Sonic Carb Cleaning?

[Mick]

Just curious. 

Does anyone know what the current cost is for having a carb sonic cleaned here in the UK?  Does you service dealer charge for sonic cleaning as part of a service, or is it thrown in if needed.

[paulmowers]

Hi

We generally just use it if needed and don't usually charge extra for it, we may charge a bit more for a particular repair or service on a machine if its been badly neglected and the tank and carb are full of goo, it obviously takes longer than one that only needs an air jet blow out.

Cheers Paul.

[Mick]

Hi Paul, and welcome to TGMF. 

I'm kind of doing the same as you. just including in the service, though if someone just brings a carb in on it's own they will get charged the labor for stripping cleaning and reassembly, probably.  I know some companies charge quite a bit on top of the service for sonic cleaning, but I'm not sure how they prove they actually done it.  Bit of a grey area imo.

Main candidates for sonic cleaning seem to be Honda carbs (the Chinese ones), and that's only if the thing isn't flooding like crazy, which a lot of them do.  And the chainsaw and strimmer carbs where people have left stale fuel in them.

[Mulcher]

From what I hear, the going rate seems to be about £40 – though it may vary dependent upon circumstances and location.

I do ultrasonic cleaning as a matter of course as part of a service. I'll strip the carb, including the jets, and put it in the tank whilst I get on with other tasks. When the carb has finished "cooking" I'll rinse it, blow out with the airline and reassemble.
 
(And yes, Mick, I love Honda carbs too

[Mick]

I forgot to ask this. What cleaning solution you use in your sonic tank?  I can't remember what we use, and will have to check tomorrow, all I do know is we get pretty good results from it.

[GardenKit]

Interesting reading to see that some folk do a carb clean on every service. I certainly do not, I only clean and rekit suspect carbs. When I do refurb a carb during a service or repair I charge an extra 15 minutes which seems fair, as those who need it pay, and those whose carbs are fine as they are get the service a bit cheaper. I am also a bit wary of sonic cleaning 2t carbs as I have a fair percentage fail after cleaning. It seems to me that the US cleaner has a habit of destroying the non return valve in the main jet.

[Mick]

Had a pretty high success rate with the US cleaner to be fair. I think if the cleaner kills the carb then the damage has already been done.  I will say that if the machine runs ok (ish) then it'll just get a strip, blowout and new diaphragms as required.

Main candidates for me seem to be Stihl blowers, MS181 - MS171 saws, and Honda IZY carbs. 

[GardenKit]

Hi Mick. I went through a stage of cleaning carbs in the U/S even if they did not need it, but was finding that I was getting more problems than acceptable post cleaning. Carbs that had primed perfectly prior to cleaning would not prime afterwards, and in every case it was the little check valve that was the problem. And, of course, most are not replaceable, so new carbs needed. Incidentally, these were all on Zama carbs. I prefer now to use carb cleaner and gentle air pressure instead. If the carb is rusty or completely crudded up I fit a new carb. Its cheaper in the long run IMO.

But, to be honest, most of my customer base is domestic, and a high proportion of my regulars are using Aspen now. Carbs that run exclusively on Aspen simply do not need to be checked unless there are signs of contamination in the tank (sawdust etc), in which case the internal gauze may need a clean. The diaphragms will be fine.

So my service prices are tailored for Aspen run machines, with petrol users being penalised by the extra cost of carb overhaul where required.

I guess every business runs slightly differently.

[Mick]

Interesting Barrie.  I've had a few where he check vale has failed in the way you mentioned, it might well have been the US tank that caused the ultimate demise of said carburettor, but in many of the cases I've seen the stale petrol + ethanol had almost certainly done most of the damage first.  The cleaning tank is a gamble at this stage tbh.

We still have trouble getting people to take MotoMix on board, mainly due to price, but seems once they try it they come back for more without the hard sell.

I'm yet to find out if Stihl MotoMix is similar to Aspen, but I see no mention of Alkylate on the product info.  MotoPlus on the other hand does mention it.

[GardenKit]

I guess we have been lucky with Alkylate sales (Aspen). Despite initial 'raised eyebrows' over the cost, most customers have embraced the product and are now totally converted. I sell on average a pallet load every 10 days or so.
I certainly would not consider using anything other than Aspen in any of my own handheld kit, or even in my outboard motors. I do use the petrol in my ride on though, but its all the old stuff drained from service machines!
The beauty of servicing a machine run on Aspen is that the carb will be clean and require no attention, the upper cylinder will be completely carbon free, the spark plug will not really need changing ( but we do anyway) and the oil will be completely clean. We always change the oil anyway, but engines run on Aspen will just last and last.
Some will say that the machine does not need servicing then, if run on Aspen, but there is much more to a service than just the plug and oil. (even though the average 'home engineer' seems to think he has serviced the machine himself if he changes the plug and oil!)

[NOMIS]

U Sonic...
I use it as just another option at my disposal for cleaning rather than a default method.
Saw carbs (in general) respond ok to a basic spray through with cleaner and a low pressure blow through before a repair kit but U,Sonic has helped with the odd long term lay up saw carb that may need a little more help.
As has been said...primmer body carbs that have a check valve on the L side seem to be more flaky after a U,Sonic bath so I tend to stay clear on that one.
Mower carbs that need the main running jet removed to sort out poor running/blockage ( if it ..all.. can come out) get a manual clean and a U,Sonic bath if not.

 

[Allan Macpherson]

I'm new to this forum so hello,

My background is in engine repair and general engineering, but I now mostly only look after my own and some of my neighbours kit. Been having a look for a while as it's always interesting to get other folks views on stuff.

On the subject of ultrasonic cleaners for carbs, what do others use as a detergent?  Most of the time I simply use a few drops of washing up liquid in the bath and heat to 60c for 15 / 20 minutes and I find that usually does the trick,
although I have experimented with various other mediums for heavy baked on soiling or carbon removal, cheers.




 

[Mick]

I'm new to this forum so hello,

Hi Allan, and welcome to TGMF. 

Can't remember the make of US tank we use, though its big enough to hold a couple of twin cylinder Honda carbs at the same time.  I'll have to look up the make. 

Usually the solution is heated to about 50c, and each carb is given 3 bursts in the tank of around 15 minutes, only if heavily soiled or has problems that can't be solved with cleaning needles and compressed air.

The solution we use is a Aluminium safe  V1ALUS fluid at around 5% percent dilution with water.

[Allan Macpherson]

Hi Mick,

Not heard of that one, they seem to do a variety of interesting products.

The tank I use is only 2.5L so quite small with the basket but great for my use, I've recently got this stuff to try for shifting baked on varnish and carbon, also alloy friendly.cheers.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dirtbusters-Oven-Cleaning-Dip-Tank-Powder-carbon-remover-degreaser/221175587542?epid=1858169551&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item337f17a2d6:g:lLcAAOSwYGNZldrq&enc=AQAEAAACQBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qWJLa1BzspW0S5cjdxT%2F8ApH9RUZeGzmo0imHPrHsdq2sRlD9rhXgguA4RNGGeKGKJpl92