Storing an old carburator

DerbyDad03 · 2011-05-23T16:35:52+00:00

I just ordered a new carburator for my Honda lawn mower engine.Since placing the order, I tried some Mechanic In A Bottle and itimproved the performance of my mower significantly. It's not 100%, butif I hadn't already ordered the carb, I probably would wait a while.Anyway, since the new one is on it's way, I'm going to change it, butI don't see a need to throw out the old one just yet. I might justkeep it around as an emergency spare.Should I choose to do that, what's the best way to clean it and storeit to keep "fresh" so if I ever need it (years from now?) it'll stillwork?BTW - Plano Power equipment has a great website for outdoor powerequipment - especially parts for Honda engines and genrators.

May 23, 2011 25 Replies

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Jules Richardson 15 years ago

Nice ideas. I'd wondered about the 'washer trick' myself in the past - that'd probably be the first thing I'd try as it should be realtively easy; if the throttle stops weren't seized onto the shafts of the carbs that I have, it's be a ten minute job to try it. Anything that reduces the air leak will help, after all.

Hadn't thought of peening. As I said in my other post, the metal on these carbs seem to be pretty soft, so there's a good chance that would be possible.

O-ring - not sure there. I bet the holes wear oval due to the forces on them, so maybe that would either be too tight or not seal nicely.

Ha ha! :-)

cheers

Jules

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clare 15 years ago

The carb bodies are "generally" die cast zinc. The best way to re-bush one is to take a good one and fixture it on the mill, using an end-mill, reamer, or transfer punch as a locator, then put the old carb in the fixture with a larger end mill or reamer, then press in new bushings and mill/ream back to proper size , again in the fixture.

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dpb 15 years ago

On 5/25/2011 8:20 PM, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote: ...

All of this has one thing in that I've previously mentioned lacking..."mill" :)

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clare 15 years ago

If you have a "tight" drillpress you can do the same. Cutting zinc is not terribly hard. The secret is in the "fixturing" to hold the carb rigidly square to the cutter and accurately in position.

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dpb 15 years ago

On 5/25/2011 9:15 PM, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote: ...

From previous posting...

I do suspect could manage if really gave it a try but so far it's been possible to find a replacement (although the last one may have been the end of line on new replacements for that particular model; it was only a new old-stock happen to find distributor w/ a couple still on hand that saved having to do something different then and that's been several years now)...

As long as it's close enough the throttle plate shaft doesn't bind and the throttle plate ends up reasonable well centered in the throat, it's not terribly critical. Hitting "pretty near" center would be ok.

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DFBonnett 15 years ago

I've done this with automotive carbs. I hosed them out good with spray carb cleaner, let them dry thoroughly, then stored them in a closed up cardboard box so they stay clean. FWIW YMMV

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