Service & Maintenance Question
Have a question about using ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning...
Service & Maintenance Question posted March 5, 2017 by Jerry L McLean
69 Views, 6 Comments
Question:
Have a question about using ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning carburetors. I have been using a machine that has the heat option on it and have tried a little Purple Power in water as a solution and just a little plain Dawn dishwashing detergent in water as a solution and both have discolored the aluminum turning it grayish instead of shiny and bright. Both clean extremely good but just look bad. What do some of you guys use and get good results.
Answer
How strong are you using it. The 6 liter 160 watt unit I am using I only put 1 to 2 tablespoons of Dawn Ultra. This is only a little over 7 pH soap. I also using a 8.5 and 12.5 pH soaps at the same strength. Neither have discolor any of the carburetors. I even the solution to 60C without problems.
Most times I seldom run more than 30 minutes cycles But over yesterday I did run a 60 minute and 2 ea 30 minute cycles due an extremely dirty carburetor with fluid changes. This was a Subaru EY40 on a trencher and was heavily dirty and oily.
On some carburetors they will not be shiny or bright due materials used especially some Briggs carburetors as they are dull grey to start with. Now most 2 cycle carburetors will only have shiny areas that are machined all other area should come bright clean normally but not all times.
As with all cleaning methods you may need to probe known
*** holespassages as some clogs are very resist to cleaning, just how the carburetor have been clogged.Be the first to rate this
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I may be using too much. Mine is a small one, 2 liter I think, and I have been putting a pretty good squirt of Dawn in it. I'll keep working with it until I figure out a good mixture. I didn't think Dawn would discolor but I guess with the heat it does. Before buying the ultrasonic machine, I soaked carburetors in pure Purple Power but with no heat and to my knowledge have never had one to discolor, It doesn't hurt anything, just looks bad.
To Eugene Rounds: I really appreciate you taking the time to share your information. Thank You
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I did use a Kendall 2.5 liter for several years. This model was very similar to the one Harbor Freight sells. The heat function should be a problem as it is factory limited. On this size I only use two teaspoons of Dawn Ultra. One note make sure your not using the one that has the bleach in it as could discolor the aluminum.
The following is one that I cleaned Sunday on a 2-1/2 Hr cycle. Extremely dirty. 1 Tablespoon of Dawn Ultra, 6 liters of water with 60C heat. Change the solution twice due being very dirty.
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you have to be very careful when using a US cleaner.. You cant just mix stuff up and hope for the best.. an inproper mixture can destroy a carburetor... Ive been there, done that.. destroyed a 2100CD (HS163C) with improper solution.. Hard to swallow ruining a carburetor (it literally ate away at the casting in 2 minutes). Left aluminum dark gray in color, almost black..
I use Brulin 815 GD solution (i bought a gallon on amazon). I use it on all my carburetors per their instruction (10% solution and 90% distilled water). This cleans like no other and leaves the aluminum nice and bright.
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I'll have to check out the Brulin cleaner. I know a lot of people use Dawn with good results but I think I have found my problem. I have one of the Bejing Specials from Harbor Freight and assumed it had a thermostat on the heating cycle but have found out that it doesn't. What I have been doing is running 3-4 of the longest cycles it will run and leaving the heat on through all the cycles which has been causing my solution to get extremely hot. You can turn aluminum black just by boiling plain water in it (ex. a cooking pot) and that's basically what I've been doing. The metal has not been ate away, just turned a dull color.
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That HFT 2.5 liter unit shouldn't be exceeding 150F (65C) temp if it is exceeding this then it is defective.
And yes it can be very hot even at 60C because I can not even keep hand it beyond a few seconds in my Kendall 6 liter unit.
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