Hey guys,

Napa wanted 50 bucks for a gallon jug of carb cleaner!...There must be something else a little cheaper that works decent to soak a dissassembled TBI unit.

Would Acetone be too harsh?

Looking for ideas....Thanx Brandon

 

honestly i'm not sure if there is but, i just hosed mine with 3 cans of carb cleaner looked beautiful when i done but, i'm sure you could use acetone with a little less luck.

 

acetone will eat up and ruin some rubber/plastic materials . you don't need a gallon , a qt. will be more than enough . use an old bowl or pot to soak it in . when done , use plastic funnel with paper towels to strain it back into original container . put away to use again , but don't re-use old pot or bowl for food . better yet use an empty coffee can .

 

At $3.30/gallon, gasoline is about the cheapest cleaner you will find. I've cleaned two TBI units by taking them apart, sitting down on the driveway with a lawn chair, oil catch can, gas can, and a toothbrush and going to town.

 

agreed here this is how i clean most everything thats terribly nasty but, i hate the smell of gas so when i can get by, by only using a carb cleaner or brake cleaner i do lol.

 

gasoline is the most dangerous thing one can use to clean parts . please don't use it , anyone . for general cleaning use mineral spirits , or anything else that won't blow-up in your face and take your head off . no slam meant , but gas. to clean parts is STUPID . i'm a re-ne-k but i'm not stupid . by all means be safe .

 

I use 50% simple green - water solution after disassembling and removing all electronic parts (TPS, IAC, Injectors). An old tooth brush and kitchen cleaning pad gets most of crud off. Compressed air to blow off and then to dry I stick it into a small oven at about 200F. Aluminum parts come out nice and shiny. Gas is nasty now days - especially here in Cali. They add MTBE and other (kaka) compounds to it in the name of lower emissions - (BS IMHO).

//RF

 

i think i soaked mine in bleach soapy water, and a good ole toothbrush... few sprays of carb cleaner, and a paper clip to clean the small passages... but i agree with using gas or diesel.. but be careful... just let it soak... no matter what you use, letting it soak will break up most of the buildup anyways...

acetone is what ill suggest, as ill prob use some on my next cleaning..

 

I dont see how gasoline would be dangerous. Just dont let the ash from your cigarette fall in, or you will have a nice campfire and you will really be cleaning your TB then!

 

carb cleaner is $1.98 at autozone
less than 1/2 a can and my tb is brand new

 

I think he was looking for something he could soak it in, not spray and scrub.

Another thing that MIGHT be worth trying is Marvel Mystery Oil. You could soak it in that for a day or two, it is pretty good at loosening crud. Then use the spray carb cleaner to really get it clean. Disposal of the mystery oil: add to gas tank then fill rest of way with gas lol.

My buddy had a carb on his Farmall Super A and the floats kept sticking and flooding the motor. He didnt have time to disassemble it, so he dropped the carb into some mystery oil for 2 hours, and put it right back on the tractor. Ran great.

 

Gasoline is not dangerous. Just use common sense. Don't light a match. Do it outside in a wide open space. It's not like other solvent's aren't just as, or more flammable.

Not to mention you don't have to worry about drying it. There are lots of little nooks for water based products to hide. Gasoline will be completely vaporized after just a few minutes.

If you are dead set on not using gasoline, Simple Green does work well. I use to clean dirt and grease off almost everything.

 

I'm not opposed to using anything really. I'm looking for exactly what you guys are posting...Solvents / cleaners you have tried and things that work well in your opinions (as an cost effective alternative to expensive soaking solvents.) Who knows...maybe with all this input others may try different things too.

I mentioned soaking it simply because I'm not in any hurry so if it takes a few days of soaking in a solution to get it thoroughly clean thats not a big deal.

Keep up the suggestions: Your input is really appreciated. Thanks, Brandon

 

Gasoline is VERY dangerous to use in the open and does not do very well at cleaning gasoline caused varnishes. The flash point is very low & if you accidentally spilled it and there is an ignition source (pilot light on water heater, power tools etc..) you will lose your garage, house or even life.

Here are a couple of first hand gasoline fire experiences (with serious injuries) from a board I have frequented for years:
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146862
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69905

The best thing to use as mentioned above in to soak in low odor mineral spirits & then clean with spray can carb cleaner. True carb cleaner works the best, but is expensive and stinks. If you want real cheap, Diesel is an excellent solvent but it really stinks & leaves alot of residue. its also relatively safe.

Be careful with any water based alkaline solutions as they can eat the aluminum, but if used with caution can work well.

 

I guess I should have rephrased it. Gas is a good solvent to use, however take precautions. Keep the bowl of gas outside the house, and probably pretty far away. If it was me, I would be doing it in the backyard on a nice day far away from the house and trees. If for whatever reason it were to ignite (like a cigarette ash falling in) all you would loose is the bowl and the throttle body. Maybe not even that.

 

"If you cant aford carbcleaner" use diesel, much less vapurs

 

If diesel works, wouldnt kerosene be cleaner?

 

It will work aswell