Ultrasonic carb cleaning problems

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
18,197
Location
Suburban Washington DC
This has happened on the last two carbs I've done. The pot metal has gotten a black coating of something, all over it. I can rub it off with a finger, but I assume it's also on the internal passages. This is a Nikki generator carburetor and I'm using Meguiars Super Degreaser for the fluid.

[Linked Image from fototime.com]


[Linked Image from fototime.com]


For reference, a carb I did a few years ago came out great.

[Linked Image from fototime.com]


What's going on and how to prevent it?
 
Originally Posted by Trav
A couple of drops of dish soap will help, don't go overboard and make a bubble bath.


Further to that, I was taught to always use a small amount of some sort of surfactant(soap is easiest as long as it won't cause problems) to maximize the efficiency of a US.

Most of the time when I use US, I'm using a beaker or some other secondary container(often with solvent in it) but still follow this rule for the water bath surrounding my secondary container. A drop or two of Dawn does the trick most of the time as well as anything else.
 
Go with Trav's recommendations because I have not done any carb parts. Mostly rocker arms and bolts.
 
I would suggest using the new Simple Green product that's aluminum safe - regular Simple Green is corrosive to aluminum if left on too long (which is why the FAA banned it as an aircraft fuselage wash in the US). If you use regular Simple Green on the unprotected aluminum carb body, SG has this to say about it: "Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation."

https://simplegreen.com/faqs/
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Spktyr
I would suggest using the new Simple Green product that's aluminum safe - regular Simple Green is corrosive to aluminum if left on too long (which is why the FAA banned it as an aircraft fuselage wash in the US). If you use regular Simple Green on the unprotected aluminum carb body, SG has this to say about it: "Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation."

https://simplegreen.com/faqs/


You can use the original on aluminum for a short cycle then rinse with water thoroughly, you mix it 25% in water further reducing the possibility of corrosion.
If you change the fluid in the tank often like you should then the aviation stuff is more than double the price and it is not as effective on varnish in the brass parts inside.
I do a lot of large body aluminum injectors found in marine application that have corrosion inside from sea water, after using the regular simple green as described I don't see any repeat corrosion if the part is not subjected to sea water again.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top