How I cleaned my Weber

[BuddyPalumbo]

The often complained "starts, runs, loses power" happened when we resurrected a 1980 X1/9. I didn't want to pull the carb off, so I pulled the top of the carb, soaked up the fuel in the bowls, pulled all the jets, and soaked them in carb cleaner. Then I sprayed carb cleaner down the empty jet holes, let it soak. then inserted clean white rags in each of the float bowls and blew out each jet hole with compressed air, The clean white rags were full of crud. I then blew air through the jets themselves and after I put it back together, everything has been running fine.

 

[Eastep]

The often complained "starts, runs, loses power" happened when we resurrected a 1980 X1/9. I didn't want to pull the carb off, so I pulled the top of the carb, soaked up the fuel in the bowls, pulled all the jets, and soaked them in carb cleaner. Then I sprayed carb cleaner down the empty jet holes, let it soak. then inserted clean white rags in each of the float bowls and blew out each jet hole with compressed air, The clean white rags were full of crud. I then blew air through the jets themselves and after I put it back together, everything has been running fine.

Thats great, if this worked out. Just be weary of the sleeping dragon, that you may have awaken. Once you have started loosening up the embedded gunk; it tends to keep loosening gunk even after you have stopped the cleaning session. Typically its best and very easy to just pull the carb, take it apart and blast with cleaner (soak if carbs have sat for years). Remove the needle and last chance filter and clean those very well as well as blowing cleaner through all air passages. I only mention this, because Im worried for you, in that your going to get 20 miles away and a piece of junk, dislodge and leaves you stranded. Ive had it happen, and had to literally do a full teardown of my carb, on the roadside.

 

[Joe F]

I'll double up on the advice Eastep gives. You already learned that Webers get internally dirty. A thorough cleaning will give you many miles of happy driving, and as an added bonus, you might figure out how these mysteriously wonderful devices work.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Ya, not trying to dog-pile on you here, but I'd put a wager on it needing a more thorough cleaning soon. Webers tend to be finicky about tiny particles causing big issues. A couple of things that I've found when it comes to cleaning carbs:

1) Using an aerosol spray can of carb cleaner really does not get it clean.
2) The carb soak cleaners (e.g. Berryman Carb Dip) are better but they are not nearly as effective as they used to be (like most solvents). However be aware there are two formulas of Berryman. The "safer" version is pretty much useless. But depending on your state and local laws you may not be able to get the better one.
3) A complete tear down, soaking, and manual cleaning of all passage ways, etc is necessary but even that may still not be enough.
4) Use of an ultrasound cleaning machine definitely works best, by far. The machines are a bit expensive; eBay has Chinese ones that work well for a little over $100 (big enough to hold the carb body). Don't waste money on one of the inexpensive units with a plastic housing. If you consider the cost of having a carb professionally cleaned (once), you could buy the machine and a gallon of cleaner that will be good for countless cleanings. Plus once you see how well they clean things you will find many other uses for it. Perhaps split the cost with a friend and share it?
5) Take the time to also clean every other aspect of the fuel system. No sense in getting the carb thoroughly cleaned only to have it get fouled again by more particles in the system.
6) Add new fuel filters (note the plural tense of filters); one before the fuel pump, and one just before the carb.

Hope we are not harshing your buzz but as Eastep said we don't want to see you get stranded.