Carb cleaning?

[gr_diver]

I found a NICE Solex from a carb repair shop, which looks intact, perfectly unwarped, no rust, no play at the shafts etc... very nice buy indeed, and for only 50 euros it was a steal!!! Dual carbs in such good condition vary from 100 to 200 euros here...

So before throwing it in, I would like to CLEAN it, and rebuild it...

As for the rebuild, "MantAscona" will provide me with a kit, but for the cleaning what is your favorite method?

I really like the idea of complete dissasembly, and sinking the parts overnight in some cleaning agent. But what would be proper for the job?

Today, where I bought the Solex, I saw them bringing a cleaned carb from a back room, that was shining like new, and was steaming hot... Are they boiling the carbs? Really nice cleaning, and no trace of sludge to the touch...

[baz]

they will have a hot dip tank (like a big pan of hot water with solvents and detergent in it
you can hot wash in a big pan with water and washing up liquid in it
then to get a shiney finnish ,have a word with the boss of your local bar/taverna and get some line cleaner for cleaning the beer lines and soak it in that for a short time ,it eats the alloy so it looks like new when you wash it after , rinse good and lond as this stuff willl eat your carb

[guyopel]

Baz I would forget why I was at the bar.. unless I wrote my self a note .. Great advice though..

[simplemind7]

i just buy a $5 can of carb cleaner from canadian tire and spray it though all the jets and holes with the carb apart and call it good enough

but then again, thats usually for atv's that don't stay clean for long, so no sense cleaning the outside up.

[yellaopelgt]

When I rebuilt my Weber,I used this stuff(cant remember the name off-hand) but anyway,it came in a large can similar to a gallon of paint. It has a "dip-net" inside and you can dunk everything inside and let it sit. Pull it out and clean everything off with compressed air. Worked VERY well !!! Stunk to high hell but really did an awsome job, made it look like brand new!! I'd highly reccomend it(if I could remember the name)!!
Joe

[2 Fast 4 U]

Try the dish washer

[gr_diver]

It is very intresting what one can found by searching the internet...

I found a recommendation for boiling carbs in water-vinegar solution!

Isn't boiling or hot-tanking dangerous for warping of parts?

As for a cleaning agent for metal parts, how would paint thinner sound to you guys? Cheap, easy to find and VERY good oil-varnish dissolver...

[baz]

hot tanking a solex is not going to be a good idea for sure but if the temp is kept down a weber should be fine
i like the water vinager mix , bio friendly and cheap
cellulose thinners are ok ,i run carbs through my spray gun washing M/C and have no problems at all but it is a slow way to do it if you are using a bowl and a brush and it must be done outside because of the fumes

[GTJIM]

How about just taking the carb back to the shop you bought it from and asking if they will clean it for you ??

[baz]

jim what happens if you buy from a junk yard though??

[nobody]

At most of your better auto parts stores they sell what looks like a paint can full of solvent for carbs with a strainer in the bottom of it for about 14 bucks. Let the parts sit in it a while then let them air dry or if you have an air compressor air dry them faster. It's really strong stuff and a wire brush or two helps speed things up.

[gr_diver]

I wouldn't like them to clean it, as I am a bit of a perfectionist, and don't like the way most shop here treat parts. You see them using hammers, and banging, and careless usage of worn tools to do jobs that actually worsen the condition of parts.

I am patient enough to do it in 5 days! Yesterday I dissasembled it and cleaned it in lukewarm water and "Tide" using a toothbrush. Worked pretty well! Today I will work on the main body, tomorrow on the cover and the day after on the throttle plate...

I noticed that the small rubber o-rins on the adjustment screws are worn, and need replacing. Are they any special material (fuel resistant), or will generic o-rings work just fine?

I decided to slightly mile the body's and cover's surfaces, as there is just a tiny bit of warping not obvious to the eye, less that half a mm total, but a 3M wet-and-dry "finishing" paper will do the job... But I will not mile the aluminum trottle plate, since it doesn't need it, and also to avoid removing the anti-corrosive coating... I will carefully remove gasket remains with WD-40 and a plastic scraper...

I think it will work like a champ!!!

[namba209]

If your going to mil the mating surfaces, here's a suggestion I used in building aircraft hydraulic and fuel pump mating surfaces. Use a sheet of plate glass, with 600 3M wet/dry paper on the glass and with the paper wet, use a figure 8 motion with light hand pressure until the mating surface shows the entire surface has been sanded. We used this method to get the surfaces flat to with 2 helium light bars. HTH.

[gr_diver]

That's exactly how I did it!!!

I started with #400, when almost the whole surface shined went to #800, and when it was all flat I finished with a #1200. I can almost use it as a shaving mirror!

I taped wet&dry paper an a glass, which I immersed in a shallow tank full of water. I went very slowly to take off only the least required amount of metal. Before starting I measured the warping, it was only 0.10mm. The whole process for the main body's 2 sides, and the cover's underside took alost two hours, but was well worth the time and effort.
When I washed the carb afterwards, dried it and put the cover on the body it looked as if there was no need for a gasket to seal!!! This is the first time I did such a good miling.

