How to Clean a Carburetor

Bad gas is the most common reason for needing to clean it

You might need to clean a carburetor for several reasons, but one of the more common is bad gas. If you don't run an engine frequently, the gas inside the carburetor can get old and go bad, thickening and causing the small parts to stick. You'll know you need to clean the carburetor if the gas smells like lacquer thinner or turpentine or has some other nongas, funky chemical odor.

Knowing how to take apart and reassemble a basic carburetor can save you time and money. It requires just a couple of hours and you won't have to pay someone else to do it.

Most single-barrel carbs are fairly similar in design, so this method should work on many engine/carburetor combos. Take a few photos along the way so you'll know how everything hooks up when you're ready to put it back together.

Here are the basic steps:

01
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Remove Air Filter

Remove Air Filter
Matt Finley

Shut off the fuel supply and disconnect the spark plug wire for safety. Then take off the air filter, which is often behind or inside an air box. A wing nut holds down the filter and comes out easily. Remove the outer element and clean it using a filter cleaner such as Yamalube Biodegradable Foam Air Filter Oil or compressed air.

Clean the seal areas and remove any sand, dirt, or grease.

02
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Remove Linkage and Hoses

Remove Linkage and Hoses From Carburetor
Matt Finley

Remove any linkage and hoses. Springs and such can be removed with pliers, hooks, or screwdrivers. Move everything out of the way, being careful not to break or bend anything.

03
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Remove Carburetor

Separate Carburetor From Engine
Matt Finley

Remove the bolts and nuts holding the carburetor to the engine. Lightly shift the carb back and forth to break it loose and pull it off the studs, taking note of gasket locations and orientations.

Using rags or paper towels, plug any large openings you end up with to prevent dirt and debris from getting in.

04
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Clean Outside With Compressed Air

Clean Excess Dirt and Sand With Compressed Air
Matt Finley

The outside of the carburetor will be crusted with dirt and sand. Blow off as much excess as you can, avoiding blowing it into the openings.

05
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Remove Float Cover

Remove Float Cover
Matt Finley

Use a small glass container to catch any gas remaining in the float. Remove the bolt at the bottom of the carburetor and remove the float cover by pulling it straight down.

Be careful not to spill the small amount of gas probably remaining in the float.

06
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Remove Float Pin

Remove Float Pin
Matt Finley

The float pivots on a pin. Carefully pull it straight out. Take care not to drop it; it will likely bounce away in an odd direction.

07
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Remove Float

Remove Float From Carburetor
Matt Finley

Carefully pull the float straight out, noting how it came out. You might try putting it back together immediately so you'll be more familiar with it.

08
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Remove Other Parts

Remove Remaining Items From Carburetor
Matt Finley

There may be other items on the carburetor that you should remove to allow access for cleaning. Note their locations and watch for springs.

Parts such as idle adjustment screws might not need to be removed if they are mechanical and on the outside of the carb body.

09
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Clean Body and Parts in Solvent

Once you've removed all the major moving parts, clean the carburetor in a solvent bath with something green, such as Simple Green. Using a brush, clean off the dirt on the outside, getting as much off as you can, especially near openings.

Clean the inside with a light stream of solvent or a very light burst of air. Make sure to clean the tiny vents. Clean the small parts in the solvent as well.

10
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Dry Carburetor and Reassemble

After you've cleaned everything, make sure to get all the solvent out of the carb. Turn it around and gently shake it. Use air to clear the fuel and air flow areas. Then let it air dry completely. When you're confident it's dry, reverse the steps to put everything back together.

To clean out any leftover bad gas, run a small amount of clean, fresh fuel through the tank and fuel line before attaching it to the carb.

Once the carb is back together and mounted to the engine and all the hoses and linkage are reattached and the spark plug wire is connected, add some fuel and go for it.