Best carburetor & throttle body cleaners according to redditors
We found 53 Reddit comments discussing the best carburetor & throttle body cleaners. We ranked the 8 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 53 Reddit comments discussing the best carburetor & throttle body cleaners. We ranked the 8 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
http://www.amazon.com/Berryman-0996-Chem-Dip-Carburetor-Cleaner/dp/B00DSMEL2A
Try dipping your carb. This stuff worked pretty well for a Solex & and an Edelbrock in my last two project vehicles, managed to make the "go-at-it-with-a-pick-and-brush" phase way easier.
You didn’t mention what bike you had, but if you have carburetors be sure to drain all the fuel lines and the carb float bowls also. Treat your first tank of gas with something like seafoam and hopefully you’ll be OK.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002JN2EU/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_c_6NKYAbKYPQ8AH
that bike's bearings are likely in great shape, but dry. the original schwinn bearings are better than any modern (chinese) replacements you can buy, other than NOS schwinn parts found on ebay.
i think the biggest problem you're going to have with that particular bike, as a novice, is the brake and derailleur removal, replacement, and adjustment. not impossible, but they can be problematic.
the best way to clean the bearings before repacking them is to soak them overnight or longer in a can of carburetor cleaner. then pack them with actual wheel bearing grease.
schwinn-specific tires are required. tubes are interchangeable, but tires are not.
I've done it twice. I used engine brushes, Chemtool B12, carb cleaner and a shop vac. Process is simple once the intake manifold is removed, soak the closed valves in B12 wait 20-45 minutes then go to town with the engine brushes once finished suck up dirty residue with shop vac. Once that's finished spray the closed valves with carb cleaner then again go to town with the drill then suck up the residue when you are finished. This process will need to be repeated a few times (till the valves are clean). Once those valves are clean rotate the crank and work on the other valves. In my experience you should have 4-6 valves closed at once. Be sure to suck up all the residue with the shop vac you don't want any lingering particles when you are done.
Here are is my before and after at 40K miles. Didn't notice much of a power difference just better idle and throttle response but my valves weren't that bad. I'm sure if they were worse it would have impacted performance a lot more.
edit
I use the engine brushes with a drill.
I don't know how much access you have to commercial goods right now, but there's a product called "Sea Foam" that worked wonders on my lawnmower. It was having problems, choking out when I first started it or when the motor was under heavy load (thick grass).
You use an ounce or two per gallon, and it helps dissolve gunk in the engine. After two treated tanks (roughly 1.5 gallons worth), the lawnmower was running like new.
It might work, it might not. If you can get a hold of some, it's worth a shot. You should be able to find it in auto parts stores or home improvement stores (if there's any to be found)
Start by cleaning the throttle body. This stuff is fine:
https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05078-Throttle-Air-Intake-Cleaner/dp/B000M8PYO2
(Also inspect the throttle cable, which can sometimes stick).
The octane level of the gas should not affect the idle. You could try changing out the fuel but I'd bet there is some other issue. I had a '72 cb350 myself for several years and never saw any difference in the running condition based on the gas type.
The idle jet inside each carburetor has a very small hole that allows gas to pass through. More than likely there is some small debris blocking one of the idle jet passageways.
Can't tell from your picture, but you should definitely have an in-line fuel filter that keeps debris from the gas tank from getting into the carbs.
I have heard of people having luck with running Seafoam through their tank to clear out the carbs. But in my experience owning a CB350, removing and cleaning the carbs was a process I inevitably had to do a couple of times a year. It really isn't that difficult to do.
Edit:Spelling
99% chance your carb is gummed up. Happens to me on my snowblower. Locate the carb and remove the bowl. Clean that with some de-gumming spray and also shoot some up into the inside of the carb. If it is really gummed up bad you may need to take the float off and clean it out with a brush like this.
Watch some youtube videos on how to clean small engine carburetors. Last year i knew literally zero about it. After watching videos and learning how to clean my snowblowers I can do it in less than 30 minutes if i need to.
I'm assuming you're confused, they were talking about this https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Foam-sf-16-Motor-Treatment/dp/B0002JN2EU
Sea Foam.
