Need to clean a carburetor before rebuilding it

[alanmende]

Hello group,

I have a second carburetor for Grace, our '54 Commander Starliner, that I want to rebuild and keep on hand -- especially when we take a long trip. My question is, what is the best way to clean the accumulated crud off the outside? I tried generic carb and choke cleaner, and it didn't touch the crud. Is it advisable or not to bead blast the carb body before disassembling it? Or will glass beads damage the original appearance of the die casting?

Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.

[wolfie]

If you are building it anyway I would buy a can of small parts cleaner from your local FLAPS.It has a basket in a gallon can that you soak everything in and really gets all the passages clean as well as cleaning up the outside well.Steve

[rockne10]

DO NOT BEAD BLAST IT. The porous caste body is chromated. Blasting will remove the surface that reduces evaporation through the body. Depending on it's condition, there may not be much chromation left.

You can get carb cleaner in a gallon bucket with a basket to let the parts soak for as long as you wish.

I often recommend Dave Thibeault for well-worn carbs. He rechromates the body and cad plates all appendages. I'll rebuild a carb twice and, if it's still troublesome, I send it to Dave. Or, tell him what you need and swap it out at Reedsville or York; looks like new; works like new.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[alanmende]

Thanks Brad and Steve. I'll get some parts cleaner.

Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.