Topic: perfect tool for cleaning slow jets

[paulages]

after trying everything from the often-advised single wire copper strands to drill bits that never quite go small enough, i found something sturdy that will pass through even a #35 slow jet: a single tattoo needle (#12). good luck finding a tattooist who will kick down a few loose needles, but if you can find 'em, they work great.

[ohiocaferacer]

A welding tip cleaner set works great also. You can purchase them at any welding supply store.

[Lumbee]

http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/tools.htm

...scroll down a bit...I think this is the same welder tip cleaning tool mentioned above...

[mcpuffett]

also the wire out of sandwich bag ties work ( uk guys will know what i mean)   mick.

[Bob Wessner]

also the wire out of sandwich bag ties work

These like the wire in what we call twist ties here? If so, that's what I used. They are thin enough, after stripping the paper off, and quite soft so they do no damage.

[paulages]

the problem i've had with the sandwich tie wire or anything similar, is that it's too flexible. tattoo needles are stainless and rigid enough to poke through some serious crud. i never found a welding tip cleaner or jet drill kit that had parts small enough for a #35 jet, when i was looking, and i bought two different kits. i did find a carb cleaning wire set, but the small wires just bend up and become useless..

[Kevin D]

I use old guitar strings. I learned that trick here. If you dont have old ones, you can buy individuals for about a buck, .009, .010, .011, .012, whatever size you want.

[paulages]

yeah, that's what i used as replacements for the small wires in the set i bought unti i discovered the tattoo needle trick.

[bwaller]

A ballpoint pen spring works as well, but a good trick is to hold the jet in a pair of pliers and heat it with a propane torch. It usually turns the crud to ash and is easily cleaned. Sometimes you need to soak a while first then heat. These jets are so tiny and the difference of a thou by forcing something through brass isn't good.

[cb650]

also the wire out of sandwich bag ties work ( uk guys will know what i mean)   mick.

We used to have these but know we get some plastic POS.    Must have had to many fn  lawers pokin their eyes out with the wire.  



                  Terry

[Objectionableone]

Interesting thread to me.  I usually just follow the three C's (my term) for carb cleaning in this order:

1. Chem dip

2. Compressed Air

3. Carb Cleaner

[Jonesy]

Honda makes a set of jet cleaners sized by the jet number. This way, you don't have to worry about accidentally enlarging the jet. I prefer these over the welding tip cleaners, as the tip cleaners have serrated portions that can damage the calibrated orifices in the jets. The Honda Part # is 07JPZ-001010B. Any dealer should be able to get them.

[scott_cb650]

Wires from a wire brush work well.
stiff and strong

[corbinsa]

A note about wires being to flexible: My mechanic showed me a good trick. Take the wire from a wire brush, put it in your drill chuck, and drill the sucker down in there, worked like a charm on my plugged jets.

Steve

[TwoTired]

It's a good trick for him 'cause it's fast.  And, he can get paid for more jobs that way.  It's a bad trick for your bike 'cause it probably changed some of the jet orifice dimensions.  The jets are made of pretty soft metal.  Chucking steel into them is bound to leave some scratches that effect the flow at some given velocity.

Good luck!

[Lumbee]

...used the wire from a brush technique tonight...I have to say it works...not sure about a the drill thing though...where do u find a chuck that small?

[corbinsa]

...used the wire from a brush technique tonight...I have to say it works...not sure about a the drill thing though...where do u find a chuck that small?

The chuck on my craftsman 18V goes down that small. i didn't drill it in there high speed or anything. the wire was just not stiff enough to do it with my fingers, so i put it in the drill chuck, spun it slow and it went through.

A note about my mechanic. I've known him my whole life, grew up down the street from him, was friends with his kids, and he's been wrenching old metrics for longer than i've been around. Maybe I changed the flow of the jets, but probably not enough to really matter to me. i'm just working on a cheap wintertime project.

Steve

[nibenon]

Dragging up an old thread here.

Bristle from brass brush did the job perfectly. Twisted it a bit by hand to poke through the crud. 

[lucky]

A welding tip cleaner set works great also. You can purchase them at any welding supply store.

NEVER use a welding tip cleaner.

Look at the tool closely the wire is made like a small round file.
You do not want to FILE on a jet!

The #35 jet is only .013 thousandths.
A #10 guitar string is .010 thousandths.

Even the smallest wire on a welding tip cleaner may not be small enough.

Remember you do not want to FILE the jets just push the crud out.

[lucky]

Honda makes a set of jet cleaners sized by the jet number. This way, you don't have to worry about accidentally enlarging the jet. I prefer these over the welding tip cleaners, as the tip cleaners have serrated portions that can damage the calibrated orifices in the jets. The Honda Part # is 07JPZ-001010B. Any dealer should be able to get them.

That is what should be sold at the counter of every motorcycle store.
We do not need anymore keychains and other FLUFF.

[Old Scrambler]

Lucky...........you are soooooooooooo right

I have used the welding-tip cleaners for years but stay away from the burled wire.  If I can't easily poke a wire through the jet, I take the entire carb or rack to my local shop for a 'sonic' cleaning.

[DJ_AX]

I use old guitar strings. I learned that trick here. If you dont have old ones, you can buy individuals for about a buck, .009, .010, .011, .012, whatever size you want.

+1 .. I always have some old ones laying around.. I got a few of the sizes cut 'em down and tied/taped the ends... and added the new tool to my box.

And +1 on the drill thing being a bad hack! That's asking for trouble.

[Duanob]

Doesn't have to be Honda brand. This is the best tool I've got for cleaning carbs and not just Honda motorcycle carbs either:

http://www.amazon.com/Carb-Cleaner-Wire-Set/dp/B001DDMB2I