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Can I clean my carbs with Kerosene? Can I clean my carbs with Kerosene?
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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
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  #1  
Old 20 Jun 2009
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Can I clean my carbs with Kerosene?
My book says not use commercial carb cleaner, cos

Quote:
'the exterior of most motorcycle carbs is usually coated with a corrosion-protective clear coating. These (commercial carb cleaners) will remove the protective coating from the surface of the carb body"

Again, very helpfully the book then only says to use: "a good grade of cleaning solvent"

What the...?


These (spare set) carbs are very, very manky and disgusting... I had to CARVE the hoses off the nipples, cos they were welded on permanently with gunk.
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  #2  
Old 20 Jun 2009
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hey
hey, not sure about carbs, but I read an article written by a motorcycle manufacturer relating to disk brakes; he said usually if they spill WD40 on disk brake pads, they bin 'em,on the disk themselves they use kerosene to remove.
Usually petrol/kerosene are the best cleaning products. I use to use unleaded to clean my vespa air filter. Kerosene is a solvent, and can be used to treat haed lice, so I think your carbs should be safe.

good luck
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  #3  
Old 20 Jun 2009
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'Carb Cleaner' is not for cleaning the outside of carbs, use a standard motorcycle degreaser like crud-off or warm soapy water. Carb cleaner is for cleaning the internal parts and normally works by you spraying it into the air intake when the engine is running - it then pulls through the carbs and does its stuff. If you are taking the carbs apart and cleaning the components I would recommend petrol, especially for cleaning the diaphragm if it has one, butterfly carbs do, slide carbs don't as far as I can tell from ones I have dismantled.....

Crucially remember the golden rule if you dismantle them, righty tighty - lefty loosey!!
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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i'd say clean them with whatever is required to get them clean you can re apply a protective coating using a silicone spray

tommy what year bikes are affected by head lice
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  #5  
Old 20 Jun 2009
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Quote:
tommy what year bikes are affected by head lice
nope, but I do have a family of spiders nesting behind the head light lol
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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That reminds me, when in Mexico and a crowd of kids form around your bike, wanting to take pictures of themselves sitting on your bike.... Don´t let them where your helmet!!!
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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Originally Posted by tommysmithfromleeds View Post
nope, but I do have a family of spiders nesting behind the head light lol
i've got em on my gsxr spiders that is and they never learn as when i've been out for a blast they have to start webbing all over again
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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Given the contents of your Snap-On toolbox, I'd have thought nail-varnish remover might be more to hand.
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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Originally Posted by tommysmithfromleeds View Post
Kerosene is a solvent, and can be used to treat haed lice, so I think your carbs should be safe.

good luck

Phew.

Just as well you didn't swap the letters round in the word 'carbs' as well...

I would have been DEEPLY offended.
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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Originally Posted by wolfzero View Post
i've got em on my gsxr spiders that is and they never learn as when i've been out for a blast they have to start webbing all over again
ROFLMHO!!!!

Wow, I secretly fancied Wolfie to be one of those blokes who 'rides 'em like he stole 'em'...

Now I see he's so pedestrian, the spiders make cobwebs on his bike! I can't get the picture out of my head!!





(Only teasing... I found 2 spiders in the BRAKE CALIPERS of the bike I'm 'restoring' at the moment... I've named them Eliot and Sebastian... )
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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thats quite hilarious

eliot and sebastian are good names. mine are called fred, simon and 'squashed' boris. he didnt see that one coming.
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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Originally Posted by XT GIRL View Post
ROFLMHO!!!!
Wow, I secretly fancied Wolfie to be one of those blokes who 'rides 'em like he stole 'em'...
Now I see he's so pedestrian, the spiders make cobwebs on his bike! I can't get the picture out of my head!!

(Only teasing... I found 2 spiders in the BRAKE CALIPERS of the bike I'm 'restoring' at the moment... I've named them Eliot and Sebastian... )
they build the webs while i'm at work and funny you should say ride like its stolen, i had stolen not recovered put on the number plate on the xt cos i'd bought it with no documents
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  #13  
Old 20 Jun 2009
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Yamaha Carb Cleaner
This is the secret weapon of a lot of fellow members of the VJMC (Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club). I have about 20 bikes in my shed, many of them arrived as fungused up lumps of crud. The carbs generally are a mess of ali corrosion and long dried fuel varnish.

The secret-squirrel trick with the Yamaha Carb Cleaner is NOT to follow instructions. Mix it 50/50 with water and simmer the carb, as dismantled as you can get it, for about twenty minutes in an old pot or paint can, over your camp stove please as the smell is a bit rich for inside. The wash with water and dry with compressed air if you have it, otherwise metholated spirits will dry it out inside, if you couldn't get it apart. I did a carb off a '63 pushrod Honda Cub C50 last week, and the thing works perfectly again and looks like new. Doesn't even touch any rubber seals. Cleans out all those little fuel galleries.

Keep the mixture and reuse. I have only just ordered a new bottle of cleaner, even though the stuff I have is about 6 years old and done about 15 carbs. It still works, but is getting a bit thick!

Cheers

Nigel in NZ
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Old 22 Jun 2009
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Nigel!

Now THAT's the kind of advice that pleases me!

I don't get to rebel much against the system in my day-to-day life, so blatantly defying manufacturer's instructions fills me with glee!


And I get to do some COOKING!!!


I'm off to get some cookable carb cleaner (not the aerosol stuff). Will report back on any mishaps, burnt pots or exploding bits. Yipeee!


Wolfie... those spiders are amazing... either that - or I pity the long hours you have to work!

And... shhhh...bout the swap... you never know whose listening.
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  #15  
Old 22 Jun 2009
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lol the xt is perfectly legal i just had to apply for the docs from the dvla

the spiders are fast workers i only do 7.5 hours a day
the webs are the least of my worries its the rest of the polishing on the gixxer thats a pain
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