How to Clean your Carburetor
2010-02-18

The carburetor was invented by Karl Benz before 1885 and patented in 1886. It was apparently also invented by the Hungarian engineer Donát Bánki in 1893.Frederick William Lanchester of Birmingham, England experimented early on with the wick carburetor in cars. In 1896 Frederick and his brother built the first petrol driven car in England, a single cylinder 5 hp (4 kW) internal combustion engine with chain drive. Unhappy with the performance and power, they re-built the engine the next year into a two cylinder horizontally opposed version using his new wick carburetor design. This version completed a 1,000 mile (1600 km) tour in 1900 successfully incorporating the carburetor as an important step forward in automotive engineering.  

 The carburetor is one of the most important parts in automobile engines. The carburetor ensures the right mix of gasoline and air in the engine so that the engine functions correctly. Most carbureted engines have a single carburetor, though some engines use multiple carburetors. Older engines used updraft carburetors, where the air enters from below the carburetor and exits through the top. This had the advantage of never "flooding" the engine, as any liquid fuel droplets would fall out of the carburetor instead of into the intake manifold; it also lent itself to use of an oil bath air cleaner, where a pool of oil below a mesh element below the carburetor is sucked up into the mesh and the air is drawn through the oil covered mesh; this was an effective system in a time when paper air filters did not exist. Nowadays, very few car manufacturers use carburetors because of alternative fuel injection technology, but there are many people who still prefer to service the carburetors in their old cars. Carburetors are also used in lawnmowers, bikes, boats, and some light aircraft.

If you have an older car with a carburetor, you know the importance of it working smoothly all the time. It is the lifeblood of the vehicle, supplying the fuel-and-air mix that makes the heart of the car tick properly. The carburetor should be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis to ensure that it is working properly. The process of cleaning it -- inside and out -- is quite simple and shouldn't take you more than 30 minutes or so! Things You’ll Need: • Old rags • Choke and carburetor cleaner (sold at most auto supply stores in a spray can with straw tip) • Lubricant spray cleaner (sold at auto parts stores) • Safety goggles • Small wire brush (optional, to clean the outside if there is heavy sludge buildup)

Step1 With the engine off, remove your air filter housing so that the carburetor is accessible. Get your rags together, along with your spray lubricant and carburetor and choke cleaner. Also locate the throttle control attached to the carb, which allows you to manually operate and run the engine faster while doing the cleaning.

Step2 Place some rags around the base of the carburetor, because the chemicals may harm any nearby painted surfaces, and the rags will stop any runoff.

Step3 Put on your safety goggles and spray the "outside" of the carb with your lubricant, or the carb and choke cleaner. Be sure to spray the connections and attached moving parts, such as the throttle area linkage. Let the fluid set a moment or two and wipe up. If you have a heavy buildup of sludge and oils, clean with a small wire brush before the spray dries.

Step4 Before you start the car, spray a small amount of carb cleaner directly into the carb. Then remove your rags and any tools from the engine area and start the engine. Do NOT spray the lubricant into the carb. Start the engine and use the throttle control, since you want to be able to run the motor at a higher rpm while you spray in more carb cleaner fluid. This will help push the cleaner through and will also avoid stalling out the engine. Spray in short spirts, run the engine faster and then slow it down to normal idle and respray again. Do this a few times. Step5 Let the car run for a few minutes at normal idle. Then turn off engine and re install the air filter and housing. Now drive the car for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot ,allowing the carb cleaner to completely run through the system. Even if you don't feel any increase in performance, you can rest assured that you are doing all you can to care for and preserve the carburetor. In some cases, if the carb was dirty with carbon buildups, you will feel increased power and save fuel at the same time.