Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Has anyone used a long soak of a carb or fuel pump in Naphtha to dissolve gunk. I use it often to clean watches and clocks. Although, they do no have to fuel residues that is common in fuel pumps and carbs. The Naphtha dissolves old old and residue in watches and clocks.

I know that specific products are sold for cleaning carbs but are they really as effective as the old standard Naphtha.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

I use lacquer thinner, I think it's similar?

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Does the Lacquer thinner dissolve deposits just by soaking, or do you have to scrape hard to get off deposits?

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

I used lacquer thinner just recently and it did a good job on mine. I had to brush some of it and used tooth picks and compressed air.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Denatured alcohol works best. G.M.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Are you talking about the outside of the carb, or inside?...before I rebuild an old carb, after taking it apart, I soak in solvent, and use a parts brush to clean up the outside, ...rinse and drop it all in the thinner for a day or two, after that, compressed air through the passages.

Please note however, I've never tried to bring one back to life that had been sitting in the field for 50 years...just stuff that hadn't been run for a few years

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Lacquer thinner (mineral spirits) and Naptha are similar. Naptha I believe is a little oily compared to lacquer thinner. Both are kind of wimpy for removing deposits. I would say they are better used as a rinse (Lacquer thinner) after cleaning with something stronger. There will never be anything like the stuff from the 50's, 60's and 70's.

Sal

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

I was wondering..If you consider what kind of residue fuel will leave behind, there must be a solvent for that substance. We are only talking about fuel...doesn't it become gummy and hard like wax? Surly, there must be something that can dissolve that residue, and I didn't meant to call you Shirley.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

We have some stuff at our other shop that comes on a 5 gallon pail with a screen basket we use for cleaning aluminum and white metal parts like carbs. A soak over night cleans the real dirty ones. To get all the internal passages clean you have to make sure a wire will pass through before soak.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Ok here one for you Pinesol soak for a couple days rince of with a good sovent and just like new

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

There is a post on another board about using a small industrial ultrasonic cleaner for this. IIRC, it held 3 qts and cost around $100. The poster swore by the results; I'll see if I can find it. I'm on the road until next week, so it may take a while.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

I have a large ultrasonic cleaner I used to us for large clock movements. Worked great on them but then I used a very expensive clock cleaner without ammonia.
Ammonia is used in many new clock cleaners and it actually eats away at the metal, and the last thing you want in a clock cleaner is to have it eat away at crucial parts like bearing and teeth. But I am not sure this cleaning solution or Ultrasonic cleaning would dissolve the hardened gunk in a carb or furl pump. Ulsonic cleaning basically clean dirt that IS stuck to the moving parts it does not really dissolve deposits. I think the Naphtha or lacquer thinner does that kind of dissolving

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

is that straight pinesol from the bottle?

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

I think the guy said he used a Dawn dish soap and water solution. Again, I just saw this somewhere and thought I'd chime in. I do know my wife has a cheapo ultrasonic jewelry cleaner that she says works much better than anything else she has ever used.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

10-4!

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Naptha and automatic trans fluid, mixed 50/50 works well. A final rinse with lacquer thinner should remove any residue.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

I have used easyoff oven cleaner , I spray on and use a tooth brush use rubber gloves and eye protection as this has lye in it

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Great idea! Oven Cleaner! I will try that!

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

Easy off will eat aluminum if left on very long.

Berryman B--12 Chemtool works good also. Spray or pour on.

Re: Naphtha for cleaning carbs and fuel pumps
 

I have used toilet bowl cleaner for the outside of the carb only, the old fashioned strong stuff, just don't leave it on too long as your carb will disappear. It makes it look factory new.