Clean an Ultra Lite Carburetor
How to clean a carburetor, for a small ultra-lite aircraft. This can be used for most carburetors because the principals of this job are similar.
Steps
- First step is to remove the carburetor from the vehicle and drain most if not all the fuel from it, you can also remove the fuel lines and vent lines at this time.
- Next is to flip over the carburetor and remove the bowl. It is attached to the carb with usually 3 or 4 Phillips screws on the bottom. Once removed you can now see the internals of your carburetor. If the inside of the bowl is dirty, you know that you carburetor inside are likely to be as well.
- Now that you are inside the carb, you can remove the float. It is held in by the pin, that can be pushed through and the float will lift out. You can see at this point if the float isn't moving freely you could have a sticky float resulting in excessive flooding of the engine. Make sure this is working freely on re-install.
- Now you can start cleaning out your jets one at a time. first you can remove the high speed jet (the one with the slot on top). It is removed with a flat screwdriver. Once removed you can look at it against a light and see if it is clogged or not. If this is you can soak it for a minute in engine degreaser and then hit it with compressed air to blast out the debris. This may need to be done a few times until fully clear of dirt. Once clean, re-install make sure not to tighten excessively.
- Now you can remove the main jet to clean it. It is usually the one sticking up higher, and usually a hex headed 1/4" brass jet.urn it out of the carb and inspect for a clogged passage. You can soak it in degreaser and blast it with compressed air as well. Repeat that to make sure it is cleaned right out. Look down the passage where the main jet came from and blast air down to clean it out as well. Now you can re-install the main jet.
- Check now to make sure you choke lever and butterfly are working properly and not sticking or hesitant. Remove linkage and lubricate to help in ease of operation. Clean intake of carburetor so no debris gets into the engine.
- You can now blow the compressed air through all passageways in the carb to make sure no more clogs are in there. Do all the jets, intake ports, idle ports, overflow ports and where ever you can blow the air. Blow the hole carb out to loosen and remove all the tiny particles of debris.
- Now that the internals have been all cleaned out you can clean out the bowl and underside of the carburetor to make sure no more dirt gets back through your freshly cleaned carb. You can soak the bowl in some degreaser to loosen some stuck on dirt. Be sure to wipe and clean all dirt at this stage so that no more gets inside. This will later help in less problems with clogged up internals.
- You can now re-install the float and pin. Now you can make sure that your pin is lubed with WD or whichever you choose to make that float operation smoother. Just a little spray on the pin and where it meets the float will help so much. Push the pin through the post coming from the carburetor and through the float mount and back through the other side post. No need to fasten it there because once the bowl is installed it will hold it all together.
- Your almost done, you can re-install your bowl and fasten it with the three Phillips screws, make sure not to over tighten and strip these. Once re-installed check final operation of the choke and blow last bits of dirt away. You can also hear the float moving if you shake it easily. Once all clean you can install you fuel lines and vent hoses and its all ready for re-installation on the vehicle!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDusVK6wM6M
Warnings
- Some of the chemicals and fuel can be corrosive if exposed to it long enough.
Things You'll Need
- Phillips screwdriver
- Flat screwdriver
- Compressed air with blower attachment
- Degreaser or brake cleaner
- An all
- Rag
References
- 1) Clymer service manual: Honda XL/XR/TLR125-200, 1979-1987.
