How To Clean a Car Carburetor
Most new models of cars do not have a carburetor. If you have an older car that has a carburetor, you will need to clean and maintain it properly to ensure that your car is running correctly. The carburetor of your car is what combines the fuel and air together to make your car run smoothly and efficiently.
- Ensure that the car is off; you may want to remove the keys from the car while you are cleaning your carburetor.
- Remove the air filter housing that is covering your carburetor so that it is accessible for cleaning.
- Gather the materials that you will need such as rags, carburetor and choke cleaner, safety goggles and spray lubricant.
- Locate the throttle control that is on the carburetor, this will allow you to manually apply gas so that you can easily clean your carburetor.
- Insert rags around the base of the carburetor's perimeter to soak up any runoff from your carburetor cleaning product and spray lubricant.
- Apply you safety goggles to protect your eyes from the chemicals that you will be using.
- Spray down the outside of the carburetor using the carburetor and choke cleaner. Be sure to apply to all moving parts and gaskets to remove any gunk that may have formed in the crevices. If your carburetor is really soiled, you may want to use a wire brush to remove the excess debris from the crevices.
- Spray a small amount of carburetor cleaner directly into the carburetor. Do not apply too much as this can cause the carburetor to flood.
- Remove the rags that you put in place to absorb and drain the chemical cleaners.
- Start the engine; do not apply gas with the gas pedal. Instead, use the throttle on the carburetor to control the RPMs of the car. Spray the carburetor cleaner directly into the carburetor while revving the engine using the throttle.
- Spray short bursts of cleaner into the carburetor so that it can work its way through the system and remove any remaining dirt and gunk that may be built-up.
- Let the car run for a few minutes after doing this so that the cleaner can adequately work its way through your system and clean it out thoroughly.
- Shut off the car and reinstall the air filter and the air filter housing.
TIP: Regularly cleaning and maintaining your carburetor can improve your gas mileage.