Clogged carbs / can i give it wellie to clear it?

Quite often the problem is nothing worse than a bit of mucky and water in the Carb bowl. I dont know that specific engine but it is often possible to remove the float chamber without even taking the carb off. You will see straight away if there is muck in the float chamber. If so, a squirt of WD up the jets to rinse them off is all that's needed. Worth a try, you may just be lucky. Works on mine 9 out of 10.
 
rustybouy said:
that sounds like a plan pampas, its a 7.5 1986 mercury outboard, i did download a maintenance manual for it but it's not very detailed,not for a job like this anyway, i'll enquire about the price of someone else doing it, i dont have compressed air available to blow through even if i did take it apart, im torn really

should've bought a 4 stroke newish engine,i need to lift this one on and off myself though and needed the 2 stroke for its weight

i could claim it on my insurance if anyone would like to steal it?? :)


joking.

Pete
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Ah! A 2 stroke. Far better than a 4 stroke (less to wrong). But it is essential to empty the carb of fuel at the end of the season or for a long lay up. That can mean a couple of weeks in the summer. The reason for this, and is likely to be your problem is that the petrol will evaporate from the float chamber leaving the oil which has a habit of becoming a varnish or stick sludge. It may be that the problem actually is only a sticking float valve, either letting too much fuel in, or not enough, depending how it is stuck.
 
oldharry said:
Quite often the problem is nothing worse than a bit of mucky and water in the Carb bowl. I dont know that specific engine but it is often possible to remove the float chamber without even taking the carb off. You will see straight away if there is muck in the float chamber. If so, a squirt of WD up the jets to rinse them off is all that's needed. Worth a try, you may just be lucky. Works on mine 9 out of 10.
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I'll give it go :)
 
rustybouy said:
I'll give it go :)
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It is worth a try. Clean the bowl check for inline fuel filter, flush some clean fuel through the carb out of the drain (most carbs have one) into a glass. Check that for water, spray the carb with your chosen poison (I use WD40 as its what I have) blow at it...

I would go with Oldharry it normally works for me. Once you get it running run it for a whilst, also fresh plugs can often help the stronger spark keeps it running until crud is clear?
 
wotayottie said:
No - the carb is at the suck end not the blow end so you wont get enough pressure to clear the gunge. Go to your local motor factors and get a can of carb cleaner which is a solvent good at shifting varnishes and gums. Alternatively try your local big mower place - they have small engines with small carbs and easily blocked jets so they often have ultrasonic cleaning machines.
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With the engine at high revs and the intake blocked the engine's negative intake pressure will create a large vacume in the venturi which can Suck soft debris out of the pilot jet gallery (this is the one that is blocked as the motor will not idle), I have used this method to good result many times and is always worth a try before stipping it down. sometimes removing the idle mixture screw (count the turns first) and a blast of compressed air will shift it.
 
I have found using the palm of my hand to block the carb intake whilst revving the engine to clear jets has worked.
Is it getting fuel ok? Sometimes the filter in the tank can choke or the valve itself, take the fuel line off the carb and make sure the fuel flows. Is the fuel fresh?
 
Take it off and clean it. It's new to you so you have no idea how cruddy it is. These other temporary fixes are OK until the next time it blocks up.
 
rustybouy said:
Hi all, quick Q, if my outboard carbouretta ( i think thats how you spell it) is clogged up,which i believe it is, is the only way to rectify this to take it apart and clean it? Im not keen on tackling the job and wondered if just by running the engine i would be able to clear the gunked up nozzles. i can get the engine running,however i really need to open up the throttle to do this which is tricky because i need to keep the gear from engaging, the throttle has a start position of about a quarter turn which is not enough to get her started,to get the throttle to open more i need to be in gear, it's tricky :rolleyes: I've tried altering the idle mix etc,I've got the right plugs, im sure i can get the gear linkage disconnected so i can run high revs without being in gear, I've sprayed cleaner in aswell, what do you think ? will the carb clear if i run it on and off for a few days or weeks giving it a good blast?

Thanks

Pete
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Hi Rustybuoy,
Lots of good good suggestions by now!The tank above the on /off fuel tap may or may not have a filter fitted which can be clogged with gum also.If there is sufficient through flow by gravity then this is probably clear?I found a really big wasp in the carb gallery in mine, plus lots of gum in bowl as others have said, Vic s says work where you cannot misplace the bits,also use your phone to take pics as you go along,as its useful putting things back!
 
The outboard engineer dismantled my outboard carburettor and chucked it in his ultrasonic bath for half an hour to clean the tickover jets. He also changed the in-line filter and pointed out the fine grit in the bottom of the fuel tank. Cleaned the tank and no more tickover problems. Maplin sell ultrasonic cleaners from 29.99 (to 439.99!).
 
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