Best Carb Cleaner now adays??

Fred from MO · Dec 18, 2016

I think I have to rebuild a carb on the ol van. Its a 25 years old holley and sits a lot and was new when I bought the carb to replace to old Quadrajet that it replaced. Are there any good carb cleaners to dip a 4 barrel in anymore? I see Berrymans out there, but with the regulations is it still good? Any other ideas and methods used today would be appreciated. I haven't rebuilt a carb in a long time.

old · Dec 18, 2016

Berry mans is still ok. Ya not as good as it once was but that is why I still have one can of the old stuff. You can also use mineral spirits to soak them in. No matter what I do also spray them out with the O'Reilly's brand carb cleaner in the spray can

RESLLS · Dec 18, 2016

I just use lacquer thinner. Final spray with can of cheap spray.

Buster · Dec 18, 2016

Where I work we have a ultra sonic cleaner. Works great on carbs and we use simple green or 409 in it. Doesn't work to well on the old cast iron carbs but works great on the aluminum castings.

da.bees · Dec 18, 2016

The mess that collect's and dry's in carbs is alcohol soluble therefore a soak in denatured alcohol will loosen alot of it so that cleaners do a better job.

Frank 41 · Dec 18, 2016

E 85.

GarryinNC · Dec 18, 2016

Last one I did, I got an old blue enamel canner at the thrift store ($5) filled it with enough 'Purple Power' or Greased Lightning, and set it on an electric hot plate and let it cook a while. Poor man's hot tank. Worked well. Saved solution for reuse.

Garry

David G · Dec 18, 2016

I use the caustic cleaner from NAPA

retired farmer · Dec 18, 2016

I buy five gallons of lacquer thinner and get a pan that the carb will fit in and cover it with thinner for several hours, then rinse it with clean thinner.

Texasmark1 · Dec 18, 2016

Berryman's Chem Tool works for me every time.

Mike M · Dec 19, 2016

Is your Holley the spread bore direct Q jet replacement ? I had one of those years ago. I could only get the power valve as part of a complete kit that one they did not sell separately. If yours is that old a good chance it does not have the backfire check valve to help save power valves. I'd get the kit and install one if it doesn't have one.

Bryan inIowa · Dec 19, 2016

For one time cleaning it would be cheaper to take it into a shop and give them some cash for cleaning it. Then you you wont have 5 gal pail of cleaner sitting . Hydro seal, Gunk, Berryman ,CRC ,they are all pretty much the same anymore .Gone are they days of dropping a screwdriver in it and having the handle melt off,lol. Depending of the type of cleaning a carb needs I used hydroseal, or my engine hot tank cabinet, sometimes CLR if there are rust lime deposits. worst case glass bead blaster. Have vibrating tumbler and ultrasonic tank too.

teddy52food · Dec 19, 2016

I cook the old cast iron tractor carbs in a lye solution for an hour or so.

Ron-MO · Dec 19, 2016

Like some others have commented, I purchased a gallon at Wal Mart (approx. $18 unfortunately), but seemed to work, although best to soak overnight. I have also used Lacquer thinner with success, but price of that has gone through the roof as of past few years. I also buy the spray carb cleaner to blast out what remains after coming out of the Berryman cleaner in the gallon can. If you can remove the major crud before soaking, it is re-usable over and over, and one could run it through a coffee filter to extend the life.

rustyfarmall · Dec 19, 2016

Berryman's is nothing more than brake fluid. If it works, it is because the carburetor was not all that dirty to begin with.

Best thing I have found is carburetor and choke cleaner in a spray can.

Use the Berryman's, but follow up with the spray can stuff.

Hayfarmer · Dec 19, 2016

Not sure of the brand, but I bought a gallon of carb cleaner from NAPA, had a basket in it for retreiving parts. It sat for a while on my bench then I used it on a couple carbs. After a while the can started leaking. They told me at NAPA that once you get it contaminated with dirt and stuff from a carb that it sets up a reaction and eats the can. Not sure what type vessel you could put this stuff in to avoid this.

rustyfarmall · Dec 19, 2016

(quoted from post at 10:49:34 12/19/16) Not sure of the brand, but I bought a gallon of carb cleaner from NAPA, had a basket in it for retreiving parts. It sat for a while on my bench then I used it on a couple carbs. After a while the can started leaking. They told me at NAPA that once you get it contaminated with dirt and stuff from a carb that it sets up a reaction and eats the can. Not sure what type vessel you could put this stuff in to avoid this.

N.A.P.A. used to have the best carb cleaner out there. Then the E.P.A. stepped in. The NAPA stuff is still good, just not nearly as good as it once was. It used to be powerful enough that you DID NOT get it on your skin.

You might try transferring that stuff into a plastic bucket.

Texasmark1 · Dec 19, 2016

Berryman's aerosol is what I use. I don't use the dip on any of it. Last dip I bought was years ago and was Gunk brand and yeah it looked and
felt like brake fluid; real slimy and didn't evaporate off the carb like the aerosol does.

Best Carb Cleaner now adays??

Fred from MO

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old

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RESLLS

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Buster

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da.bees

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Frank 41

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GarryinNC

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David G

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retired farmer

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Texasmark1

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Mike M

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Bryan inIowa

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teddy52food

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Ron-MO

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rustyfarmall

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Hayfarmer

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rustyfarmall

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Texasmark1

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