Using an ultrasonic carburetor cleaner is a great way to clean your carburetors. It is very effective in cleaning carburetors because the solution used in this cleaner reaches everywhere, even to the narrow places where the smallest brush can’t reach. This is the reason everyone suggests using an ultrasonic cleaner to get rid of the maximum dirt and dust in your carburetor.
However, when you’re determined to use an ultrasonic cleaner, you must be confused with another thing- what liquid to use in an ultrasonic cleaner for carburetors?
To use in such cleaners, you’ll find several liquids. Though some people use only water with just a small amount of cleaning solution, it is not a suitable way in every case. Besides, for cleaning the carburetor, you should be a bit more creative with the solution if you want to get a better result. So, what to do?
If you’re looking for an answer to this question, you’re actually looking for it I know, here is the answer for you. Keep reading.
What Liquid to Use in Ultrasonic Cleaner for Carburetors?
You’ll find several answers to this question. Some solutions in the market can be helpful to you for cleaning your carburetor. Or you can also go for any homemade solution.
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Deionized Water
Deionized water can be a great liquid to use in the ultrasonic cleaner when you’re looking to clean a carburetor. Mineral salts and several other impurities are very low in this water. This is the reason it is suggested for this purpose.
Using regular water leaves water stains on the surface. If you use deionized water, there is less chance of water stain or any other type of stain.
Using deionized water is a great way if you want to remove light dirt or dust from your carburetor.
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Carburetor Cleaner
In the market, you’ll see several carburetor cleaners. You can use those in the ultrasonic cleaner you use. Those are formulated to rub out tough stains from the surface of the carburetor. Cleaning stains from the narrow corners is possible if you use such cleaners.
I’ll be suggesting some solutions later in this article.
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Purple Power
Purple Power is a cleaner and degreaser used for cleaning several types of industrial equipment. You can use this cleaner too for cleaning the carburetor. However, Purple Power has an issue too. It might gray your carburetor. It is no big deal.
Make a solution with around 15%-20% Purple Power and use it to clean the carburetor.
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Dishwashing Liquid
Dishwashing liquid can be a great option for using in an ultrasonic cleaner to clean the carburetor. However, it won’t be effective in the case of cleaning rust. Only light dirt and dust can be cleaned with it.
While using dishwashing liquid, make sure that you’re using only a few drops of it. Putting more than that may create a mess that is difficult to handle.
These are the common liquids that are suitable for use in an ultrasonic carburetor cleaner.
Also Read: Best Cylinder Heads for Ford 302 Reviews
Liquids not to Use in an Ultrasonic Cleaner for Carburetor
Also, some liquids are not for use in an ultrasonic cleaner though those are great in cleaning surfaces. Let me talk a bit about those.
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Kerosene
Kerosene is a great solution when it comes to getting rid of rust and some other tough stains. However, putting kerosene in an ultrasonic cleaner is not a good idea at all. With ultrasonic rays, kerosene can strip the finish of the carburetor. Also, as it is flammable, using it in an ultrasonic cleaner increases the risk of an accident.
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Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl Alcohol is also widely used as a cleaner for cleaning several types of stains. But when it is about using it in an ultrasonic cleaner, you’re at a huge risk of a dangerous accident.
The reason is that Isopropyl Alcohol is extremely flammable. So, stay away from using it when you’re using an ultrasonic cleaner.
You should stay away from any other flammable liquid at the time of cleaning with an ultrasonic cleaner.
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Baking Soda
Baking soda is known as a good cleaner. But when it is about cleaning a carburetor, this is not that useful here. It can clean the carburetor, but there is a chance that it’ll strip off the surface. Thus, your carburetor will lose its efficiency.
You might find some solutions where people are using baking soda to clean the carburetor. But check carefully and you’ll see that they’re suggesting washing off the soda as soon as possible. The reason behind it is the harsh effect of baking soda on it.
When you’re using baking soda in an ultrasonic cleaner, it’ll have enough time and power to strip off the surface of the carburetor. That’s why I’m suggesting you not use baking soda to clean the carburetor.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Kind of Liquid
You must be careful when choosing the liquid to use in an ultrasonic cleaner. Besides safety, it is important in many aspects. Here are some reasons to pick the right kind of liquid.
Cleaning Ability
Not all liquids come with a similar ability to clean dirt. So, picking a random cleaning solution won’t help you much in many cases. You need to carefully check the cleaning ability before selecting the solution.
Compatibility with Carburetor Material
Different carburetors are made of different materials. If the cleaning solution is not compatible with what your carburetor is made of, it can’t clean the carb properly. Also, compatibility matters because the wrong cleaner may damage it while cleaning.
Removing Tough Build-ups
Besides dirt, carburetors may develop stronger build-ups of gum, varnish, and other things. These are tough to clean. Check your carbs before cleaning. If you see such build-ups, pick stronger solutions that can handle such strong issues.
Safety
Safety is an important consideration when choosing a cleaning solution. All the cleaning solutions are not safe in carb cleaners. For example- Isopropyl Alcohol is a great cleaner. But using this flammable solution in an ultrasonic cleaner can cause serious safety hazards.
