Topic: Stuck Carbs

[denone]

Hi, I have just picked up a set of carbs for my 74' CB550. Any ideas on how to get them freed up? The throttle slides and a couple of the floats appear really gummed up, not to mention the jets, I just can not get them out. Can I soak the whole set of carbs in carb cleaner, or will this destroy the 'O' rings etc? Any help would be appreciated, Thanks.

[oldbiker]

I cleaned a set of carbs using nail polish remover (Acetone, I think) and a kids paint brush. Worked for me.

[TwoTired]

Hmm...Do I have this right?  You want to save 30 year old, dried out, cracked, and hardened o rings?  What are you making?  Some kind of deteriorated art mobile?  Just joking.

Well, I suppose you could try soaking the whole bank in gasoline.  This may well dissolve the fuel deposits without attacking the o-rings.  Might take a few days of soaking, though.

I have gotten stuck carb slides free by squirting spray can carb cleaner on the slides only.  But, then I wasn't at all concerned about the o-rings.  And, I don't remember if they survived the procedure as I did overhaul them and replace all the non-metal pieces.

I'm pretty sure acetone will leech out any remaining plasticizers in the polymer components. (like the o-rings)  Perhaps if you work really quickly, though...

good luck,

[Einyodeler]

Try Yamaha carb cleaner, it`s O-ring  friendly

[Zip]

Yes, Yamaha Carb Cleaner is great stuff.  You could drop the whole thing into it and let it sit a coupke of days.  YCC comes in plastic bottles so it can't hurt plasic and rubber.

Zip

[kansassteve]

Where do you get Yamaha carb cleaner?

[dusterdude]

probably a yamaha dealer

[Einyodeler]

Go to your nearest Yamaha dealer and park right by the front door,run in and get the YCC and when you come back out and all the old timers are hanging around your bike tell them what model year it is and that Honda still supplies a lot of the parts for it to this day. I get that all the time at gas stations or just stopped at a light and they`ll ask what year is that and I tell `em it`s a `72 and ride it over 100 miles roundtrip each day and most of them are just speechless.When is the last time you saw a `74 Yam,Suz or Kaw ridden daily?

[dzachary99]

If all else fails, e-mail me I'll run them through a ultra sonic cleaner, It'll make run and LOOK like new.

misadie1@iwon.com
Doug