|
I'm trying DOT3 as a carb cleaner right now and it seems very effective, though it might have been an idea to soak test on some expendable aluminium and brass before going "Live".
Since its not designed for this use, I can't rule out lurking gotcha's, but advantages include:-
(a) Much less volatile, so you can leave it to soak-in and it wont evaporate.
(b) much less toxic, and ventilation isn't so critical.(see above)
(c) water-miscible, especially useful if you wash parts (or the whole thing) in boiling laundry detergent, which was my standard procedure with motorcycle carbs.
(Dunno if I'll try it with this one (which is a lot more complicated) though.)
(d) rubber-friendly in general, and specifically, hypodermic-syringe friendly. I use syringes to blow out small passages/jets (formerly with water/detergent). You can't do that with carb cleaner because it attacks the piston rubber.
(e) Free (if you use used fluid) and almost free if you use unused fluid since it has a limited storage life once opened. (This assumes you change your own brake fluid)
Doesn't repel mosquitos though frown.
I suppose not many people have carbs on cars anymore so it isn't of much contemporary relevance ("Delayed Developments : Solving Yesterdays Problems, Today") except maybe for motorcycles.
However, I'm told that current DI engines suffer from coked-up intake valves, because there isn't any petrol in the intake tracts to clean them, and the blowby from the EGR/crankcase ventilation system makes them dirty (I'd expect it to have been happening to diesels for ever, then, but dunno if it has)
Perhaps a soak in brake fluid, followed up by a water spray in a running engine, might help with that too?
(Dunno how it'd affect a catalyst though.)
Edited by edlithgow on 06/04/2016 at 15:47
|
