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Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? #787352
08/29/10 08:02 PM
08/29/10 08:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,838
Detroit, Michigan, USA!
peelerboy Offline OP
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peelerboy  Offline OP
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Detroit, Michigan, USA!
I've got an old Holley 650 vac.secondary that I'm rebuilding. The rear float bowl was damaged, but I was lucky enough to find another one at a local carb shop here in Detroit. Now I've got this spiffy looking rear float bowl while the other 75% of the carb looks nasty by comparison.

Are there any chemicals/solutions out there that I can soak the carb's body and other float bowl in to brighten & clean it up?


Another question, not really related, but looking for some miracle snake oil to solve my problems. I repainted my stock valve covers, but before doing so I removed the rubber grommets that seals the PCV and the breather can. These grommets are still intact, but are stiff from age and heat. Is there anything I can do to soften them up? (chemicals/solution)... or are there new grommets available for purchase at one of the many reproduction suppliers?

Thanks in advance, guys!

Dale

Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: peelerboy] #787353
08/29/10 08:23 PM
08/29/10 08:23 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 247
DuPont, Washington
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DZJim Offline
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DuPont, Washington
Don't know about restoring the finish, but I don't think you can do anything about the old rubber grommets except replace them. Most any good parts store will have replacements. Good luck on getting the old ones out. edit: Whoops, you got themout already. Mine had been in there for 35 years and a hassle removing

Last edited by DZJim; 08/29/10 08:25 PM.
Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: DZJim] #787354
08/29/10 09:39 PM
08/29/10 09:39 PM
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,412
northeast ohio
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hulmule Offline
pro stock
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northeast ohio
MEK, wow buy it at lowes. put some in a old gas tank and it came out shiny. it will eat some rubber gloves


1969 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible
1979 LiL Red x2
2012 Yellow Jacket
2006 mega cab
1977 Trailduster
1979 Trailduster
Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: peelerboy] #787355
08/29/10 10:09 PM
08/29/10 10:09 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 553
DE
Ply72rr Offline
mopar
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Posts: 553
DE

Last edited by Ply72rr; 08/29/10 10:11 PM.
Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: Ply72rr] #787356
08/29/10 11:57 PM
08/29/10 11:57 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,838
Detroit, Michigan, USA!
peelerboy Offline OP
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peelerboy  Offline OP
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Detroit, Michigan, USA!
Thanks for the suggestions, guys!!

Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: peelerboy] #787357
08/30/10 01:33 AM
08/30/10 01:33 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 752
AZ - The "dry heat" state
71autoxr Offline
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71autoxr  Offline
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AZ - The "dry heat" state
I made an improvised soda blaster and used household baking soda to do mine. Came out like new. Mine had old nasty gas dried in the bowls and I was surprised how nice it was. While I didn't try MEK, I did use carb cleaner and brake cleaner to loosen it to no avail. When I was done with the body I did all the parts, then rinsed with water.


68 AMX mopars red headed stepchild
69 Dart GT Convertible 340 4 speed
71 Challenger - looks like the avatar!
Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: 71autoxr] #787358
08/30/10 01:56 AM
08/30/10 01:56 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,838
Detroit, Michigan, USA!
peelerboy Offline OP
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peelerboy  Offline OP
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Quote:

I made an improvised soda blaster and used household baking soda to do mine. Came out like new. Mine had old nasty gas dried in the bowls and I was surprised how nice it was. While I didn't try MEK, I did use carb cleaner and brake cleaner to loosen it to no avail. When I was done with the body I did all the parts, then rinsed with water.




I'm intrigued by this home brewed method you came up with. Can you go into a little more detail? You used baking soda...and what else? How did you apply it/soak it?

Dale

Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: peelerboy] #787359
08/31/10 01:04 AM
08/31/10 01:04 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 752
AZ - The "dry heat" state
71autoxr Offline
super stock
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AZ - The "dry heat" state
Quote:



I'm intrigued by this home brewed method you came up with. Can you go into a little more detail? You used baking soda...and what else? How did you apply it/soak it?

