Honda Rebel 250 & 450 Forum banner

Non-toxic Carb Cleaning

1K views 11 replies 3 participants last post by  flitecontrol 
#1 ·
Just a note on an experiment that seems to be OK. Feedback?

I cleaned my carb successfully recently by soaking in Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) and water, overnight. Oil and gunk was removed well. I also soaked some rusty components in phosphoric acid, now shiny.

Shook out water and blew channels out with standard carb can solvent spray, to be sure. But this is much less toxic intensive due to the prior soda soak.

The components were not negatively affected by the soda. No problem with seals. Soaking also made the overall job less messy without oil residues on the carb.
 
#3 · (Edited)
The engine was not running smooth. I cleaned the carb and all seems fine now. There was some diesel carbon coating the inner surfaces if that might have been an issue. There was some fine corrosion on end of the long needle connected to the smaller vacuum membrane. Buffed that clean, about 3/4" of corrosion.
 
#4 ·
There is more to it though. The tank reserve valve is not working well, and that starved the carb of fuel, during reserve positions, at least, so maybe my carb cleaning efforts were pointless.

Yesterday, I blew out the tank valve, both normal and reserve positions, and will remove to inspect this in a few days. Not sure what do do with the tank, but I do have a filter inline.
 
#5 ·
And the final verdict. Tank valve reserve position doesn't work, seems broken, part lodged in tank. Reserve flow highly restricted. Had to drive at 15 mph to gas station. Non-OEM part from Amazon. Lasted 2 years.
 
#6 ·
I have now cleaned the carb with an ultrasonic cleaner. Installing the carb was hell because I couldn't remember how I got the air tube connected to the box and fitted on the carb. Went through hell, then the idea came, yea!

They say if it is difficult you are doing it wrong. I thought the carb tube install was the exception, but perhaps not...

Steps:

Install carb with tube removed. Then put some vegetable oil on tube for workability. Work in warm weather for plastic tube flexibility.

Push the tube through the box towards the carb, and pull the 'rabbit ears' to position the tube slightly over the carb opening.

The trick: In the box area, push in one edge of the tube so that the cross-section is indented, popped inward (cross section now looks like Pack-Man). The tube is now a smaller diameter.

This will allow you to maneuver the tube into the box hole and then to set the tube grooves over the box's hole edges and to join the tube over the carb opening. Once all set, push the indent outward so that it is once again, a circle, and engaged in the box's hole edges.
 
#10 ·
Yes. Bend the tube in on itself so it looks like a 'C' in cross section and slide it into the airbox. Reverse the process and ensure the 'ribs' on each end are sealing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: reb2005
#12 ·
It takes fewer words to say "Remove tube" or "Slide tube into airbox" than it does to actually explain the entire process. And I think manual editors are looking to reduce words where possible.

Besides, learning the little shortcuts on your own builds character. :rolleyes:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top