Carb Cleaning

[my85gp]

This might be one of those questions people shake their head at, but Ill ask anyway. I was just curious as to how I could go about cleaning my quadrajet without taking it all apart. Can I just soak it in carb cleaner or something? Im sure the gaskets will have to be replaced if I did this though, just wondering if someones done it and the best product to use.

 

[billyjack]

Are you trying to clean the outside or inside? If you are just trying to improve the appearance, an aerosol can of carb cleaner and a paintbrush can do wonders. If you're trying to accomplish any internal cleaning, disassembly is the only choice. Soaking an entire carb would be hazardous to all the plastic and rubber parts, not to mention plugging small passages and orifices with dislodged crap.
Bill

 

[megaladon6]

carb cleaner, toothbrush, pipe cleaners, and compressed air. you CAN use the carb cleaner to fill the internal passages, if you seal off the outlets, and let it sit for a couple of minutes. then use the pipe cleaners to scrub everything, then flush with more carb cleaner then blow it all out with compressed air.
or you can spend $20 for the new gasket set and pull it apart (very easy).

 

[MrHernandez]

or you could soak it in a bucket with ty d bowl, yes the toilet cleaner, works like a charm but you will have to replace all gaskets and be sure to remove phenolic pieces beforehand

 

[outsider_27]

The q-jet isn't really that hard to pull apart. It could more than likely use a good rebuild anyway. Get a carb kit, new float, some car cleaner to soak it in. I got a couple of good books on the quadrajet from Amazon.com and the DVD from Musclecar TV where the rebuilt one on the show. Good info from each.

 

[Bonnewagon]

All you can do from the outside is shoot some cleaner into the air bleeds and unscrew the idle screws and shoot it in there too. (count the turns to seat so you can get it back to that). As stated, it's not a hard carb to rebuild and once you've done it you wonder why you didn't sooner. Hardest part it getting the metering rods down into the jets as you can't see what you are doing. A clean, well adjusted Q-jet is a beautifull thing.