Dale




Well i knew of the effects of soda blasting other stuff as I was doing some painted parts at the time. I stumbled upon this link:

http://www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/soda_blaster/

I figured for some poly tubing and a .99 cent box of soda I couldn't help but try it.

My subject was a edelbrock carb that sat around on a 400cid for several years. The bowls were full of crud. I used one can of spray carb cleaner, and one can of brake cleaner just trying to cut through the crud. After I ran out of chemicals I made the blaster with what I had lying around went to the kitchen to get the arm and hammer out of the cabinet, set up a sawhorse with the carb and parts and went to town. Blasting took all of 5 minutes. blew it with compressed air and rinsed with water. Been running on a poly 318 in a 59 belvedere for almost a year now.

I have a few pics, too large to attach apparently, but the ones on the above website are quite like the ones I have.


68 AMX mopars red headed stepchild
69 Dart GT Convertible 340 4 speed
71 Challenger - looks like the avatar!
Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: 71autoxr] #787360
08/31/10 09:49 AM
08/31/10 09:49 AM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 837
Highland, Michigan
1972Rallye Offline
super stock
1972Rallye  Offline
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Posts: 837
Highland, Michigan
Dale

Just be aware that some of the old Holleys have brass plugs pressed in and then crimped over (non servicable). There is a rubber o-ring in there that can break-down with exposure to some of the more harsh cleaning chemicals. A common fix for the leak that will develope is gas-resistant epoxy spread over the plug.

If you don't mind me asking, what carb shop did you find parts at? I need to have bushings installed in a throttle plate...

Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: 1972Rallye] #787361
08/31/10 01:23 PM
08/31/10 01:23 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,838
Detroit, Michigan, USA!
peelerboy Offline OP
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peelerboy  Offline OP
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Detroit, Michigan, USA!
Thanks for the great info, Rick!


Quote:

Dale

If you don't mind me asking, what carb shop did you find parts at? I need to have bushings installed in a throttle plate...




The shop I got my float bowl from is a great little shop over in St. Clair Shores called American Carburetor Services. Here's their location & contact info:

23325 Harper Avenue
St Clair Shores, MI 48080-1443
(586) 772-6282


Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: peelerboy] #787362
09/01/10 11:48 AM
09/01/10 11:48 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 304
Ohio
LS-300 Offline
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Ohio
This may sound weird but has been tried and works on motorcycle carbs. A mixture on 1/3 pine-sol and 2/3 water. This has been used and found out that is cleaned without damage to the rubber parts. It usually will be allowed to soak for a couple of days then the parts hit with compressed air. One gut actually rigged a palm sander to the bucket to make it similar to an ultrasonic cleaner. Using the Pine-sol (original) with the pine oil in it as the newer type doesn’t work without it.


1979 Chrysler 300 1968 Barracuda project
Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: LS-300] #787363
10/04/10 02:35 AM
10/04/10 02:35 AM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,906
IL, Aurora
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ademon Offline
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IL, Aurora
tried the baking soda blaster in the link above, worked good might need two big boxes of soda to do a real stained carb

Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: ademon] #787364
10/04/10 02:38 AM
10/04/10 02:38 AM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,679
Fresno, CA
Jim_Lusk Offline
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Jim_Lusk  Offline
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Fresno, CA
The last PCV grommet that I bought came from the dealer........

Re: Old carburetor clean-up chemicals? [Re: Ply72rr] #787365
10/04/10 06:21 AM
10/04/10 06:21 AM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,285
Pacific NW USA
CompSyn Offline
pro stock
CompSyn  Offline
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Pacific NW USA
Quote:

carb cleaner dip




I've used this stuff in the past. It works well, I'll give it that, but it's so darn caustic that I'll be looking to other options with future projects...







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