VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 cleaning my rochester carburetor

I want to clean my single barrel carburetor before rebuilding. I went to my local automotive supply shop to find a cleaner that I can immerse my carb into for a good cleaning, the only product they had was a gallon container for $40.00. surely there must be a cheaper way? someone told me to use varsol, will this
work?
Thanks

I use the choke cleaners that are available in a spray can.also have had good results with brake cleaner.It very heavy dirty areas I help to remove the dirt along with a brush.Attaching the little tube to the nozzel is great for cleaning out the carb. passages.

if you want to do it without immersion soaking the carb, which I reccommend highly, then a good "poor boy" method is use a full can of B-12 it is in a red ,blue, and white can Auto store or Walmart in the aerosol can with the red spray tube, Be Careful! this stuff contains tolulene and other highly flammable materials...and release hazardous fumes. use outside in a well ventilated area! completely remove the throttle base, float bowl, and choke bowl , buy a rebuild kit (NAPA) and take out the internal parts includeing the power jet, spray the B-12 thru all the small holes inside the throttle base (cast Iron) even the idle jet and vacuum advance connection, then do the same with the float bowl and the choke bowl, take the bakelite cover off the auto choke ,(if carb is a model BC)and clean the heat and vacuum tubes, after you are sure it is clean blow out with compressed air and then replace the parts that came with the NAPA repair kit, some of the gaskets won't fit your carb as this is a kit for many applications of the Rochester model B carb. and set the float drop, and shutoff with the cardboard measure and be sure the bowls are not warped and will fit together without any gaps and hope for the best. when you install to the engine use a new insulator, if equipted, and be sure all the lines are tightened snuggly,reinstall the idle air jet and hand tighten till it bottoms out and then loosen 1 1/2 turns before starting the engine. if the vacuum line to the distributor is leaking the engine will sputter and run rough.
Good Luck!
P.S: it is a good idea to write all the numbers down in a ledger includeing the the size main jet (stamped on the end) will be a 49, 47, or number in that range.

I find soaking the the parts in diesel oil does a great job of cleaning carbs. A stiff nylon parts cleaning bruch gets the heavy stuff out of the corners. And it's safe for all the parts. Exept the spacer and gaskets.

Thanks
Chevgene, MrMack and Ron from Canada

canuck,

I'm always careful when tightening needle jet screws...these tapers can get unnecessarily tight very easily when you bottom them out...so, bottom them lightly...

epi

here is the Berrymans Chemtool (B-12)in aerosol can


The main reason I use this for carbs I don't want to immerse is; several years ago I had one of the first Evinrude outboard engines with an oil injector and I could not run the carbs (3) dry by just disconnecting the fuel line, needless to say after a winter storage the engine ran poorly, I took it in to the OBM shop and they told me it would cost over $150 to clean the carbs, $100 for first $50 for second and $50 for third. I sprung for the full amount, however I happened to sneek around the shop and watch, They sprayed the outside of the carbs with B-12, and poured some into the fuel line from the tank to the engine, cranked the engine while spraying the B-12 into the air intake, never tore anything down except for replaceing the fuel filter! Then after about a half hour of soaking they fired the engine up and it purred like a Cougar!, next year ,I myself, performed the same high quality job for less than $10 worth of Berryman Chemtool B 12.

Mr Mack, sounds like you keep that stuff right beside your barrel of Marvel Mystery oil?

Ron, I only wish I could keep some, I am always having to go-to Wally World to get another couple of cans! Cars, trucks, boats, lawn mowers, weedeaters, dog fleas, hemmoriods.... on second thought don't use it on hemmoroids unless you have a fast chase plane!

It seam's that Mr Mack has all the answer's to most question's which is great for us! But i have done it the poor man's way, and that is to boil it on the stove in a pot, and it has seamed too work ? i dont know if it is correct? but it worked. dont take it to heart Mack! just hacking on you a little,

Ok N.J. but do you take the chicken out before you put the carb in the pot. I would do that but I don't have any chickens, I think my O'Possum pot would be too greasy! Ha! I probably need to come out and visit you (all of your stashed parts) If I can get one of these old Chevys filled up with cheap gas!

Hum.......the only thing that I boil on the stove is my socks! And, even at that, only after I have been wearing them for a couple of weeks! :eek: :eek: :eek:

HA,ha,ha,ha.

And this is why I love this site, Not only do you find out an answer to your problem
but you get some great recipes as well. Carburetor and chicken or maybe o' possum
and carb, both sound good

The suggestion to boil the carb may be okay but one thing for sure do not use any kind of a solvent or fuel when doing so. While stationed at Camp Roberts in the early 50s a friend decided to boil his carb, unfortunately used gasoline which made for one hell of a bang when it boiled over and hit the flame on a gas stove. I prefer a soak tank or as stated, carb cleaner in pressurized cans, safety glasses, and lots and lots of air to blow out the various ports etc.

The suggestion to boil the carb may be okay but one thing for sure do not use any kind of a solvent or fuel when doing so. While stationed at Camp Roberts in the early 50s a friend decided to boil his carb, unfortunately used gasoline which made for one hell of a bang when it boiled over and hit the flame on a gas stove. I prefer a soak tank or as stated, carb cleaner in pressurized cans, safety glasses, and lots and lots of air to blow out the various ports etc.

I just thought of something....Anyone ever try soaking their carbs in Efferdent, the stuff folks soak their dentures in?......

I think I will buy some and try it on a lawnmower carb in my Cajun O'Possum cookpot,just as soon as I get supper done, it could stand a good degreasing and cleaning!....
... results will be posted

Ya, I tried it once, but then I couldn't get the carburetor back in my mouth!! :confused: :confused: :( :( :(

Woofer,
That sure must have been one gigantic carb.

To clean the carb buy a gal of laquer thinner works good and under $10 and you can save it in the org container and reuse it..doc

Hey Chipper Dipper Doodle! Yep, it was...........the carb was a four barrel!! Ya! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Arf, arf, arf!!

Well, I have to report a limited success on useing the Efferdent, The lawnmower carb came out so-so but the pot retained too much chlorine taste and ruined our supper. I added a couple bottles of Tabasco and some Jalapeno peppers and the corn on the cob and sweet 'taters were more passable.

Ya, and the Efferdent doesn't work all that great on false teeth either.......from what this old mutt has heard. Ha ha! :eek: :eek:

I'm back again, with two more problems re: the disassembly of my model "B" Rochester
carburetor 1. problem removal of main well support screw, it is really tight and I don't
want to ruin it. Right now I have been dosing it with WD40 and will try it again
tomorrow. the second problem is with the bowl and the removal of the pump discharge
guide (part number 11 guide-pump discharge) the manual reads "tap lightly with small
screw driver, outer edge of pump discharge guide to compress lips, rotate slightly to
remove) I'm also dosing this with WD40 is it a friction fit? and is there a sure fire way of
removing this
Thanks

This is what I would try to remove the main well support screw.First have a screw driver with a large blade that fits the screw slot .I then would have some one place the bowl cover over a block of wood.Placing the area of the cover thats "behind" the screw on the wood-rap the screw driver with a hammer to jar the screw.Having the cover supported in this way should not harm it.If you have an impact driver it would be still better.While striking the impact driver it will flex slightly helping to unscrew a stuck bolt or screw.I don't believe that any penetrating oil will reach the threads.The white metal corrodes around the screw...The pump discharge guide usually will lift out by using a small screw driver and prying straight up.Getting along the side of it and under an end of the "T"will help.Turning is difficult as its pressed into the sides of the hole at the outter ends of the "T".Some times a needle nose will work also.Just pull straight out.