Any one got a magic formula to clean su carbs,
I have tried carb clean, brake clean, nappy san, kero, mag cleaner,

I would like to dip them in some sort of soultion and clean them sparkly clean.

My dad had a formula to clean alui heads which worked really well but i cannot remember it and unfortuntley he his no longer with us.

Any one got a potions i could try

Spent half a day just cleaning one carb

Thanks

Kiwiinwgtn

A mix of ammonia and water does wonders to aluminium and brass. Dip them in and watch them clean up in under half an hour.

Hideously important to wash all the ammonia off after cleaning.

Works a treat on old carbs covered in buildup.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

caustic???

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-jamie-
1963morris 850
1965 solid side van
1994 rover racecar

I think it attacks alloys.

No it's not caustic, just smelly. You put it in for no more than half an hour and rinse, rinse, rinse.

Motorcycle shops do this for manky motorcycle carburettors, and have been doing so for years.

But yes, I must stress that you rinse them off thouroughly after taking them out in tap water to stop the process. Brass will turn black if left to oxidise in the open air.

I wonder if that is what your father used to use?

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

what ratio?

I think you will find carby specialists use a low concentration of phosphoric acid to clean carbies, mag wheel etc. It is an acid, so threat it with respect.

Not sure about carby use, but the engine reconditioing game used cresylic acid to decarbonise aluminium alloy pistons etc when I worked there.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I believe I used 30 percent last time i did it (2002). All it does is slow down the process based on the water mix so you can start low and ramp it up. I've got a few bits of ally to treat from the Cooper, so I can give it a go in the next few days and post the results.

Yes it is corrosive to copper, zinc, aluminium and their alloys in it's pure form. the household stuff is very very dilute yet does a great job. I'll pick some cloudy ammonia up from bunnings and let you know.

EDIT: I've got some parts bubbling away in a small bucket as we speak, will let you know soon the result.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Nulon carby/throttlebody cleaner is what I use. If it doesn't get it off the first time round, leave it soak for a few mins then hit it again.

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Yep good stuff, has other uses too. A whiff thru the plughole starts my recalcitrant Victa 4 stroke mower when winter is gone and it still wants to sleep.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

thanks Mick

dad must have used something simular, i know it came from mums laundry..

I will try some over the weekend

Post the results of your bucket exsperiment

Ta

B

I gave the ammonia a go, and the results aren't what i remembered...

Two very oxidised parts were dropped in two solutions, 1/3 Ammonia/Water and 100 Percent Ammonia. They were as they came off the car, not a bit of cleaning was done to the parts prior to dropping them in.

After two hours, the first part (ally rear subframe mount) which was literally covered in white aluminium oxide was clean and normal as if the part had been used every day. It is ready to be painted but it is in no way shiny. The other part (SU float bowl lid) was in a similar state after a shorter period in the 100 percent solution. Although it is nice and clean again and in fact ready to bolt on, it is not scoured clean.....

So the results are OK, but not as clean as i expected, something has changed. The wifey(pHd BSci Chem) reckons the dilution of the supermarket grade ammonia is too great. I reckon she might know what's what... It removed every last scrap of petrol residue clinging to the lid. There's not a bit left. it might be good for cleaning up the fuel bowls with residue in the bottom.

i will probably do this again to the entire carb prior to storing it away. At 1.40 for 1 litre of ammonia from coles it is cheaper than carb cleaner with similar results. A nice simple way of removing oxidised Aluminium without the scubbing anyway.

I'm gonna leave one out overnight in the now mixed 60 persent solution anyhoo and see what happens.

Front bowl

Rear treated bowl

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

looking good, get the wife to get the text books out and make us up a magic solution.. could be your retirement fund or car money fund,

what do they use in the carb repair shops i wonder

If you really want ally bits clean, put on some heavy gloves and clean the bits with paint stripper, giving it a good scrubbing in with a toothbrush or steel wool. . .yes, the paint stripper does contain some caustic, so I wouldn't leave it on there for hours or anything but this is a one-step way of removing grease, oxidation and any paint that might be on there. Rinse the parts really well with water afterwards and blow them dry with compressed air.