Part Cleaning
 

A friend of mine rebuilds old dirt bikes so I asked him to clean up an old carb that I had lying in a parts box. Here are some before and after pics. Pretty nice

Re: Part Cleaning
 

Hijacking this thread to ask: I recently purchased a '29 radiator apron that's straight, but has some paint and surface rust. Typically I would clean this with an abrasive wheel, but I was considering having a local shop media-blast it. Is that overkill? Could also go the paint-stripper route.

Re: Part Cleaning
 

He did a nice job. Any idea what methods he used?

Re: Part Cleaning
 

I think it was a type of Hydro Blasting

Re: Part Cleaning
 

Re: Part Cleaning
 

FWIW, I had a 6 litre ultrasonic cleaner on my Christmas wish list but Santa ignored it. I figure one of those would make a good carburetor cleaner.

Re: Part Cleaning
 

Kursed, You have a good friend.

Alex, Media blasting is only to remove paint finishes, will not help with rust removal unless the shop will follow up with sand to clear the rust away.

Re: Part Cleaning
 

Things have definitely changed over the years. It used be be that dad used play sand from the lumber yard to blast paint & rust away in the back yard. Now, the shop I use begins with plastic media to remove the paint, and then follows with aluminum oxide to remove any rust. Yes, any commercial paint stripper such as the Aircraft brand or the Orange Citrus will remove paint. Then clean thoroughly with water and use Rust911 or Evaporust to remove the rust. Try not to use an abrasive wheel as it removes metal too.

Re: Part Cleaning
 

OK thanks.

Re: Part Cleaning
 

A - My apron has the same, including some area underneath the radiator where a past leak caused paint to strip. Brent's method is what I was planning to use - CitrusStrip to remove the paint, Evaporust to treat the metal (three applications - one for each flat section), then prime and repaint. Media blast would work also but then you need to sand the metal to get it smooth for painting.

JayJay

Re: Part Cleaning
 

That sounds like a plan, I'll do it that way.

Re: Part Cleaning
 

Should have started another thread.

Re: Part Cleaning
 

I finally completed a electrostatic rust removal setup that I’d been contemplating and gathering the stuff for ages
It seemed to act as it should .....proper current bubbles etc
Left some pretty rusty stuff in for many hours
Unimpressed with results

Re: Part Cleaning
 

Rebuilt hundreds, soak in vinegar 2 days then sand blast, pick all openings and blow out with high pressure air...JD


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Re: Part Cleaning
 

Yes, Strip the paint first. Then blast it. Paint stripper removes paint. Blasting removes rust. The two should never meet. Unless you want a warped mess.

Re: Part Cleaning
 

I’ve been using a “gator” disc. Lowe’s and Home Depot
It takes paint primer and filler off and doesn’t take metal.....if ones careful!
Occasionally see a few sparks but not much if you watch it
Goes pretty quickly
I just don’t like paint stripper....messy and if a speck is left it’s a problem

Re: Part Cleaning
 

For cleaning my carb bodies I have been taking a multi-step approach:

• Soak in ChemDip to remove tar and crap, soap and water scrub. Same thing with the internal parts.
• Carefully bead blast avoiding gasket surfaces. Blow out with air.
• Chase threaded fittings with appropriate sized taps. Careful to only remove crud, not metal
• Chase all the air passages with 0.032" stainless wire (same stuff you can use as safety wire)
• Soak in Evaporust to get rid of the final bits of embedded rust, soap and water scrub, blow out with air
• Repaint outer surfaces with airplane dope
• Lightly true up the big gasketed surface between upper and lower bodies on a granite plate using 220 wet-or-dry AlOx sandpaper

If necessary I also drill out and sleeve the throttle shaft housing after bead blasting.

Process seems to have worked well on the six Zeniths I've done. It would obviously vary for pot-metal bodied carbs like a Tillotson or Stromberg, I would not bead blast those.

JayJay

Re: Part Cleaning