Topic: In thee varnish..there be carbs!

[Wingmonk]

It took me one week of spraying carb cleaner into a near solid varnished set of K8 carbs and carefully getting the sliders to the up position. Not sure if I should remove em totally..yet
Removed the floats with attached valves.
Eleven years of sitting dead in the sun really made them solid!
Sheeesh, these carbs are nothing like the Yamaha XS650 carbs...so many little parts in these K8's
Now I think I am almost ready for a total clean. I am heading to town this Friday seeking the worlds most advanced cleaner to begin this exciting process.
So...what would you guys suggest on what may work the best? I remember reading in the faq section some carb dip that will work miracles but I for some reason cannot find that again.

Um..Anyone have some good suggestions?

[Bob Wessner]

I would suggest Yamaha cleaner myself. A bit pricier than you standard dip, but works great, easy on non-metallic parts and doesn't smell nearly as bad. Oh, and it does a great job.

[SteveD CB500F]

I use cellulose thinners. It's cheap but stinks, is carcinogenic and dissolves plastic.

It will get rid of varnish in minutes, just make sure you wear rubber gloves and wash the parts thoroughly.

[BobbyR]

I use cellulose thinners. It's cheap but stinks, is carcinogenic and dissolves plastic.

It will get rid of varnish in minutes, just make sure you wear rubber gloves and wash the parts thoroughly.

Straight Simple Green is the best solvent and safest to use. Check the thread on it. Stuff really works.

[Wingmonk]

Thanks for all the suggestions on this project so far. The only real motorcycle carbs I really ever got to know well were the Yamaha XS650 and Honda SL350 carbs.
These K8's look to be light years away in advancements compared to them.
I like the idea of the "Simple Green" as it does seem overall safer than the others, but I think I will try em all.
last week I was spraying some carb cleaner and some got into my eyeball. I knew better as I usually wear eye protection and just a moment of laziness almost ruined a perfectly good evening.

[BobbyR]

Thanks for all the suggestions on this project so far. The only real motorcycle carbs I really ever got to know well were the Yamaha XS650 and Honda SL350 carbs.
These K8's look to be light years away in advancements compared to them.
I like the idea of the "Simple Green" as it does seem overall safer than the others, but I think I will try em all.
last week I was spraying some carb cleaner and some got into my eyeball. I knew better as I usually wear eye protection and just a moment of laziness almost ruined a perfectly good evening.

The spray carb cleaners today don;t work like the old ones. All i use it for now is to blow through the jets after i pass a wire through them. I have the same carbs, make sure you check the accel pump since fuel pools in there.

[Wingmonk]

Well, I tried most the suggested cleaners, cept couldn't find the aforementioned cellulose thinners. The Simple Green worked pretty well too!
The carb looked a bit intimidating at first, but once I looked over the breakdown in my book, it was a piece of cake. My sliders were blotched with varnish, and now travel very smoothly.

The Simple Green came in "Apple Fresh" scent, so I can't wait to impress my riding pals with my sweet smellin' carbs...

All I have to do now is make sure all the little holes are cleared and accelerator pump is clean.

After just over eleven years..there will soon be a fire fed on this K8!
What a great resource this site is. I was looking over the FAQ section, and soooo many great tips. 

Tho I am not done, confidence is running a solid 80%.

Bob in Colorado

[SteveD CB500F]

You can't buy cellulose thinners "over the counter" but trade suppliers generally have it.

I bought a gallon at a local autojumble (yes - off the back of a truck!)

I've struggled to find a UK source for Simply Green.

[Bob Wessner]

All this positive feedback on Simple Green has me curious enough to give it a try on some carbs. Do you dilute it and how long do you folks let things soak in it?

[BobbyR]

All this positive feedback on Simple Green has me curious enough to give it a try on some carbs. Do you dilute it and how long do you folks let things soak in it?

No Bob, like fine Whiskey, you use it straight. If the bowls are crudded up soak for about and hour or so, any remaining blobs can be brushed off. Good stuff and you won;t need oxygen after you use it.

[Wingmonk]

Well, she did fire up and it was sweetest sound heard here all year. I have forgotten how the smooth thunder sounded. Eleven years is a looooong time!
Thanks to all here. This site made my project possible.

Now all I need is a new seat and front brakes.

And then a new project begins on two 76 750's that may be combined into one.

Bob in Colorado

[drag0n]

I never thought of simple green   i just tore down the carbs on my 72 500  two weeks ago and it like yours had been sitting way longer than any bike ever should (since 89) and like yours it was pretty well gummed up every where with varnish even on the outside of the float bowls  so i sprayed them down with b-12 chemtool (3.95 at wal mart) and to my surprise i could sit there and watch the crap turn loose after that it was just a wipe down and ready to go saves a lot of time i thought .

[pae]

You can't buy cellulose thinners "over the counter" but trade suppliers generally have it.

I bought a gallon at a local autojumble (yes - off the back of a truck!)

I've struggled to find a UK source for Simply Green.

Steve, I've never checked this, but I guess it should lead you to a UK supply. http://www.simplegreen.co.uk/formmail/contact1.htm
Regards, Phil

[jrtruckn]

 I know this is a little late but thought I would suggest it. I would suggest Sea Foam. You can look on their website for a supplier near you. I use this all the time in my cars to clean the fuel injectors and in my small engines like my log splitter and lawn mower. It's a fuel stablizer as well as a cleaner. I recently used it to clean the carbs on my CB550. I would suggest adding a little to the tank before you winterize you bike. I got hooked on this by my father in-law who said they used it all the time at the Department of Energy where he worked.

www.seafoamsales.com