Best Ultrasonic Cleaner Fluid for Carbs

[Forge]

So I’ve decided to deep clean my carbs and bought a Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner. My 99 Interstate sat for a year and a half before I bought her and after running strong cleaners through her, she ran better, but not perfect. She stumbled at low rpm. Several seals were leaking, so I pulled the carbs and blew carb cleaner and compressed air through all of the passages, installed new 35 pilots, and used Redeye gaskets to replace every seal and o-ring. I also installed new K&L float valves because mine were seized and the spring loaded pins wouldn’t move. I also installed new K&L pilot screws with slotted heads since I already have a slotted motion pro angled carb adjustment tool. My hands are too fat to effectively use the Redeye D tool with the carbs in place.

The bike ran better, but was still sputtery in the 2000-2500 rpm range. I pulled them again and was more attentive to details with the spray cleaner and the passages. She’s still sputtering in the same range. I’ve cleaned carbs before and this is a very stubborn blockage, so I bought the ultrasonic cleaner to see if I can get these clean. What liquid cleaner has produced good results on stubborn blockages? How long do you run it for? I’ve never used an ultrasonic cleaner, so I’m excited to play with my new toy.  I’ve owned several bikes over the years, and “Lagertha” is by far my favorite! She deserves to run right.

[Bighead]

Crudkutter. You can Get it at tractor supply.

[Roidfingers]

Every where I've researched it's simple green but crudcutter is probably second. I use simple green and it works great but haven't tried others. Could all work the same.

[Forge]

Which Krud Kutter? I see several formulations.

[3W-lonerider]

Simple green and water in ultrasonic cleaner works great. I run mine with the heat on for about 4cycles. I think each cycle is about 4minutes.

[Bighead]

Which Krud Kutter? I see several formulations.

Parts washer.

[Bighead]

That is what Bob (attic rat) uses. Went to pick it up with him when visiting one time.

[CoachDoc]

Simple Green and very hot water works best for me. 5-10 minutes, no more because it can darken some alloy parts (personal experience). Cleans incredibly well with the aid of those ultrasonic bubbles.

[Forge]

I ended up using the Krud Kutter parts washer and it corroded the hell out of my carbs. They look like crap now. They are white and crusty. I ran them again for 3 minutes on each side with mostly water and a splash of cleaner and they are a little better, but still corroded.

[Bighead]

Hmmm mine were sparkling like new when they were cleaned with Krudkutter.

[Forge]

I used the Krud Kutter parts washer formulation. I used it full strength and did just over 9 minutes per side with heat.

[Toovalks]

Forge... I had the same experience with Krudcutter parts washer. I only did it to one carb body, but it was a crusty mess when it came out.

[ridingron]

A buddy at work uses Pine-sol with water 50:50. Don't know if that would work for carbs. He races the RC boats that run in the 80's (mph). Basically a weed eater motor.

[pancho]

Hmmm mine were sparkling like new when they were cleaned with Krudkutter.

Do you know if it was used full strength, how hot and for how long?

[pancho]

Every where I've researched it's simple green but crudcutter is probably second. I use simple green and it works great but haven't tried others. Could all work the same.

What Simple Green product do you use, the industrial cleaner and degreaser? Do you use it full strength? I think I am going to do my carbs again,, like Forge, I also seem to have a persistent problem.

[Attic Rat]

I use krud kutter parts wash for ultra sonic cleaners white bottle. I use it full strength at about 120 degrees for 20 minutes

[Forge]

Full strength Krud Kutter parts washer formulation with 9 minutes per side made my carbs look like crap. I rinsed the crap out of them afterwards with water, blew with air, then blasted Berryman’s carb spray, through the passages, then more air. I blasted in the pilot screw hole with the Berryman’s with the straw while holding the throttle open with my middle finger. I blocked the large pilot hole in the throat with the side of my index finger, and the pilot jet hole blocked with my thumb. I kept repeating this and alternating blowing air while blocking the same holes. I kept doing this until I saw the carb cleaner spray out of the 3 pilot holes in the throat, not just dribble, but spray.  I think this advanced my osteoarthitis by 10 years. It was a pain in the ass and my hands. I’m glad I have thick skin, because a couple of times it felt like the air wanted to blast the skin off of my index finger. Screw the pain, this was my third time pulling carbs and I wanted it to be right. This was even after the ultrasonic. We are talking some stubborn crap.

The carbs are corroded and look like crap now, but she runs the best ever since I bought her. Smooth is good. Part of me wants to buy a used set of Interstate carbs and start over because mine look like crap with white corrosion all over them.

[Bighead]

I use krud kutter parts wash for ultra sonic cleaners white bottle. I use it full strength at about 120 degrees for 20 minutes

After Bob did mine as he says above they looked new! Dont know why yours look like poop but no ill affect on mine.
Or for you english majors would that be effect?

