ATV Florida Forum

Does anybody know of any chemicals or tricks to get varnish out of a carb?

Its a carb out of a two stroke polaris that sat for many years.

Any help would be appreciated.

Pull the carb and unscrew the bowl. Mostly likely if it's been years the bowled is caked with old gas. Once the bowl is off just use cheap carb cleaner on it. Carb cleaner seems to work fine. Then take the main jet out and clean it. Then do the idle jet. Clean the floater too. I usually get a air compressor with an air nozzle and after cleaning I spray all the holes with air to make sure all the gunk is cleaned. Hope this helps.  -Mark

Thanks for the advice.  The problem is the varnish that is stuck all over the inside of the carb. 

Anyway, I basically did what you said using a can of gumout and an air compressor.  After I put it back together and installed it, the bike started on the first pull.  I am very impressed with polaris. 

Glad it worked out for you.  When I know my quads are gonna sit for a while I'll either turn the gas off and let it run dry or drain the bowl after I get done riding. -Mark

On an old generator carb, I used acetone. Got a small metal bowl & a brush, took out all the plastic and cleaned all the metal parts. Blew the holes out and worked like brand new.

Does the acetone dissolve the varnish ?

Yes, almost instantly, very little scrubbing needed.

Need to remove all soft parts though, will dissolve plastic. Not sure about rubber, I cleaned the float seat by itself quickly not to harm the soft seat.

Thanks,  I will definately try acetone next time.  No more scraping !!!!!!

The old carb cleaners were pretty good, but the newer ones are environmentaly friendly, bs, don't work very well. They do some cleaning, but not much.

Acetone is very hot, will take the collor right off your dash board in an auto. Don't use to remove velcro adhessive from dash, took the collor off right down to the plastic under it, quickly to. Very good cleaner though.

brake cleaner....and wear safety glasses....LMFAO...

The rubber parts strech and deform when I use carb cleaner. I started using rubbing alcohol and eletrical contact cleaner.