I stoped by a local shop to inquire about a carb kit for a C1U Zama carb. The guy told me that with E-10 gas, it was usless to put a kit in one because you could never get all the gunk out of it. I would like to know if anyone has had success recently putting a kit in a carb, or if the general opinon is to just buy a new carb. Thanks for any input.
Two cycle carb rebuild question.
- Thread starter dalton
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I've rebuilt several Zama 2 stroke carbs with success.. I generally get my carb kits off ebay and just clean out the carb with cleaner/compressed air before I install the kit. Check your fuel lines before you buy the parts, lots of times they are bad as well.
Use wd 40 or penetrating oil for cleaning. The carbs have a plastic check valve and diaphrams that can be damaged by solvents in carb cleaners. Careful using compressed air, as there is a welch plug that can be blown out of the meter side of the carb.
Before installing a kit (Diaphrams and gaskets) Make sure intake screen is clean, and metering lever and needle are free. It may work fine with cleaning and H/L adjustment. Zama and Walbro websites offer excellent instructions and diagrams on their 2 cycle carbs and how they function. good luck!
Before installing a kit (Diaphrams and gaskets) Make sure intake screen is clean, and metering lever and needle are free. It may work fine with cleaning and H/L adjustment. Zama and Walbro websites offer excellent instructions and diagrams on their 2 cycle carbs and how they function. good luck!
This is a question of what your time is worth.
$40 for a new carb, or $10-15 for a kit. Sometimes rebuilds are chancy when you don't have an ultrasonic cleaner and depend on spray solvents to remove deposits/scale that ethanol can leave.
$40 for a new carb, or $10-15 for a kit. Sometimes rebuilds are chancy when you don't have an ultrasonic cleaner and depend on spray solvents to remove deposits/scale that ethanol can leave.
You may try taking it off and cleaning the passages, if your careful the diaphram and gaskes wil be ok. Just did my leaf blower, runs great.
You may try taking it off and cleaning the passages, if your careful the diaphram and gaskes wil be ok. Just did my leaf blower, runs great.
Although I spent 5 years working at Carter Carburetor, I have had three failures trying to rebuild three different Zumas that have been exposed to ethanol.
I am grateful for all the input folks, I replaced the lines first, got it to crank; would only run with the choke on, and was surging. I then took the side opposite the diaphram off and found the pickup screen clogged with brown flaky residue; cleaned that out. put the thing together and got it to run decent. It still has a minor issue; will probably try to flush it out some. Thanks again.
I had fun taking apart and re-assembling my first Zama carb It was idiot proofed for easy assembly. No kit was used I just gave it a good cleaning. Makes me wish Zama made carbs for Tecumsehs.
I just rebuilt a Walbro on my 12 year old Ryobi weed wacker. I hate throwing stuff away. It was starting to run funny and needed constant H/L carb adjustments. It was also leaking when stored and hydrolocking the motor.
I ordered a rebuilt kit and went to work. It now runs great but the leaking was still present, so I double checked everything again and it still leaked. I figured the spring (not included in kit) that held the needle valve was fatigued so I stretched it a little and the leaking slowed but not 100%. It appears the seat is worn. If I hang it motor facing down when not in use it doesn't leak just empties the line. Close enough for gov't work.
I ordered a rebuilt kit and went to work. It now runs great but the leaking was still present, so I double checked everything again and it still leaked. I figured the spring (not included in kit) that held the needle valve was fatigued so I stretched it a little and the leaking slowed but not 100%. It appears the seat is worn. If I hang it motor facing down when not in use it doesn't leak just empties the line. Close enough for gov't work.
The first thing that went on the Husqavarna weed wacker was the fuel line. That has been replaced by stuff that my parts guy says is ethanol resistant. The carb had flakes of varnish in it. And I find black granules in the fuel bowls of OPE from the original fuel hoses. Whether that is just 35 yr old hose giving up the ghost or ethanol IDK.
I rebuild my C1Q-P22C Zama carb on my Craftsman MTD weedwacker and it runs great. You can download the rebuild manual from Zama's web site.
A couple of things on the Zama carbs to watch out for. The oblong welch plug is prone to leaks and debris from the old sealant. You rarely need to remove the welch plug, but you do need to carefully remove the old sealer and reseal it. Use a high temp low viscosity cyanoacrylate glue (Superglue) applying just enough to fill the void. Your likely to get several opinions on what sealer works best, even Zama's tech line does not have a definitive answer with the ever changing gas reformulations.
Do not use compressed air or dip the carb to clean out the passages, only a very light spray of carb cleaner or an ultrasonic cleaner. Otherwise you could damage the check valves and the carb is trashed. As mentioned check/replace your fuel lines and primer bulb if they are yellowed,brittle or cracked.
I used the complete rebuild kit and replaced, the pump and metering diaphragm,screen and needle. From what I researched, most of the time you can just clean the carb, use the diaphragm kit and your done. But check your prices, right now my kits are only $1.50 difference online. The degradation of the rubber diaphragm from the gas is the main problem. Mine were breaking down , wrinkled and deformed.
Between the ethanol and reformulation of the gas, the carbs on these little two strokes will probably need carb work every few years.
Good luck.
A couple of things on the Zama carbs to watch out for. The oblong welch plug is prone to leaks and debris from the old sealant. You rarely need to remove the welch plug, but you do need to carefully remove the old sealer and reseal it. Use a high temp low viscosity cyanoacrylate glue (Superglue) applying just enough to fill the void. Your likely to get several opinions on what sealer works best, even Zama's tech line does not have a definitive answer with the ever changing gas reformulations.
Do not use compressed air or dip the carb to clean out the passages, only a very light spray of carb cleaner or an ultrasonic cleaner. Otherwise you could damage the check valves and the carb is trashed. As mentioned check/replace your fuel lines and primer bulb if they are yellowed,brittle or cracked.
I used the complete rebuild kit and replaced, the pump and metering diaphragm,screen and needle. From what I researched, most of the time you can just clean the carb, use the diaphragm kit and your done. But check your prices, right now my kits are only $1.50 difference online. The degradation of the rubber diaphragm from the gas is the main problem. Mine were breaking down , wrinkled and deformed.
Between the ethanol and reformulation of the gas, the carbs on these little two strokes will probably need carb work every few years.
Good luck.
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Ive rebuilt many Zama/Walbro carbs, and never had an issue. I use aerosol brake cleaner and blow the carb outwith compressed air. Never pressurize passages just blow from a distance of a couple inches. The only problem I ever had was from blowing out a check valve in a metering plate.
Also remove the needles and spray out each one.
Also remove the needles and spray out each one.
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