how to fix a slightly clogged carb?

[The motor guy]

So I have a jetski that doesn't want to run right. It runs lean all the time leading me to suspect it has a partially clogged jet or two. Last time it was just at idle and now it boggs down past half throttle. Sometimes it will do full throttle if you blip the throttle but mainly surges between half and full throttle if you have it down all the way. Anyone tried that b12 berryman chem tool stuff to put in the tank? I was thinking of running that and seeing if it will clean things out. This has been an on going issue for the last month or two. The last time I had it had I ran it hard enough that it blew out whatever was clogging it. I always use stabilizer in it but the ski really doesn't get used enough so it's kind of a recurring problem. Anyone know of any good additives I can put in the fuel cause I really don't know how to clean the carbs when their is more than one and they want like 500 bucks to do it.

 

[SuperDave456]

Amsoil's PI product and Redline's products are the only one's that really do cleaning anymore.

Berryman's B-12 worked on really old carbs, but like most carb cleaners you seem to have to run it for 2 or more tank fills (at least that was my experience).

Hate to tell you but the best thing you can do is to tear it down and clean it with an airsol can of carb cleaner. Once the gunk gets started it is very hard to clean up.

 

[GearheadTool]

MMO down the throat!!!!!!

 

[Chris142]

pull the carbs off and poke the jets with wire. nothing you put in the gas is going to clean a plugged jet

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
MMO down the throat!!!!!!
This would do nothing. Either the jets or the float valve is clogged. Pouring anything down the throat will do nothing for either of these items.

If you do not want to take it apart, then you can only deal with the jet. If you can see the jet in the carb throat, you can try and push some small wire or drill bit (bit in your hand). You don't want to ream or enlarge the hole, just clean out any crud.

 

[The motor guy]

You can't see the jets in the throat for some reason.

 

[Volvohead]

How old is it?

If it's old enough to tolerate the chemistry, we would just empty the bowl on them and spray carb cleaner right into the bowl. On a newer one or where there are sensitive parts involved, you could opt for TB cleaner, which is a little more gentle. Check the float composition. If that didn't loosen it, you were looking at disassembly/rebuild with a proper cleaning. Hard to dissolve hard dirt buildup in 'em with sprays and additives.

We NEVER took metal wires or drills to the jets. Too easy to screw them up, and then you have non-stop problems. I know a lot of guys did, and without problems. But usually if you can get to the jets to shove a wire in, you can clean them otherwise.

Rebuilding a carb is not that hard. Calibrating multiple carbs to run really well takes a little effort, however. Last one I did, I had no grey hair.

 

[The motor guy]

2002 model

 

[84zmyfavorite]

Do what Chris142 says, thats what it will take. No Miracle Chemical is going to help ya here!

 

[84zmyfavorite]

Needle could be "Catching" also, not letting Fuel bowl fill up enough. Take carb apart, clean, reassemble.

 

[Kestas]

Ditto. All it takes is one particle to mess things up. Not all particles are soluble. If it hasn't dissolved in gas, then it's fairly resistant to solvents already.

I always clean my carbs by disassembly. It's not that difficult to do, and it perks them up every time.

 

[mechtech2]

OK...
Strong solvent did not fix it.
This CAN work, and work well.

But now, you gotta yank it , take it apart, and carefully probe all the orifices and spray them with carb cleaner.
1/2 hour to 2 hours.

 

[HerrStig]

Same thing happens to bike carbs, and cleaning them off the bike fixes it.

 

[AVB]

If it has side draft slide carbs you could pull the tops off the carbs and clean the main jet from the top, but what ever you wash out will now be in the bowl. You can remove the bowl drain screws and flush some of the trash out the drain. This will not help with the pilot jet which controls idle to about 1/4 throttle.

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
2002 model


Perhaps too modern for the old methods. Newfangled coatings and plastics may not like the harsher cleaners.

Like others have said, the right way is to to take it off and break her down for a quick rebuild.

See if a rebuild kit is available. It usually is, and has all the parts needed, right down to the manifold gasket. If you want to do a deluxe job, replace the floats, too (not all kits include them).

It sounds like a one-barrel job, which is a piece of cake. Go easy on the fastener torque.

Ten years between rebuilds is not too bad.

 

[Warstud]

Try Techron...Chemtool or Sea Foam in it before you tear it apart. May work...may not...if not you will have to take it apart.
BTW: This is posted in the wrong forum.