Ultrasonic Cleaning Thread

I too have an older Harbor Fright Ultra sonic cleaner. Have not done any motorcycle carbs in a couple years. But a couple weeks ago figured it was getting time to give a couple snow blowers (some may not know what those are, they clean crystalized water off driveways!) a test run before the real stuff hits. Both of my mainline machines would start but only run while chock was on full or by pumping the primer bulbs.

Removed and disassembled the carbs and to my surprise other than some very minor amount of dusty like particles they were nice and shinny inside. Blew one out with air and reassembled put back on and expected it to run great. Well no better.

So next I removed and stripped both and this time put in the HF ultra sonic cleaner for an hour or so. Again gave all ports a good blow with air. This time when reinstalled I hit primer a couple times and hit the starter on both and they fired up fast and kept running with choke off.

Then again today I was out in the barn and hit the primers just once and this time used the pull starters and with just one easy pull on the handles they fired right up. I did not mention before but these had been parked since about middle of April with full fuel tank of regular gas, yep I know some say that is bad and to the best of my knowledge this was untreated gas with that nasty ethanol in it!
 
Downeaster said:
Do you know the actual temperature of the water? My unit has a thermostat controlled heater and I usually run about 140 degrees with Simple Green. The ultrasonic action will bring the temperature up a bit from the set point.

See also the note above about setting things directly on the bottom of the tank. That inhibits the sonics.
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I don't know the temp of the water but when I took it off the stove it was just beginning to bubble so I think it's more than the 120 coming from the tap. I have a plastic piece that sits on the bottom to keep parts off the bare metal.
 
FLEA said:
were the jets clogged from old fuel , if so the build up maybe to much for it to handle ,iv used tap water and washing detergent and its worked well but jets werent badly clogged , my machine goes up to 60 degs c which is why i operate it from once the water is heated .. also u have to use the wire basket that should have come with it ... have u tried soaking the jets for a week or to first in any form of cleaning solution ... sonic cleaners are good but not merical workers
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Flea,

Yeah, probably clogged from old fuel but just overall dirty. I have not soaked the jets for a week. I ran the unit for 32 minutes with no noticeable change.
 
I basically wanted to know if I should keep trying with the ultrasonic unit, get a better one or forget it altogether. Based on comments here I guess I'm looking at just using carb spray and maybe a wire on jets. Some of the pictures I've seen make it look like the ultrasonic cleaner would be a help. My mechanic said I should soak my carbs in one but I haven't talked to him about what cleaning solution he uses. He's probably got a high dollar ultrasonic unit.
 
I am surprised the Pine Sol did not work out. I just used it on two Virago carbs the seller flat out stated were unepairable. They cleaned up a treat. If you dump the brass into it undiluted you will soon see small trails of gas bubbles rising to the surface as it begins to work. The jets and needles looked like sun bleached bone when I wiped them off.

I am not surprised the vinegar ate up the carbs bodies though. Dropping aluminum carbs into an acidic bath probably set up a nice electrolytic corrosion circuit between dissimilar metals. Likewise, Super Clean's main ingredient is sodium hydroxide (lye) which is fatal to aluminum, or mazak/zamak as the case may be.
 
MacMcMacmac said:
I am surprised the Pine Sol did not work out. I just used it on two Virago carbs the seller flat out stated were unepairable. They cleaned up a treat. If you dump the brass into it undiluted you will soon see small trails of gas bubbles rising to the surface as it begins to work. The jets and needles looked like sun bleached bone when I wiped them off.

I am not surprised the vinegar ate up the carbs bodies though. Dropping aluminum carbs into an acidic bath probably set up a nice electrolytic corrosion circuit between dissimilar metals. Likewise, Super Clean's main ingredient is sodium hydroxide (lye) which is fatal to aluminum, or mazak/zamak as the case may be.
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My e-bay 6L cleaner cost about $100 and is large enough to hold a rack of 2 carbs. I have been thinking of replacing it with the $200 22L model, to be able to clean a rack of 4 carbs.
 
I have a cheap ultrasonic cleaner. It’s four carburetors big. It was given to me with an inoperative heater. The unit had been replaced under warranty. So, I bought a block heater online and fixed it. The new heater is much more robust than the original, but it works great.

The last carburetor job, I used citrus cleaner diluted with water. I followed with aerosol carburetor cleaner. It worked great. The citrus cleaner, I found at Tractor Supply.
 
Please clarify what you think the ultra sonic cleaner should be giving you as results based on your current understanding?

If you think it’s gonna make your stuff all shiny, it won’t.

If your jets are packed with crud, run a wire through em first.

An ultrasonic cleaner will break down grime but carb bodies still need to be blown out with air.

In my experience UC won’t pull the black stains off carb jets that are usually on em but it will clean build up.

I run it as hot as I can. Often give em a soak, blow em out. Run it again. 30 mins each.

I run this stuff straight up. Works great. Lasts a long while.

72E24A27-B13A-4B94-A578-1185406095F7.jpeg
 
WideAWAKE said:
Please clarify what you think the ultra sonic cleaner should be giving you as results based on your current understanding?

If you think it’s gonna make your stuff all shiny, it won’t.

If your jets are packed with crud, run a wire through em first.

An ultrasonic cleaner will break down grime but carb bodies still need to be blown out with air.

In my experience UC won’t pull the black stains off carb jets that are usually on em but it will clean build up.

I run it as hot as I can. Often give em a soak, blow em out. Run it again. 30 mins each.

I run this stuff straight up. Works great. Lasts a long while.
Click to expand...

