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  #1  
Old 10-11-2009, 03:37 PM
Dartthunder340 Dartthunder340 is offline
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Default Carb cleaning?

I was wondering if anyone had some ideas about cleaning out Holley carbs. I soaked it in carb cleaner and wiped it down as best I could but still not happy with the appearance. A buddy offered to use his sandblaster on them (lower pressure) with a real fine grit. I will want to rebuild the carb anyway so I'm not sure if that is safe though. Help? Thanks.
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  #2  
Old 10-11-2009, 09:46 PM
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JVMopar JVMopar is offline
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Use baking soda to blast it. And leave it assembled. Then disassemble and clean it. That's what I would do if I was gonna blast it.
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  #3  
Old 10-11-2009, 11:30 PM
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Baking soda is slightly caustic and should be neutralized before you refinish it, ask any painter. Soaked Holleys will lose their gold finish but it can be reapplied with Eastwood Holley refinish paint. You can vibratory tumble it for a shiny silver appearance but that is done by a shop with the right equipment. Might look into a powdercoat finish but make sure you plug every hole and tape up the venturis. Sandblasting will turn it dark gray I think and youll most likely not like the finish.
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Old 10-11-2009, 11:44 PM
Dartthunder340 Dartthunder340 is offline
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Thanks for the reply guys. I did ask what exactly he was using in the sandblaster and he said it was an aluminium oxide powder. How much is that Eastwood Holley refinish paint? Would you know offhand?
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  #5  
Old 10-12-2009, 04:47 PM
John Kunkel John Kunkel is offline
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http://www.eastwood.com/carb-renew-bronze-set.html

Because of the tiny air bleeds I wouldn't use any non-dissolving blast media.
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  #6  
Old 10-13-2009, 09:45 PM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Aluminum polish makes them look great!
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  #7  
Old 10-17-2009, 12:30 AM
Cuda54 Cuda54 is offline
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Flitz or Simichrome will polish it up nice. But it will take you a little time to get it right. But it will really shine when it is done right. And with no disassembling to do just polish and wipe down. Looks good too!
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  #8  
Old 10-23-2009, 01:39 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Eventually, however, it usually hides under an aircleaner, and gets dirty!
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  #9  
Old 10-23-2009, 08:26 AM
Dartthunder340 Dartthunder340 is offline
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These are going on a tunnel ram I just got for my Dart. I would just like the carbs to look better than they do now. I blasted the ram and polished the scoop as best I could.
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  #10  
Old 10-23-2009, 08:35 AM
buckneccid buckneccid is offline
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There used to be an old school trick of using toilet cleaner on them, and letting them soak. DO NOT let them soak overnight, it was supposed to dissolve the entire carburetor if you did. Dip or soak long enough to clean it out, then flush with water till you're sure all passages are clear and all the cleaner is gone.

I'd say that would work on the intake too.
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  #11  
Old 10-23-2009, 11:51 AM
Cuda54 Cuda54 is offline
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Default Carb cleaning?

I would not use bowl cleaner! I would carb dip to clean it but to do you need to take it apart. Then polish it to get the look you want. Buy do not ruin them using the wrong thing to clean them! Do them right or just let them alone. Or it will cost you more to replace them if you ruin them. To use of the wrong cleaner.
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  #12  
Old 10-23-2009, 05:12 PM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dartthunder340 View Post
These are going on a tunnel ram I just got for my Dart. I would just like the carbs to look better than they do now. I blasted the ram and polished the scoop as best I could.
In that case, shine those suckers up! I hate the fact that I have this beautiful 850, but it has to hide under a drop base air cleaner so I can shut the hood!
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  #13  
Old 10-23-2009, 06:25 PM
Cuda54 Cuda54 is offline
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Scoop the hood and show it off. It will look good that way. Looking into the scoop and seeing all that shine. It is kind of a wow factor to look at engine parts that shine.
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  #14  
Old 10-23-2009, 06:29 PM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cuda54 View Post
Scoop the hood and show it off. It will look good that way. Looking into the scoop and seeing all that shine. It is kind of a wow factor to look at engine parts that shine.

Maybe one day I'll do a tunnel ram!! Thats about as in-your-face as you can get (next to a blower!)
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  #15  
Old 10-28-2009, 08:33 AM
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all my carbs are powder coated black. they look good in my opinion.
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  #16  
Old 10-28-2009, 02:21 PM
Cuda54 Cuda54 is offline
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I have plain carbs under a chrome air cleaner on my 6 pack. With a lot of other chrome like starter,alternator,valve cover, pulleys and other odds and ends. I like the shine when I open the hood.
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  #17  
Old 10-29-2009, 06:16 AM
buckneccid buckneccid is offline
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Just for the heck of it a few years ago, I was building a tri power set up for a bow tie engine. I had bead blasted the carbs before I re-built them, and was looking at all the bare, uninspiring aluminum of the carbs sitting there. I had some of the chameleon paint sitting around, and figured, what the heck... I painted the carbs with the color changing paint, then a coat of clear, and it really looks pretty good. I've not had them on an engine yet, but plan to put them on the 327 in the '55 once I get that far, so I can't say how it holds up. Later today I'll go grab a pic of them to give you an idea of what they look like.
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  #18  
Old 10-30-2009, 01:58 AM
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If there's somebody in your area that has it, and you want to blast it, get it CO2 blasted. CO2 (dry ice) goes directly from a solid to a gas and leaves no residue. The dirt ect is vaporized. I'll be getting my interior, undercarriage and engine bay done with it.
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  #19  
Old 10-30-2009, 09:57 AM
Cuda54 Cuda54 is offline
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Could you let us know how much it costs to get each done and where you have it done. Thank for the info. That could come in handy to clean the interior of my Cuda.
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  #20  
Old 10-30-2009, 10:36 AM
buckneccid buckneccid is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckneccid View Post
Just for the heck of it a few years ago, I was building a tri power set up for a bow tie engine. I had bead blasted the carbs before I re-built them, and was looking at all the bare, uninspiring aluminum of the carbs sitting there. I had some of the chameleon paint sitting around, and figured, what the heck... I painted the carbs with the color changing paint, then a coat of clear, and it really looks pretty good. I've not had them on an engine yet, but plan to put them on the 327 in the '55 once I get that far, so I can't say how it holds up. Later today I'll go grab a pic of them to give you an idea of what they look like.

Here ya go, see what you think


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  #21  
Old 10-30-2009, 07:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cuda54 View Post
Could you let us know how much it costs to get each done and where you have it done. Thank for the info. That could come in handy to clean the interior of my Cuda.
Sorry for my dumb choice of works, I should of said inside not interior. Dry ice blasting removes paint, rust ect it just dosn't leave abunch of
residue or dust to get into everything. My bad.
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  #22  
Old 11-03-2009, 10:44 PM
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pishta pishta is offline
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dry ice blasting? Who would have thought? At 2 bucks a lb here, I wonder what the cost would be?
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  #23  
Old 11-04-2009, 12:22 AM
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Most have their own machine that makes up the pellets, you get co2 bolltles and hook them up and make your own. It's considerably cheaper. The machines run 15-30 grand or there abouts so it's not the cheapest but they even clean electric motors and food manufacturing equipment with it.
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