needed .
I'll give it a go in morning and let you know, thanks mate .
Atb,
Chris

[kevtherev]

In my experience cleaning the float bowl needed the carb to be split to get at it properly.

[ghost123uk]

I'm going to attempt the hand over Carb method in trying to clear dirt within ,

That ^^^ occasionally works, but please use an old paperback book or summat, not your hand! - Get engine warm, rev it up quite high by hand on the carb lever, place book over carb mouth whilst at the same time shoving the carb lever fully open, the engine will die (due to lack of any air getting in), that is fine. You then might have a bit of trouble starting it as it will be well flooded, but a wide open throttle and a couple of goes on the key should fire it up. It will run lumpy for a few seconds as it clears the excess fuel drawn in. Sometimes it clears a minor blockage, sometimes not.

Aside = putting your hand over the air intake is not recommended due to the amount of suction that can be present. On a Diesel engine it can suck the insides of your hand into the engine

[freckvan1]

Thanks John , Kev and Fairwynds for replying and sound advice .

Yup I'll use a book ( maybe Osborne's Austerity Plan!) .

I know I need to strip Carb down at some time , so I'll have a bash
practising on an old Pierburg 2E I have before I take the plunge .
In the meantime I'll try as you suggest .

Atb,
Chris

[ghost123uk]

I know I need to strip Carb down at some time

Don't forget to source a new top to base gasket before splitting the carb Chris, = Available here "other sources are of course available"

Re carb cleaner, I am never sure whether it does much of use. It may clean linkages etc, and the 2E3 has plenty, but paraffin or WD40 does that too. What do you reckon kevtherev?

[kevtherev]

You just can't beat a good strip down, a nylon bristle and compressed air.

[what2do]

In my experience of regularly using carb cleaner when I raced motorbikes, it's crap! Once upon a time, it used to be very effective but now all the 'bad stuff' has been removed from the product, it's very ineffective. I have many times removed and stripped the carb on my bike and cleaned with coca cola - the best thing out there for the job IMHO. Sometimes if I remembered at the end of a season, I'd send it off for ultrasonic cleaning and request the company would wrap the debris in a white tissue and return it with the carb - it's surprising when you see the amount of varnishes that can accumulate.

Used to cost me £20 for a clean, including onstage if I supplied suitable packaging.

[CovKid]

Cellulose thinners (if you have any) cleans the metal parts of a carb brilliantly. Use in a well ventilated area though.

[what2do]

Cellulose thinners (if you have any) cleans the metal parts of a carb brilliantly. Use in a well ventilated area though.

No need, put a towel over your head and enjoy the 'ride'

[Ian and Lins]

Not big enough for a whole carb but bits of one in a ;

https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/s ... cleaner-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ghost123uk]

I'm glad some of the other "seasoned" mechanics on here agree that in general carb cleaner is pretty much a waste of time and money.

I too use a nylon bristle for jets and WD40 for general cleaning up of linkages etc, using an old toothbrush, followed by a squirt of aerosol grease.

I was cleaning 2 carbs off a neighbours Ducati motorbike that had been left, stored in a shed, with fuel containing Ethanol in it, for about 5 years
Boy those carbs were a real gunky mess inside. He had some carb cleaner but it barely did anything at all to the snotty gunk. I then spent ages with lint free rags, toothbrush, WD40, thinners, petrol etc but it was turning out to be a very tedious job. I then decided to see what very hot soapy water in a washing up bowl did. Wish I had tried it before as it actually was very good at loosening all that messy gunk. "Keep it simple" eh.

Cellulose thinners (if you have any) cleans the metal parts of a carb brilliantly. Use in a well ventilated area though.

No need, put a towel over your head and enjoy the 'ride'

Shame you can't still buy Trichloroethylene

[kevtherev]

I'm glad some of the other "seasoned" mechanics on here agree that in general carb cleaner is pretty much a waste of time and money.

I too use a nylon bristle for jets and WD40 for general cleaning up of linkages etc, using an old toothbrush, followed by a squirt of aerosol grease.

I was cleaning 2 carbs off a neighbours Ducati motorbike that had been left, stored in a shed, with fuel containing Ethanol in it, for about 5 years
Boy those carbs were a real gunky mess inside. He had some carb cleaner but it barely did anything at all to the snotty gunk. I then spent ages with lint free rags, toothbrush, WD40, thinners, petrol etc but it was turning out to be a very tedious job. I then decided to see what very hot soapy water in a washing up bowl did. Wish I had tried it before as it actually was very good at loosening all that messy gunk. "Keep it simple" eh.

Cellulose thinners (if you have any) cleans the metal parts of a carb brilliantly. Use in a well ventilated area though.

No need, put a towel over your head and enjoy the 'ride'

Shame you can't still buy Trichloroethylene

Oh but you can!
It's subversive guise is "panel wipe" I'd know that aroma anywhere

[ghost123uk]

Ahh, ^^^ good to know
Guess what I will be cadging some of next time I go near a body shop
It's the best general solvent I know of (with Acetone a close second).