This stuff chews through carbon. It's startling. Some Sea Foam, an eyedropper for the receiver and turkey baster for the barrel and my guns require a much smaller amount of Ballistol (or Hoppe's 9 for those that swing that way).
if he paid $800 for carb dip/clean/setup/etc/. the shop saw him coming.
depends on what "dipped" means.. taking 4 carbs apart and dipping in Berryman's and re-assembly? $150.
https://www.amazon.com/Berryman-Chem-Dip-Carburetor-Cleaner-Basket/dp/B00DSMEL2A
taking apart 4 carbs cleaning and ultrasonically cleaning and replacing everything whether it needs it or not with 4 new carbkits ($50)
$250-$300?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-X-CARBURETOR-CARB-REPAIR-REBUILD-KIT-77-HONDA-CB750K-750-FOUR-/322539601700
for $800 , the shop should include a full carb setup/tune and a initial fill of baby tears in all 4 bowls.
That seems dangerous considering what Sea Foam is...
A couple of things here.
#1, and a pet peeve of mine, SeaFoam™ isn't a cleaner at all, and really isn't a throttle body and intake cleaner. It's a mixture of snake oil (errrr, "proprietary hydrocarbon blend") and rubbing alcohol (isopropanol). It doesn't belong in your engine, in your intake manifold or in your crankcase.
#2, your high idle and IAC related codes sound like a bad vacuum leak. Do you have a scan tool that reads live data? Or a bluetooth OBD-II adapter and an app like Torque Pro for your phone or tablet? You need to find and fix the vacuum leaks first. It's easier with an OBD-II scan app or scan tool watching live data graphs for the O2 sensor.
If you have a scan tool or scan app, drive the thing to get it warmed up, and when you get back to the shop/garage, set up your scan app/tool to graph the upstream O2 sensor voltage (bank 1, sensor 1). It should fall into a nice oscillating rhythm. Then, spray throttle body/intake cleaner around (the kind that comes in a spray can that says "Throttle body cleaner" or "Throttle body/Intake cleaner.") your intake manifold gaskets, your fuel injector seals where they go into the intake, and other connections and sensors on the intake. Do not use "carburetor cleaner" or any cleaner where the SDS lists alcohol of any kind in the ingredients. I use this stuff amzn.com/B000M8PYO2 because it's acetone based and contains almost no alcohol of any kind. Watch the O2 sensor voltage graph as you are spraying the cleaner around places that might leak. When you hit a leak with the cleaner, the O2 sensor will swing way off in the rich direction. Note where all the leaks you can find are and repair the leaks then verify that you've fixed the leaks with the cleaner again. If you don't have a scan tool, you can still use the cleaner to check for leaks. You should hear the engine idle speed increase slightly when you hit a leak with the cleaner. A scan tool is much more sensitive than your ear, but you should hear the difference on any really bad leaks.
#3, you probably need to clean those IAC passages and the IAC valve plunger with the same throttle body and intake cleaner you used to check for leaks.
yup. I soaked my bell-crank in a can of Chem-Dip until the new cable arrived. Took it out and gave it a good scrubbing, lubed it up, worked like a charm.
There are products specifically for that purpose. Looks like a large paint can, but will say "Carburetor and parts cleaner" or something similar on it and you can find it at any autoparts store. Like this, for example.
Most 75 and 76 US spec 400Fs (400F0 and 400F1) have the flat handlebars as well. My 75 has them. Didn't think the US spec got the high handlebars and forward pegs till 77 (CB400F2).
I agree the starter switch is likely the cause of the headlight problems. The current for the headlight actually flows over that switch. Here's a link to a relay kit that will fix that.
Also the yahoo CB400f group has a set of pictures that show you how to repair the switch if its salvageable. You can also find NOS switches on ebay if you look hard enough.
Good Luck on sorting out the issues and getting it back on the road. I have a good deal of work to put into mine as well.
Some more useful CB400F links:
Electronic Ignition kit.
Honda Sohc4 forums
Honda Service Manuals and Parts Lists
3000 mile maintenance:
May need to rebuild carbs if jets are badly varnished.
Carb sync tool
11mm master cylinder thread on sohc4.net.
Go to the parts counter at a Ford dealership and get a can of Tune Up. Spray a liberal amount on it and leave it alone overnight. This stuff is magic for rusted parts.
