Well I finally broke down and bought a ultrasonic cleaner. I have only ridden my beater bike my 89 fj this year due to getting a job at a new company after 37years at quad. And now starting in the new heat treat department. Anyway. I'll be cleaning carbs on atleast 6 of the 13 bikes that I own next year.
It's a 22L vevor $208 delivered. It's 20" wide so plenty of room for a rack of carbs.
Dan,
Please do not clean the carbs assembled as the rack. There is no way to get the water and soap solution out of many crevasses when assembled. Take them completely apart.
BTDT and learned the hard lessons
Randy - RPM
Randy, what is that $$ special cleaning solution you use?
I've been using the Simple Green Aluminum safe stuff,
https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Aircraft-Precision-Cleaner-13406/dp/B001VXU7OE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1EAMKIZUXEVJ0&keywords=simple+green+aluminum&qid=1696429937&sprefix=simple+green+aluminu%2Caps%2C948&sr=8-3 (https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Aircraft-Precision-Cleaner-13406/dp/B001VXU7OE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1EAMKIZUXEVJ0&keywords=simple+green+aluminum&qid=1696429937&sprefix=simple+green+aluminu%2Caps%2C948&sr=8-3)
It works nice on all of the aluminum bits I have been cleaning and repainting or powder coating. It won't eat away the metal like some chemicals will, DON'T use the regular Simple Green on aluminum.
I concur with Randy, disassemble as much as possible to allow the cleaning solution to get onto all of the surfaces and to get it rinsed off as well, then reassemble. I use Parker O-Lube on the o-ring seals and the diaphragm sealing beads to promote good seals and potentially increase the life of the seals.
Quote from: Pat Conlon on October 03, 2023, 06:39:09 PM
Randy, what is that $$ special cleaning solution you use?
Chem-crest 235 is what we use and has worked very well without discoloring of aluminum and other parts.
Thanks George and Robert!
Yes thanks much. I was planning on taking the carbs apart just didn't want to take the rack apart. Had heard that simple green pro hd purple concentrate was aluminum compatible and cheaper.
I thought so too Dan....until I found that I had to separate the carbs anyway to get those fuel inlet T's and bowl vent T's out to replace the o rings. Lesson learned: I have soaked an assembled rack of carb bodies (carbs disassembled) put everything back together with fresh o rings (almost all new o rings) then have those darn fuel inlet T's start dripping fuel.......crap....
Quote from: giantkiller on October 05, 2023, 12:52:06 PM
Yes thanks much. I was planning on taking the carbs apart just didn't want to take the rack apart.
You have to so that you can get all of the water/cleaner out of the carbs. Those places like the tees hold the water/leaning solution and will either contaminate the fuel when the bike starts or continue to etch the aluminum when the water/cleaner gets between the dual o-rings. Lets not get started on the tiny orifices of the choke circuits...
Quote from: gdfj12 on October 04, 2023, 09:35:27 AMI've been using the Simple Green Aluminum safe stuff,
https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Aircraft-Precision-Cleaner-13406/dp/B001VXU7OE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1EAMKIZUXEVJ0&keywords=simple+green+aluminum&qid=1696429937&sprefix=simple+green+aluminu%2Caps%2C948&sr=8-3 (https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Aircraft-Precision-Cleaner-13406/dp/B001VXU7OE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1EAMKIZUXEVJ0&keywords=simple+green+aluminum&qid=1696429937&sprefix=simple+green+aluminu%2Caps%2C948&sr=8-3)
It works nice on all of the aluminum bits I have been cleaning and repainting or powder coating. It won't eat away the metal like some chemicals will, DON'T use the regular Simple Green on aluminum.
I concur with Randy, disassemble as much as possible to allow the cleaning solution to get onto all of the surfaces and to get it rinsed off as well, then reassemble. I use Parker O-Lube on the o-ring seals and the diaphragm sealing beads to promote good seals and potentially increase the life of the seals.
The Simple Green Extreme is a great product for the ultrasonic....I highly recommend it too!