[Forge]

Attic Rat, that is exactly what I bought from Tractor Supply. The gallon bottle says Immersion and Ultrasonic cleaners. The only thing I can think of is perhaps whomever Keihin used to make their castings for Honda may have used different alloys. I don’t know. According to the shop manual, the Interstates have different carb numbers cast into them. Perhaps they were made elsewhere. I don’t know. All I do know is that my carbs look like crap.

It’s Friday. I am drowning my sorrows with Evan Williams 1783 small batch and Seven-Up. Evan and Seven is workkng. My consolation is that Lagertha is running clean and smooth now, despite needing more cosmetic surgery than she already does.

L’chayim!

[pancho]

I use krud kutter parts wash for ultra sonic cleaners white bottle. I use it full strength at about 120 degrees for 20 minutes

Thanks,,  I would think you have done it a hundred times like that.... really wonder what is happening with Forge and Toovalks

[Forge]

I use krud kutter parts wash for ultra sonic cleaners white bottle. I use it full strength at about 120 degrees for 20 minutes

Thanks,,  I would think you have done it a hundred times like that.... really wonder what is happening with Forge and Toovalks

Me too. Same solution was used. My ultrasonic cleaner is the one from Harbor Freight. Nothing else was added.

[pancho]

At what temperature does that Harbor Freight cleaner operate Forge? Do you have a picture of the final results?

[Forge]

Here’s a pic of one of the carb bodies after I ran it through an additional 3 minutes per side in plain water to clear off some of the corrosion. Believe it or not, this is an improvement. I already had assembled the bottom when I took this pic. I didn't run the covers through the ultrasonic. They cleaned up fine with carb cleaner. As far as the temp, I’m not sure, but I started out with room temperature cleaner and it heated with the heat function as it worked. They all looked the same regardless of the temperature of the solution.

[pancho]

Hey Forge I'm wondering if the HF cleaner is deep enough to completely submerge the carb bodies or is part exposed to the air when  working.... Is that what you meant when you said "just over 9 minutes per side with heat."?

Did you rinse them when they were removed from the cleaner?


Man, you must have freaked when you saw what happened.

[Bighead]

Here’s a pic of one of the carb bodies after I ran it through an additional 3 minutes per side in plain water to clear off some of the corrosion. Believe it or not, this is an improvement. I already had assembled the bottom when I took this pic. I didn't run the covers through the ultrasonic. They cleaned up fine with carb cleaner. As far as the temp, I’m not sure, but I started out with room temperature cleaner and it heated with the heat function as it worked. They all looked the same regardless of the temperature of the solution.

Yeah I would say those look like poop. Sorry for your troubles.

[Forge]

Hey Forge I'm wondering if the HF cleaner is deep enough to completely submerge the carb bodies or is part exposed to the air when  working.... Is that what you meant when you said "just over 9 minutes per side with heat."?

Did you rinse them when they were removed from the cleaner?


Man, you must have freaked when you saw what happened.

Correct, the HF cleaner isn’t deep enough to do the whole body, so you have to turn it over and do the other side.

After removing the bodies, I immediately rinsed them off and blasted out every port with the nozzle on my water hose. Then I blew them out with air until dry. The corrosion was already there and formed in the tank.

Yes, I was a little freaked. I was concerned that if the internal passages were corroded and blocked, the carbs would never work right. As described above, I blasted the pilot passages thoroughly. The carbs llook like poop, but my consolation is that they run better and cleaner than the bike ever has since I’ve owned her.

Since many have done the same process numerous times, using the same cleaner in the same way, the only thing I can think of is that there must be some difference in some carb’s metallurgy. I can’t think of anything else.

[pancho]

I was sorta thinking it might be because some of the body was exposed to oxygen for nine minutes while wet with the krud kutter and the machine was on???  I don't know if attic rats machine is deep enough to completely submerge the carbs to make that a possibility or rule it out?

" I was concerned that if the internal passages were corroded and blocked, the carbs would never work right"

That would have been my first thought also..... glad to hear they are working good even though you are reminded every time you look at them.

[Forge]

I was sorta thinking it might be because some of the body was exposed to oxygen for nine minutes while wet with the krud kutter and the machine was on???  I don't know if attic rats machine is deep enough to completely submerge the carbs to make that a possibility or rule it out?

" I was concerned that if the internal passages were corroded and blocked, the carbs would never work right"

That would have been my first thought also..... glad to hear they are working good even though you are reminded every time you look at them.

No on the because of being exposed to air. The majority of the carb bodies (maybe 80% plus) were always covered and submerged in the fluid the whole time. The fluid came up way past halfway on the carb and the parts that were always submerged still had the corrosion.

[pancho]

Hmmm,,  well that leaves me perplexed.  I would not think that your idea of alloy differences in the manufacture would be likely as Keihin surely has specs that must be adhered to.... of course I could be wrong. 

My next thought would be contamination of your carburetors with some substance that reacted with the krud kutter. ??? 