If you do have to heat it to break it loose heat the steel pipe away from the aluminum until the red hot reaches the housing, put a pipe wrench on it, then spray the pipe with WD-40 to shock cool it and give the pipe wrench a good hard yank. To break it loose.
https://www.amazon.com/Berryman-0996-Chem-Dip-Carburetor-Cleaner/dp/B00DSMEL2A
Something like this. Your local auto parts store should have something similar.
If your bike has a fuel filter (I don't know, mine doesn't) inspect or replace. Check fuel line for kinks. Replace the spark plug. You might also run a little SeaFoam through your carb. Gasoline can turn to varnish in some of the small passages of a carb.
eh
It cleans shit out and burns varnish and all that.
Seafoam these days is more of a fuel stabilizer (slightly) and a valve lube. as well as burns carbon :P
b12 burns crap out of passages.
seafoam es smokeh.
yes you put it in the gas.
I use seafoam when I buy a new vehicle to lube the valves as well as I like smoke :P
be careful how you mix. sometimes they don't play nice with cat converters
Oof.
Your future. It contains this: https://www.amazon.com/Berryman-Products-996-Chem-Dip-Carburetor/dp/B00DSMEL2A
Good luck :)
Depends. If any passages are completely clogged, the Seafoam won't get in to the clog and do its thing. If all passages have some flow, the Seafoam can get in and work.
It also depends on how the gas/Seafoam ratio, and how long you let the Seafoam sit and work. It also depends on how hard the deposits are, and how long they've been there.
I had a Yamaha Maxim 550 (GREAT bike!) whose previous owner let it sit for 11 years with gas in the carbs. Seafoam, Berryman's B-12 Chemtool, ultrasonic cleaning, carb cleaner in a can--none of that worked. What finally worked was a gallon can of carb cleaner, aka a carb dip: http://www.amazon.com/Berryman-0996-Chem-Dip-Carburetor-Cleaner/dp/B00DSMEL2A
Try cleaning your throttle body and run a can of Seafoam in a half tank of gas and see if that helps. Also you might get one of these Blue Tooth OBD2 readers that you can use with smartphone apps like Torque. You can check error codes and watch realtime data from many of the sensors on your engine.
Sea Foam comes right to mind.
Depends on what you're trying to do with it. People seem to want to use fuel treatments as a cure-all, in which case they are ALL worthless. You can't pour some stuff in your fuel tank and expect your car to magically run like new.
If you have dirty/clogged injectors on a car, in-tank cleaner still doesn't do too great a job. For cases like that, I prefer using a cleaner that is run directly through the fuel rail, which is a different cleaner altogether and requires some special equipment to use. But if you want to try an in-tank cleaner first, then yes the professional-level stuff is much more potent.
If you can't get your hands on pro-level cleaner, the next best thing is Berryman's B12 chemtool. I've used it on several occasions and it's way better than seafoam or any of the other garbage that parts store guys try to sell to everyone that walks in the door. Oreilly's sells it, not sure about autozone or advanced.
https://www.amazon.com/Berryman-Chemtool-Carburetor-Injector-Cleaner/dp/B000CCMNAG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519270379&sr=8-1&keywords=berryman+b12+chemtool
Careful with that stuff, though. It's VERY flammable and the fumes are quite hazardous.
Its a pretty amazing product.
Its a gas additive and stabilizer that you can also just straight up run your engine on with zero gas. In fact, that is the SOP for cleaning the crap out of old engines at the place I used to work.
You can get it at any auto-parts store.
I have used Seafoam for 20 years in over 10 vehicles with great success. I pour in 1/4 of a can about every season (so, four times a year) and if I winterize my bike, I use it as a gas stablilizer.
I have run gas that sat in a tank with seafoam for THREE YEARS and the gas was good, bike fired right up and didn't even smoke.
https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Foam-SF-16-Motor-Treatment/dp/B0002JN2EU/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1497560686&sr=1-1&keywords=seafoam
Here is a video showing what it can do. 1:33 you can hear the before. 9:16 is the sound after.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agAWXnT4-EQ
I have seen numerous vehicles "restored" like the one in the video above.