So I SLIMED my carb bodies... Cleaning Suggestions?

So I left 3 of my carb bodies inside a sealed GUNK brand gallon of carb cleaner and the 4th carb in a different brand.

The 4th carb turned a rusty color but seem to be a dark grey oxidized color under the orange'ish color. That's not my concern.

The can of GUNK cleaner fluid turned thick and SLIMY. It all over and in my carb bodies.

What to do to make the clean up and un-sliming quicker and easier?

So far I've briefly dipped the 4 bodies in a fresh gallon of GUNK, rinsed them with the garden hose and they are currently soaking in a tub with Palmolive. My plan so far is to soak them over night and dump the water before I go out of the day. Then I'll let them air dry and go from there.

Any other suggestions? I'd rather not start over with one of my spare racks that are in unknown internal condition (plus possible frozen screws externally).

Note to self and others, don't leave you carbs soaking over the winter (or longer).

 

I'd get a spray can of brake cleaner or spray can of carb cleaner and spray it down. I've had that stuff wash just about any coating off...........

Dave F

 

I'd get a spray can of brake cleaner or spray can of carb cleaner and spray it down. I've had that stuff wash just about any coating off...........

Dave F

 

I have at least 4 can of carb cleaner in the garage. Not sure about brake cleaner.

It's already dark out and I'm damp from the leaky garden hose and washing.

Maybe on Sunday I'll start with the spray cleaners.

 

Geez, how long did you soak in the dip, thats crazy that it congealed like that. If it was a really long time I'd wonder about the integrity of the metal being compromised. I left an old lawnmower carb in a can of Berrymans for about six or seven months and when I found it again the metal was so porous I could snap it into pieces with my hands.

 

I got carb cleaner off with just hot water.

Here is an important question - were you soaking just the stripped carb bodies, or the whole rack?

Because if it was the whole rack, some of that slime might be dissolved rubber from the shaft seals, and you got some parts you need to order.

 

Broken rack main bodies only

 

I finally got around to making some progress on my carb bodies today.

Scrubbing carb cleaner soaked bodies with a medium tooth brush has worked pretty good on the first carb I did today.

I re-cleaned, scrubbed and air gun dried some other parts that had been left soaking as well. All of those little bits can sparkling clean.

At the moment all I can smell is carb cleaner that is in my clothes and skin. YUMMY. NOT!

If they weather stays nice enough to keep the garage open, I'll make more progress over the next few weeks.

BTW: My tools and parts are spread all over the house, garage, and basement

 

I finished scrubbing, rinsing and drying the last 3 carb bodies.

Unfortunately #1 seems to have been the worst "slimed" body. After all the cleaning it's still "grimy" and a little crusty. I'm not sure I should put it back on my bike.

I grabbed my two unknown condition ebay racks. The first rack the #1 body is cracked.

The second rack is gummed up more with old gas. I've pulled #1 off the rack and removed ALMOST everything from it. The stupid float pin is stuck. I've gently dremel sanded both ends of the pin smooth and tried tapping it out from both directions. I'm letting it sit with some KROIL sprayed on it. If that doesn't help, I'll chop of the float assembly and get that pin out one way or another (hopefully with out cracking the posts). GRRRR

EDIT: One destroyed float assembly later the pin came out with minimal effort and some vice grips. :twisted: