I need help way quicker than these people

[inanecathode]

Anyone have any advice/instructions for tearing down 83 carbs? Mine need a good dipping and i REALLY REALLY dont want to break/misplace anything.
Lucky?

[h2olawyer]

I happen to be doing a set right now.  Main thing is to be VERY careful.

I started this project last fall & managed to snap off one of the float pin posts.   >:(

Turns out they were corroded into place.  Ended up cutting them off & drilling out the stubs.

Just built a new post out of JB Stik.  Full cure time is 24 hours, but it is already solid as a rock & I can carry the carb top around by the new JB post.  I'm planning to tap the float pin holes on one post of each carb top, then get some proper sized rod, cut them to length and thread one end of each.  Then I'll make the other end just a little long so I can get a needlenose plier on it to turn it out of the post.  No more press fit means less likelihood of breaking one off next time.

If you do mangle something, chances are that we can fix it.  If you're that worried, have Lucky disassemble them & send you back all the parts - or have him clean them & get them ready for you to slap back on.

By the way, the new Berryman's I got today is not the same as my old stuff.  Doesn't smell near as strong BUT it doesn't clean as well, either.   ::)  Damn EPA!!!  Makes me want to dump my bottle of chlordane out in the middle of the street & use my old motor oil for dust mitigation.

H₂O

[inanecathode]

I happen to be doing a set right now.  Main thing is to be VERY careful.

I started this project last fall & managed to snap off one of the float pin posts.   >:(

Turns out they were corroded into place.  Ended up cutting them off & drilling out the stubs.

Just built a new post out of JB Stik.  Full cure time is 24 hours, but it is already solid as a rock & I can carry the carb top around by the new JB post.  I'm planning to tap the float pin holes on one post of each carb top, then get some proper sized rod, cut them to length and thread one end of each.  Then I'll make the other end just a little long so I can get a needlenose plier on it to turn it out of the post.  No more press fit means less likelihood of breaking one off next time.

If you do mangle something, chances are that we can fix it.  If you're that worried, have Lucky disassemble them & send you back all the parts - or have him clean them & get them ready for you to slap back on.

By the way, the new Berryman's I got today is not the same as my old stuff.  Doesn't smell near as strong BUT it doesn't clean as well, either.   ::)  Damn EPA!!!  Makes me want to dump my bottle of chlordane out in the middle of the street & use my old motor oil for dust mitigation.

H₂O

Me an kwellz have access to the old stuff.
And a USMC gas mask incidentally.

[Rick G]

The EPA made Seafoam screw theres up too.  We were getting a carb spray here , from Auto Zone , called Value craft. But CA made them change the formula and now it makes a big mess ,but doesn't clean anything. We renamed it value crap.
Now I use Gumout and so far its OK. In the end I'll probably buy a gallon of acetone or something like that and put it in a pump can.

[h2olawyer]

I have a good filter mask with replaceable filters.  Takes care of VOCs.

I'll be taking the old can of well used Berryman's out tomorrow to see if it is stronger than the new formula.

Got the tops for the 83 carbs sort of done this evening.  The brass still isn't shiny & there's still some rust at the needle / seat area.  The float bowls are a real mess.  Lots of oxidation, dried, gelled gas & rust.  Even though it isn't recommended, I may take the butterflies out so they can soak a long time.  Plus, there's a fair amount of rust on the butterfly screws.  Wouldn't normally do it, but I think I can get it back together solidly with some red loctite.  I did that to my 82's carbs before I discovered this site & they've remained solid.

My JB Stik float pin post is holding strong.  JB recommends it for applications where it may be submerged in gasoline.  The new post is solid s a rock and drilled out great.  They say it will even fully cure when submerged!  Supposed to deal with vibration well, too.

Will get after the carb bodies Sunday.  Am doing a few before & after photos of those.  Also have photos of the JB Stik post.

H₂O

[kwells]

the new stuff is seems to not slime up the plastics as much as the old stuff. I've done 3 consecutive back to back carb dunks in it and haven't noticed any adverse affects. Don't know if that make you feel any better about dippng ur golden 83 carbs in it like that though.

[supervision]

 When I was tearing mine down, I put them in the kitchen sink, on a plastic dish pan.  This let me pour boiling water, from a tea pot, to soften up the rubber hoses, so not to damage them, while I used a needle nose to push off them off the fittings. You also need a pair of insulated rubber gloves so you can stand the heat, when you touch things, as the boiling water makes everything hot as hell, and you need to work swiftly, so the rubber comes off easy. while hottest.   You have to be carefull of how you set the carb on any surface, as you can break things that stick out easyly.  It take lots of time to do it right.  Many of the screws needed impacting to come out, you have to be able to stand the carb squarely to a hard surface, so the impact can be effective.  The float pin needs to be pushed out. The way to do it, is make a little piece of metal that sets their between the two posts.  This thing has to be a tight fit, as that is what keeps it from breaking your post, when you push out the pin.  I use a cut off, nail that is smaller than the float pin, file the end nice and flat, (square as poss.)  At the other end of the float pin. you need a small socket bucked up against the float post, to provide a place for the pin to be pushed out into.  Some how, you gotta make all this stuff hold still, while you set up a C clamp, or vice, or whatever you can rig, to do the actualliy do the pushing.  make damm sure the stuff stay's nice and straight, and start to squeese allitle, the pin will move, take care, you can do it!

[Lucky]

the way i get the float pins out is to use chanel locks.  since one jaw sticks out slightly longer than the other, you can put the longer jaw on the pin, the other the post & squeeze.  the pin will make a scary 'SNAP!" sound & be free, sometimes i'll have to use a small screwdrivewr under the head to lift it the rest of the way free (easy to do)

in all the carbs i've done, i've only broken 1 82 post using this method.

--Lucky

[Rick G]

I have a small drift pin from Sears,that is just slightly smaller that the float pivot pin. I have a piece of aluminum scrap the I cut two slots in . It slides on to the float pin posts(snug fit) and one end is 4 inches long so I can rest it on the anvil of my vise. a few tiny taps will start it moving and push it all the way out.
I built this jig as a result of breaking a post on a' 83 carb (the only post I have ever broken) Previously I used a  two jaw puller that I adapted from my model RR hobby. This was fine for ''82's but not for '83's
I no longer rebuild ''83 carbs (only ''82's ) because I have  zero parts for them, And really don't want to have to email someone and tell them "your screwed"

[h2olawyer]

The post that broke on mine was the end with the flattened head on the float pin.  It was really stuck.  The pin did not protrude from the other post, either.  Was using very little force & it is possible the post was cracked from a previous owner's attempt to clean the carbs.  I do the pump pliers trick on the 82 all the time - never a problem.

My 83 carbs are now entirely torn down (left the accel pump intact - just removed the whole assembly).  The rebuilt JB Stik post sure looks, feels & works solid.  Sure looks like it will hold up.

Now, I need to figure out how to clean all the rust from the needle / seat portion of the carb body along with all the white aluminum oxidation from most of the innards.  The Berryman's isn't even touching either of those issues.  The dried / gelled gas went away quickly.

May try my Dermel & the small polishing wheels to see how well that removes the white oxidation.

H₂O

[QBS]

h2, phosphoic acid removes rust.  Be careful about time of contact with aluminum and pot metal.

[h2olawyer]

Thanks, QBS - is that available at most hardware stores?  Never had the need for it until now.

D'oh - Didn't know it was also known as Naval Jelly.  ::)  Been using that stuff for years . . .  Boy do I feel stoopid!   :P   :-[

H₂O

[QBS]

H2, phosphoric acid is a componet of Navel Jelly.  It is naturally liquid, not jelly.  I've always gotten mine from Home Depot under the brand name of Aqua Mix Phosphoric Acid Mix.  It's sold for the purpose of cleaning removing grout and mortar smears.  Might also be found in swimming pool supply stores.

[h2olawyer]

The Naval Jelly works well - I know it's not pure phosphoric acid, but it always seems to work well for me.  For this application, the gel form should work better as I can apply it only where needed.  Also found some Aluminum Jelly at the store.  Supposed to take the white powdery oxidation off aluminum.  For under $5, it seemed like it would be worth a try.

H₂O

[Lucky]

i just bought a jar of the aluminum jelly yesterday! haven't tried it yet though...

[supervision]

 I've used alot of naval jelly. Be careful if you use it on chrome, or it will make the chrome look milky and discolored.  You can use it on chrome, just stay on it with a wet tooth brush, and remove and reaply, often as needed. 

[inanecathode]

Dont use it on belly buttons either.
Truth in advertising, who's heard of it  >:(