TOPIC: Carb rebuild 1970 1350

I am about to try rebuilding my own carbs. Never done this before, so wonder if there are any tips you folks might have. These are Tillotson carbs and look fairly simple. Between instructions and diagrams in the merc shop manual and included with my Sierra Marine kits, looks pretty straightforward. If I didn't have both, I would have questions.

Kit instructions say to disassemble carb only enough to permit a thorough cleaning - what does that mean?

Here's one of the victims...





Thanks for any help, thoughts or ideas.

Frank

I usually don't pull the throttle shafts and butterfly plates out Frank, I've had some bad experiences getting those tiny screws back in properly. (I know you already know this, but those plastic pieces and rubber parts have to come off before going into the carb cleaner dip basket.) After they come out of the dip bucket, I squirt 'em down with carb cleaner and blast with compressed air. Other than that, I tear/tore mine down pretty much all the way. Just my two cents......

Thanks Mark. I don't have a dip basket, so plan on doing this in a small shallow pan, just big enough to cover, then use a parts brush to clean. Yup, metal stuff only, no plastic, rubber, cork, neoprene, etc.

So you squirt them down with carb cleaner when they come out too? Carb kit instructions say to "Rinse parts in a suitable solvent." I was wondering what a "suitable" solvent was!

I'll be ready with compressed air. Thanks for the help.

Frank

I thought I saw a gallon can of carb cleaner "dip" on your workbench in one of your other posts. The gal cans I buy have the strainer inside the can, sorry for presuming yours did as well. Yup, when they come out of the strong "dip" cleaner I squirt 'em with regular aerosol carb cleaner to get the really strong stuff off/out of them, then the compressed air. Just how I do it, other folks probably have their own methods.....

Yes Mark, I have a gallon of carb cleaner I just opened to clean up my pistons and ring grooves. Maybe I'll look into one of those strainer baskets. $ is tight, but that's no different than usual!

Thanks.

Frank

So now I find out NAPA has a round gallon (actually 3/4 gal) with a strainer bucket that is very affordable (part # 6402). I'll pick one up when I'm there to get my 1 3/8 open/closed end wrench tomorrow afternoon.

Frank