Preventing Damage
Some cleaning solutions are damaging to the cleaner’s surface. For instance- kerosene can damage the interior surface of the cleaner. Using such liquids reduces durability to a great extent. You must avoid them to prevent damage.
Budget
Some cleaning solutions are too expensive. If you need to clean the carburetor and other parts often, they may exceed your budget often. In such cases, you need to avoid them.
To achieve expected success in cleaning and avoid damages, you must focus on choosing the right kind of liquid. It’ll take some time, but save a huge bucks.
Best Ultrasonic Carb Cleaner Solution (Expert Recommendation)
1. Stens 770-100 Ultrasonic Cleaning Solution
When you’re looking to clean your carburetor in an ultrasonic cleaner, using a solution specially made for a carburetor is obviously a good option to pick. This is why this one from Stens is at the top of my suggestions. It is specially made for cleaning carburetors and many other small parts of the engine.
This is a water-soluble cleaner, which means you’ll have to mix it with water while using the ultrasonic cleaner. Stens suggests using it at a proportion of 1:5. It easily gets mixed with the water.
Even if your carburetor comes with a heavily stained surface and tough grease, this cleaner can easily remove those within a short time. To be safe on most metals, it comes without any phenolic compound.
This is an eco-friendly and reliable solution to get a new carburetor. Its non-flammable property has made it safe for use in ultrasonic cleaners. Another thing I love about this solution is it doesn’t leave any type of residue on your carburetor surface.
Overall, it is more costly than most other solutions you’ll find in the market. But seeing the performance, you’ll love it.
Pros
Cons
2. Ultrasonic Cleaner Solution for Carburetors
This is another option for you that is great to use for cleaning carburetors in an ultrasonic cleaner. This solution is specially made for ultrasonic cleaners. It utilizes the bubbles created in the machine to clean up the surface properly. Let’s know more about it.
It is made to be safe for all types of metals. So, your carburetor is safe from any type of damage. It cleans such nicely that the most delicate parts of your carburetor are safe too. It creates tiny bubbles that can enter into narrow spaces and erase the grease and other stains.
I’ve found it effective enough to wipe away almost all types of stains including dirt, gums, varnish, and many other contaminants. So, besides cleaning carburetors, you can clean many other things with the help of this solution.
After cleaning, it leaves your carburetor with a clean and natural finish. It doesn’t do anything to leave a shiny look. I love the natural look as it leaves the carburetor looking like a new one.
It doesn’t contain any toxic elements. So it is environment-friendly and harmless to use. To make get the best output from it, mix it with water as a proportion of 1:5. It’ll do the magic.
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3. Star Struck Biodegradable Non-Ammoniated Ultrasonic Cleaner Solution
Star Struck, is a good solution when it is about cleaning carburetors in an ultrasonic cleaner. I love it because it is a versatile cleaner with strong effectiveness. Continue reading to know it better.
It comes with a very reasonable price tag. So, I thought it was not that effective. But I was wrong. This concentrated cleaning solution is really effective when it is to cleaning the carburetor. It can clean all types of stains including rust, dirt, grease, compound build-up, oxide, Tripoli, and so on.
It allows both options- light cleaning and heavy cleaning. When the stain is not that strong, go for heavy cleaning and mix it with water according to the proportion of 1:40. For heavy cleaning, the proportion of the solution and water should be 1:20.
Besides using it with your ultrasonic cleaner, you can use it for general cleaning purposes too. Also, you can use it on different types of metal as well as glass, jewelry, etc. So, having one gallon of it allows you to perform so many cleaning tasks.
This biodegradable solution is environment-friendly. It doesn’t contain ammonia. Overall, this is a great cleaning solution that saves you bucks too.
Pros
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use distilled water to clean the carburetor in an ultrasonic cleaner?
There is no additional advantage of using distilled water instead of using regular tap water. Both perform similarly. So, there is no additional advantage of using distilled water in the ultrasonic cleaner. It will clean light dirt and stains only.
However, distilled water doesn’t leave any stains when regular tap water leaves stains.
Is it okay to use vinegar in the ultrasonic cleaner?
A solution of vinegar and water at a 1:1 proportion can be a good one for cleaning your carburetor, especially for removing rust. But typically it is not recommended because vinegar may cause some issues to the metal surface.
If you use vinegar in this case, make sure that you’re rinsing the carburetor immediately after the cleaning process. Doing this will save it from further issues.
How to Use Ultrasonic Carburetor Cleaner
Final Verdict
Picking up an ultrasonic cleaner solution for cleaning your carburetor is not tough as there are several options. I typically suggest going for the carburetor cleaning solutions that are found in the market. The main reason is- those are formulated for that specific reason. So, you’ll find those more effective.
I’ve suggested a few solutions for this purpose. I hope the suggestions will help you to pick a good solution. Also, you can go for other options. Just make sure that you’re not going to use anything that is prohibited to use with an ultrasonic cleaner.
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