I have a half dozen old carbs including thermoquads I will be rebuilding. Anyone used an ultrasonic cleaner on a thermoquad? If so what solution did you use in the cleaner?
Ultrasonic cleaner for carbs?
- Thread starter mgoblue9798
- Start date
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I use distilled Water and Pine-Sol.
2 gallons water to 1 ounce of Pine-Sol.
Get water hot with the Ultrasonic cleaner then put the carb in.
Don't put your hands In the solution with the Ultrasonic Running, it's hard on your bones.
Do it outside or your whole garage will smell like Pine-Sol.
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Do 15 minutes at a time and keep an eye on it. Old aluminum carb in too long and they start turning dark gray / black.
Have to help some of the tough spots along with little scrapers and brushes between soaks.
It takes care, blow compressed air through all the small holes, if they are plugged get the little wires out, then a final soak.
These are the newer Shinny finish Edelbrocks ^^^. They clean up easy compared to the non coated early aluminum carbs.
@rumblefish360 is the thermal quad expert.
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2 gallons water to 1 ounce of Pine-Sol.
Get water hot with the Ultrasonic cleaner then put the carb in.
Don't put your hands In the solution with the Ultrasonic Running, it's hard on your bones.
Do it outside or your whole garage will smell like Pine-Sol.
__________
Do 15 minutes at a time and keep an eye on it. Old aluminum carb in too long and they start turning dark gray / black.
Have to help some of the tough spots along with little scrapers and brushes between soaks.
It takes care, blow compressed air through all the small holes, if they are plugged get the little wires out, then a final soak.
These are the newer Shinny finish Edelbrocks ^^^. They clean up easy compared to the non coated early aluminum carbs.
@rumblefish360 is the thermal quad expert.
☆☆☆☆☆
Thanks but No! LOL! I do like a good TQ and have done several rebuilds that were a screaming success. I really need to get a running “Mule motor” back into action for “Fooling around purposes.”
No to using the ultrasonic cleaner? Bad experience or just haven't tried one?
The reply was to the “TQ expert” comment.
I can’t abide by that myself. I do like a TQ and I like them on the street - street strip cars.
I can’t abide by that myself. I do like a TQ and I like them on the street - street strip cars.
Respect for anyone that at least tries to use them instead of chunking them. When set up right there isn't a better street carb IMO.
I agree. While they may not be making the best or most power, I think it’s a really well behaved carb on the street. Once they’re dialed in and set up, they’re fantastic. This is also half of the problem. Finding a good early core that can be rebuilt can be a PIA. Rebuilding them isn’t hard. Repairing them can be depending on the persons skill level. For some it’s a snap and they’re great, others toil like max and fail at it. No shame in a failure.
I understand @RustyRatRod was pretty handy with the T-Quad, too.
I know he likes them!
I used to, but I've since gotten out of the carburetor bidness. I thank you kindly, though.
Yes, hence the was! I’ve been getting pretty deep into Holley’s lately. I’ve got a couple of T-quads off of big block HD trucks, but haven’t gotten the urge to get into one yet.
mopardrew
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Great advice here! I agree and use same solution except for simple green. Had my sons kitty cat carb that wouldn’t stay clean. Ultrasonic cleaned parts I couldn’t get to. Great tool to have! As George j says too long may change color!
What ultrasonic cleaner are you using?
10 liter, big enough to get 4 bbl carb bodies into.
Here is the exact same one I use. For sale on e-bay, out of California.
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That's the exact one I have and it won't clean a fresh, wet turd. It even passes the tin foil test. You name it and I've tried it for cleaning solution. I've had good luck with soda blasting, though.
Yikes!
junkyardhero
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are you talking about the corrosion or embedded dirt/filth on the alum. surfaces or the scuzz of the internal passageways?
i've found dip or ultra sonic to be fine for internals but damn if i can't find any type of cleaning solution to spiff up the outside short of blasting.
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These Ultrasonic Cleaners are a different sort of animal, on what a person can expect to clean and what is not good at cleaning.
As example you can't expect to through a half greasy part into the mix and have it come clean like out of a pot of boiling water. Any grease or oil residue creates a barrier for the tiny bubbles to get into work.
Same with that white carb corrosion, the thicker it is the less the Ultrasonic can get to the base metal and do it's work.
On the other hand the bare Gold linkages on the carbs, the Ultrasonic will strip that gold plate right off those parts if left in too long, like anything after 5 minutes with those parts in a plastic cup all together.
Need to keep that Gold plate on there for corrosion resistance, otherwise they end up bare metal and start flash rusting right away.
So it is kind of a delicate process, what parts can take how much time in the solution and what solution to use with each particular part so it does not eat it up.
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Electrolysis and washing soda mixed in water works good to do rusty steel and iron parts.
So is putting small mopar bolts in a cup of 6% cleaning vinegar overnight, rinse with distilled water, blow dry, then a fine wire wheel to buff them up clean like new again. bolts need to be 100% degreased before putting them in a cup of vinegar for overnight.
Each process takes some special tricks to get the desired results.
Hope this helps.
☆☆☆☆☆
As example you can't expect to through a half greasy part into the mix and have it come clean like out of a pot of boiling water. Any grease or oil residue creates a barrier for the tiny bubbles to get into work.
Same with that white carb corrosion, the thicker it is the less the Ultrasonic can get to the base metal and do it's work.
On the other hand the bare Gold linkages on the carbs, the Ultrasonic will strip that gold plate right off those parts if left in too long, like anything after 5 minutes with those parts in a plastic cup all together.
Need to keep that Gold plate on there for corrosion resistance, otherwise they end up bare metal and start flash rusting right away.
So it is kind of a delicate process, what parts can take how much time in the solution and what solution to use with each particular part so it does not eat it up.
__________
Electrolysis and washing soda mixed in water works good to do rusty steel and iron parts.
So is putting small mopar bolts in a cup of 6% cleaning vinegar overnight, rinse with distilled water, blow dry, then a fine wire wheel to buff them up clean like new again. bolts need to be 100% degreased before putting them in a cup of vinegar for overnight.
Each process takes some special tricks to get the desired results.
Hope this helps.
☆☆☆☆☆
I had good luck using a large crock pot, water and simple green.
Rat Bastid
Dunamis Metron
Ok, I’ll head down the rabbit hole..
Why are we cleaning fresh, wet turds???
Asking for a friend because he didn’t have the balls to ask for himself.
Ok thanks to everyone for the input. I pulled the trigger and have a 30L cleaner on the way. Go big or go home!
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