WideAWAKE, Tell the truth I'm not sure what I expected the machine to do. My mechanic said he thought one of my carbs was gummed up and I should use an ultrasonic cleaner on it. I guessed that he thought it would remove the gunk but I don't know. I suppose based on before/after pictures I've seen & my mechanic's recommendation I expected it to clean things I put into the tub. Ultrasonic 'CLEANER.' What would anyone expect it to do? I mean, if it doesn't clean then what is the point of it?

I don't mean to be flip. I'm just trying to figure out what, if anything, the machine will do that's useful.

I don't really care about shiny. I just want my bike to run better.

So you're running Simple Green HD 'Straight up.' As in No Water?

I've been leery of running Simple Green since some have said it will etch aluminum.


Cheers!
BK
 
Be careful with regular Simple Green it can turn some aluminum black. Simple Green Extreme is aluminum safe. After cleaning them I soda blast them with a HF hand held blaster (outside very dusty).
 
bul_racer said:
WideAWAKE, Tell the truth I'm not sure what I expected the machine to do. My mechanic said he thought one of my carbs was gummed up and I should use an ultrasonic cleaner on it. I guessed that he thought it would remove the gunk but I don't know. I suppose based on before/after pictures I've seen & my mechanic's recommendation I expected it to clean things I put into the tub. Ultrasonic 'CLEANER.' What would anyone expect it to do? I mean, if it doesn't clean then what is the point of it?

I don't mean to be flip. I'm just trying to figure out what, if anything, the machine will do that's useful.

I don't really care about shiny. I just want my bike to run better.

So you're running Simple Green HD 'Straight up.' As in No Water?

I've been leery of running Simple Green since some have said it will etch aluminum.


Cheers!
BK
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Some simple greens will etch aluminum, but not all. Not sure about the heavy duty but simple green aircraft will not etch aluminum and works like a champ in Ultrasonic cleaners. An ultrasonic will get crud out of places that are otherwise very difficult to clean on carbs but its not a magic bullet. They still require some pre-cleaning and de-gunking. Also like all things not all ultrasonic cleaners are created equal, some are just junk. I've had great luck with carbs in my UC.
 
Further to my ultrasonic cleaner story - bought one to assist with cleaning carbs but hopefully other parts. See https://www.xs650.com/threads/ultrasonic-cleaning-thread.51886/post-754094 earlier in this thread.

Bought through ebay UK. Received the cleaner then a few days later, after I had used it, an email from ebay telling me the cleaner does not meet UK safety standards, and therefore I can cancel the order if I have not yet received the item and have full refund. The item must not be sold on ebay and must not be used because it could short circuit and cause electrocution. No suggestion of what to do if the cleaner has already been received . . .

So, guess I'll continue use it.
 
gggGary said:
I have a gallon of this I've used for cleaning small carb brass for years
View attachment 229444
It's powerful stuff don't leave jets in it for days...
It may not be available these days.
My small harbor freight sonic cleaner has been used and abused for years, like an energizer bunny it just won't die. Mine has been superceded by a larger 4 tank ultrasonic.
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The chem-dips used to be amazing decades ago, and worked like magic. Then the formulas had to be adjusted to comply with the EPA. Now, after dipping, you still have to scrub the gunk, and a lot of corrosion and staining will remain.
 
bul_racer said:
WideAWAKE, Tell the truth I'm not sure what I expected the machine to do. My mechanic said he thought one of my carbs was gummed up and I should use an ultrasonic cleaner on it. I guessed that he thought it would remove the gunk but I don't know. I suppose based on before/after pictures I've seen & my mechanic's recommendation I expected it to clean things I put into the tub. Ultrasonic 'CLEANER.' What would anyone expect it to do? I mean, if it doesn't clean then what is the point of it?

I don't mean to be flip. I'm just trying to figure out what, if anything, the machine will do that's useful.

I don't really care about shiny. I just want my bike to run better.

So you're running Simple Green HD 'Straight up.' As in No Water?

I've been leery of running Simple Green since some have said it will etch aluminum.


Cheers!
BK
Click to expand...

If you look at the pic below.

I’m my experience, UC will remove the gunk you see on the dirty carb body, but the finish will still be dingy.

The clean and bright carb is from after soda blasting it.

Clean from oils, dirt and grime, but not bright and shiny. And clean passage ways (but still blow em out)

And as for the cleaner, yes, I don’t use water.
E3681900-1AD0-40A7-836F-988764DCC29A.jpeg
 
This has been recommended to use on aluminium.

Found a retailer who has a full range óf Simple green for sale here in Australia.

3.8 liter botle for $71.51
Buy 9 bottles for $64.00 each

Or 20 liters for $312.00.

Screenshot_2023-08-16-10-47-47-05_cbf47468f7ecfbd8ebcc46bf9cc626da.jpg
 
Update on my ultrasonic cleaner.

Bought one like this https://www.xs650.com/threads/ultrasonic-cleaning-thread.51886/post-754094

6-litre Vevor bath.

But as mentioned here https://www.xs650.com/threads/ultrasonic-cleaning-thread.51886/post-769691

had email from ebay telling me not to use it. Have since had email from Border Alerts, quoting a UK Govt order that these Vevor ultrasonic cleaners are unsafe, are to be destroyed at port of entry and if you have one, do not use. Asked Elliot while he was here helping with the Bullet - he read the Govt guidance and advised me to fling the thing in the bin.

The earthing is unsafe and there is no safe way to use 30A cleaner with a bath full of fluid with dodgy earthing. Don't want to put Mrs through the experience of finding me laid out on the garage floor . . .

Accordingly, my Vevor cleaner model JPS-30A has now been binned. Have requested and received a refund - to be fair, the seller gave me back most of the price.
 

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