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Q&As since 1989

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Clean and brighten carburetor bodies

Q. I restore carburetors for classic cars and currently strip the old dichromate finish by beadblasting. Is there any chemical process I can use instead of beadblasting? Also , after beadblasting I boil the casting in a caustic soda [liquid caustic soda in bulk on Amazon] solution for cleaning. I have to bead blast the casting again to remove any caustic residue or else the new coloring doesn't appear uniform, any rinse solution I can use to neutralize the caustic?

Craig Bartling
1998

Q. To Craig Bartling or anyone else out there who would know the answer to this question. I would like to know the chemical process for recoloring carburetors to the original yellow dichromate finish and would it be chemically harmful?

John Just
- Canada
2001

Multiple threads were merged: please forgive repetition, chronology errors, or disrespect towards other postings [they weren't on the same page] :-)

Dip Clean For Old Aluminium Carbs

Q. Can any one advise on a formula or product to dip aluminium carbs in to clean, I don't want a polished finish just a natural colour.

Thanks! John Wallett
- Ely, Cambs, England.
2002

A. Most auto stores have at least a couple of brands of carburetor cleaners and most hardware stores have at least a couple of brands of aluminum cleaners. One or the other should be the product you are looking for. But my personal experience is that aluminum is almost impossible to clean this way if your expectations demand a pure silvery color. To a limited extent, aluminum self-anodizes -- building a sort of honeycomb which absorbs dirt & oil and then sealing it in.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Multiple threads were merged: please forgive repetition, chronology errors, or disrespect towards other postings [they weren't on the same page] :-)

Cleaning zamak carburetors

Q. Hello,

I am rebuilding a motorbike. The carburetors are in Zamak and are very dirty internally and very oxidized externally. How can I clean them. Which chemical product can I use ? Looking forward to your answer I thank you in advance.

Sincerely yours,

LEBOEUF Alain
- Asnieres, Hauts de Seine, FRANCE
2002

A. The best thing you can do to clean a carburetor is to lay them in fuel for a day

that normally should do it.

Birger Gillis
- Antwerp, Belgium
March 29, 2008

Multiple threads were merged: please forgive repetition, chronology errors, or disrespect towards other postings [they weren't on the same page] :-)

All efforts at refinishing carburetor just make it worse

"Rebuild and Modify Carter/Edelbrock"
by Dave Emanuel

on AbeBooks

or eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

Q. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF RESTORING A (NOS) NEW OLD STOCK CARTER AFB CARBURETOR THAT HAS BEEN WEATHERED.

ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE GOLD CAD AND SILVER ZINC PARTS ARE NEAR NEW, THE ALUMINUM BODY IS LOOKING ROUGH. THERE IS A BIT OF A OFF-WHITE SCALE AND THE ALUMINUM IS VERY DARK AND STAINED FROM BEING STORED IN A DAMP/HUMID PLACE.

I HAVE TRIED A MIXTURE OF MURIATIC ACID AND WATER ON SOME OTHER OLD CARTER CARBURETOR, AS SOON AS I SUBMERGE THE PART IT STARTS TO SMOKE,BOIL,BUBBLE EVEN AFTER 5 SECONDS FOLLOWED BY A WATER RINSE IT SEEMS TO BURN/DARKEN THE PART, I HAVE ALSO TRIED GLASS BEAD, ALUMINUM OXIDE CABINET BLASTING, IT CLEANS THE PART TO A BRIGHT ALUMINUM FINISH, IT IS TO NICE COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL FINISH, IT SEEMS A LITTLE DARKER, AND MAYBE THE ORIGINALS WHERE RUN THROUGH A SORT OF MASS POLISHING SYSTEM WITH STEEL OR CERAMIC MEDIA,

ANYWAY I AM LOOKING FOR A MAGIC LIQUID TO REMOVE THE CORROSION AND STAINS.

THANX,

MOE BLACKBURN
COATINGS - BONNYVILLE, ALBERTA, CANADA
2003

A. Try with nitric instead of hydrochloric. No water. Extreme precautions as nitric is a mean guy compared to muriatic. Very aggressive to all forms of life. Follow local rules to dispose. After that you can glass bead blast to improve finish.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2003

A. I've used Lime-A-Way [affil links] to remove the white deposits in old carbs, it won't eat away at your carb either.

mike mcduffee
- santee, california
2004

A. I think to get the best results with aluminum, there is no real magic liquid (though Eagle One Mag Wheel Cleaner[on eBay] does a pretty good job), but wet sanding the aluminum with wet or dry sandpaper then polishing it with something like Nevr-Dull [on eBay or Amazon] is the real ticket.
For best results start with 220 to 400 paper [320 grit on eBay or Amazon] depending on the roughness, then go to 1000 [1000 grit on eBay or Amazon] to 1500 grit before polishing.

Jonathan Crump
- SugarLand, Texas, U.S.A.
2005

Multiple threads were merged: please forgive repetition, chronology errors, or disrespect towards other postings [they weren't on the same page] :-)

Cleaning die cast carburetors

Q. I would like advice on the most economical way to clean the surfaces of old carburetors. I think they are die cast. I recall that a product called Fenole or Fenile was used but can't be sure. I was hoping to find a soaking solution, and if possible something that is environmentally friendly.

Bob Duffy
Duffy's Deuces - Kerkrade, The Netherlands
2003

A. Hi I'm cleaning old Amal 35 years old carbs at the moment and all I'm doing is putting them in boiling water with washing up liquid, this is after stripping them down... once boiled, dry with compressed air and you should find they come up nice and clean.... you can't polish them as the material soon goes dull but it's the inside that matters hope this helps, the other way is to soak them in petrol

Tony Scott
- England
May 14, 2011

Multiple threads were merged: please forgive repetition, chronology errors, or disrespect towards other postings [they weren't on the same page] :-)

"Weber Carburetors Owners Workshop Manual"
by A.K. Legg

on AbeBooks

or eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

Q. I have 3 old Weber carburetors. How can I get a bright clean finish on them, without using something that will ruin the threads. They are aluminum, but I don't if they are an alloy.

Peter Gabriel
car buff - Douglaston, New York, U.S.A.
2005

A. You can buff them using a cloth wheel in a drill or on a bench grinder and buffing compound. You local Sears will have buffs and compound.

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
2005

A. You can soak them in Methylene Chloride. Use caution with this liquid, very bad for lungs and NO skin contact. Check part(s) every 10 mins. Rinse well with hot water, Air dry.

Fred Read
- Duluth, Minnesota, USA
2005

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Ed. note: Indeed, goggles [on eBay or Amazon] and rubber gloves [on eBay or Amazon], and work outside from upwind for methylene chloride (aircraft stripper) ... and even still the EPA issues warnings regularly about this chemical.

Carburetor cleaning and refinishing has been a perennial subject. Please see also --

• Topic 0338 "Zinc plating & chromating of Carburetors"

• Topic 11847 "Restoring gold Iridite color to diecast parts"

• Topic 16200 "Zinc plate carburetors & diecastings vs. chromating"

• Topic 35697 "Carburetor re-plating / re-coloring"

• Topic 37255 "Restoring the yellow dichromate finish on automobile carburetors"

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