What gets to me is one person does this successfully, while you and Toovalks have bad outcomes that I don't what to repeat.

[Forge]

I had run Berryman’s through the carbs to try and clean them out before cleaning, but surely many others have used carb cleaners before their carbs were sonic’d because the carb cleaner didn’t work. Even then, I had run straight gasoline after the cleaner to water any cleaner down knowing I was going to pull my carbs to lessen the chance of any drips damaging my paint. The carbs should have either been flushed with the straight fuel or at least the Berryman’s was very watered down.

[pancho]

I was thinking more like road salt or sea spray on the externals, which neither will happen in San Antonio.

Maybe something the bike is washed with?  I just have a problem with these "mystery's" that have such dire consequences.

[Forge]

The road salts and sea spray do not happen here and the previous owner lived in Central Texas. Either way, that wouldn’t affect the internal cavity float chamber above the float that was also corroded. Interestingly, the machined throats were not affected.

[JimBob]

Hi Forge!

Yep, that's a cruddy-looking carb in the photo!
But... how to clean it?
Glass bead blasting should clean up the outside, get into all the nooks and crannies, and leave them looking nice.
I have used glass beads.... I think #8.... cleaning carb bodies and it leaves a nice clean, matte surface.
But.... I used it on disassembled dirt-bike carbs where the cable pulls the slide.... no throttle shaft for the glass bead grit to get into the joint at the shaft bushings and cause problems.
On the Valk carbs you could mask off all the openings, but there is still the issue of the glass bead media getting in & around the bushings at the throttle shafts.

Maybe 'soda blasting' followed by a water rinse would work. The baking soda media should dissolve with water.

https://www.harborfreight.com/50-lbs-medium-grade-armex-soda-blast-media-65929.html

Anyone have experience with soda blasting?

Tell us about it!

In the meantime..... if it's running good and the weather's decent.... go riding!

[pancho]

Hi Forge!


Maybe 'soda blasting' followed by a water rinse would work. The baking soda media should dissolve with water.

https://www.harborfreight.com/50-lbs-medium-grade-armex-soda-blast-media-65929.html

Anyone have experience with soda blasting?

Tell us about it!

In the meantime..... if it's running good and the weather's decent.... go riding!

You make a good point JimBob.   

Well, I'm also looking for a cleaner to use on my carbs in an ultrasonic,, Forge and Toovalks have tried krud kutter and I see the results. Bighead said "mine were sparkling like new when they were cleaned with Krudkutter", but it wasn't claimed that they looked like that when they came out of Attic Rats ultrasonic cleaner, or if there were additional steps done to clean them up. There is some missing information somewhere.

I may use simple green or pine-sol on mine when I pull them again,,, no krud kutter. I have mine running great, but to achieve the best power and mixture at idle speeds, two of the pilot screws are over 4 turns out and two are about two turns out. I think I have a bit of buildup in those passages.  Forge, I hope the next time you spend an evening having some of that Evan Williams small batch, it's for celebration. 

Cooler weather is here boys

[Bighead]

Hi Forge!


Maybe 'soda blasting' followed by a water rinse would work. The baking soda media should dissolve with water.

https://www.harborfreight.com/50-lbs-medium-grade-armex-soda-blast-media-65929.html

Anyone have experience with soda blasting?

Tell us about it!

In the meantime..... if it's running good and the weather's decent.... go riding!

You make a good point JimBob.   

Well, I'm also looking for a cleaner to use on my carbs in an ultrasonic,, Forge and Toovalks have tried krud kutter and I see the results. Bighead said "mine were sparkling like new when they were cleaned with Krudkutter", but it wasn't claimed that they looked like that when they came out of Attic Rats ultrasonic cleaner, or if there were additional steps done to clean them up. There is some missing information somewhere.

I may use simple green or pine-sol on mine when I pull them again,,, no krud kutter. I have mine running great, but to achieve the best power and mixture at idle speeds, two of the pilot screws are over 4 turns out and two are about two turns out. I think I have a bit of buildup in those passages.  Forge, I hope the next time you spend an evening having some of that Evan Williams small batch, it's for celebration. 

Cooler weather is here boys

Pancho they were straight out of the ultrasonic when they looked new. Ask anyone who has had Bob work on theirs and see if there is a different answer. I don't think so. Dont know what is going on with the ones here. All I can say is mine were perfect.

[pancho]

Hey Bighead,,   I'm not questioning the quality of the work that comes out of attic rats shop, I have been seeing people sing his praises for years after some of his work.....  just was trying to get to the bottom of this before I used any specific cleaner on my carburetors.  I do wonder if ANY of the Valkyrie carbs he has done ever turned out like  the ones shown here.

Looks like you have added to your stable since I was last hanging around here..  nice collection.

[Bighead]

Yes added a wing but after 10 months of owning it I sold my IS to a friend. It is in good hands.