Can't wait for the rebuild kits to get here!!!

I really like Solexes. I don't know why, I just do! And after "working" on them, I have understood their operation and can very easily perform any job on them. I have used 2 so far, and both had problems because they were neglected or modified, not "their fault". The first was out of order because of being unused a in humid basement for years and rust formed in the float bowl and who knows where else inside the passages. The second one was a bit butchered, but after un-doing all modification it now runs very nice! This third one is going to be super. And the second will receive exactly the same treat, when I comes off the car, and then will be sealed in a plastic bag for future usage (hope it will not be needed!)

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by gr_diver That's exactly how I did it!!! I started . . . I taped . . . Can't wait for the rebuild kits to get here!!! I really like Solexes. I don't know why, I just do! And after "working" on them, I have understood their operation and can very easily perform any job on them. I have used 2 so far, and both had problems because they were neglected or modified, not "their fault". The first was out of order because of being unused a in humid basement for years and rust formed in the float bowl and who knows where else inside the passages. The second one was a bit butchered, but after un-doing all modification it now runs very nice! This third one is going to be super. And the second will receive exactly the same treat, when I comes off the car, and then will be sealed in a plastic bag for future usage (hope it will not be needed!)

More likely, much more likely as a matter of fact, is rust from fuel tank sediment . . . carb bodies are non-ferous and can corrode (oxidize, typically a whitish powder), but that's really not rust in the traditional sense.

[2 Fast 4 U]

Originally Posted by gr_diver And the second will receive exactly the same treat, when I comes off the car, and then will be sealed in a plastic bag for future usage (hope it will not be needed!)

Put some silica gel in with it too, for the rest moisture in the bag when you seal it.

[gr_diver]

Good idea, the silica gel. Will do!!!

As for the rust, tekenaar, you must be right, as the colour of the oxidized metal was brown, but after sitting for years it was a real pain to clean out...

[gr_diver]

I just finished the test drive with the new Solex. It roars!!!!
Even though I have completely dissabled the secondary, to tune the primary, it drives very well, only just a slight pause when switching from transition to the main, propably a one size bigger main jet will resolve it, but all assumptions after tomorrows visit for exhaust gases analysis!

Now, I had one problem, which got on my nerves for 2 days before i found what it was, i could not get it to idle below 1500rpms when I set the primary valve to vacuum specs. The problem was that some idiot P.O., had GRINDED the air-speed screw, and from looking like a flat ended rod it was slightly conical. This way even seated in it allowed vast amount of air to pass. I ressolved it by temporarily using the air-speed screw from the previous carb.

But since both carbs are fully functional, and I am planning an identical restore for the "old" one, I now need an air-speed screw. Does anybody have a parts carb that doesn't need it's screw any more?

Tomorrow morning I will post a picture with dimensional information so we can cross-reference parts with anybody that can help me!

[asdasc]

What is the best way to ship parts to Greece?

I think I have an extra Solex carb, but I don't have a clue how I would get it to Greece!

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by asdasc What is the best way to ship parts to Greece? I think I have an extra Solex carb, but I don't have a clue how I would get it to Greece!

Steve;
You double bag the carb, for the fumes and whatever, box it. Then run by the good old Post Office and fill out the one page export document, and pay them and it's on it's way.

[gr_diver]

asdasc: thanks for your offer, but I do not need the whole carb, just the air-speed screw. Propably from an already named "Parts Carb"...

After all, sending the whole carb (about 3kgs) overseas to Europe would propably cost a lot!

[asdasc]

OK, let's hold out for 24 hours and see if anyone else has a parts carb, if not, I can probably donate one of these.

[gr_diver]

Good! In the meantime I will post the picture with the dimesions of it... just to be on the safe side...

P.S. asdasc: Thanks for offering to help me!

[gr_diver]

I just got back from the exhaust analyzer. Happier couldn't be!

Emissions were a complete success, I posted the paper with the results, the top is for 2500rpms (CO 0,7%), the 2nd for idle (CO 2,44%), when they used to be 2,7% and 2,2% CO respectively with exactly same jetting. The guy joked asking "Have you installed a catalytic converter?" The carb feeds nice!

The car drives powerfully, with just a hesitation when switching from progression to main, only during mild to heavy acceleration. Trying to figure it out, I asked for a CO reading for 3200rpms, and it was 0,2%, lambda was also lean (leaner than European cruising specs) so switching from the stock 135 main to an 140 will propably resolve it, while still being within specs... Propably caused by the slightly lower octane value of superLRP, because advance is correct...

As for the air-screw, I posted a pic with dimesions, but they are not so critical to be exact to the mm. From testing with it, even different lenghts will do, just the diameter at 6mm, is critical... In addition, the head could be wide, not neccessarily "pinned" like this one...


Thank you all!

[asdasc]

Hi GR Driver,

Well I dug out my carbs and started looking for that screw. I am not sure if I have the right Solex or not. Can you look at these pictures and see if it is the right carb, and if so, where is the proper screw?

Thanks,