Need to clean ATV carb, can I use dish soap?

[sh00ter]

I have the carb off the bike and it is filthy on the outside and I do not have a parts washer. A lot of times I just use brake cleaner to clean dirty parts, but I recall a buddy cleaning several carbs for dirt bikes in the kitchen sink with Dawn. Then he rinsed and blew them off with air and let dry before tearing down for a rebuild. Is this a viable option, over brake cleaner (and if so, would dish soap or simple green be best)?

 

[OneMoreEvan]

I think as long as you dry it off and make sure it's completely dry, it would probably be fine. I would use dawn if I was gonna put it in my sink and Simple Green if I was gonna just clean it in hand. Either way, make sure you get all the residue off and make sure its dry before putting it back in

 

[dlbleak]

I’d try to avoid anything that would leave a residue. Dawn would probably work but let it dry out in the heat for couple days

 

[adamsredlines]

Use it, seal it up, have it for next time.

https://www.autozone.com/fuel-and-e...dxxmg-VPFUflS1D6lmsaAhzVEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[dlbleak]

My brother was cleaning some kx250 carbs from about 1989 bikes. He soaked them in carb cleaner of some sort. Turned out, there were internal orings that got ruined. The only option was to replace the whole carb

 

[JEVapa]

I used to use these for my VW carbs, bearings, and small parts. If you need a workout, you can seal it up and do a shaky dance in the garage/driveway to knock all the crud off - poor man's agitator. Neighbors might think you're weird but wahtever.
I get two, one for dirt and crap and one for rinse. Then air to blow out all the passages and jets.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gunk-CC3...3a9fcf85dff51224bfdfabdc84ddbdcf&gclsrc=3p.ds
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...man-chem-dip-96-ounce-cleaner/bry3/0996?pos=0

 

[sh00ter]

Yeah thx, I was also aware of the chemdip from back in the day. I use simple green a lot if whatever I am cleaning allows for a rinse afterwards as I prefer to avoid solvent exposure when I can. But sometimes only harsher chemicals will get the job done

I think a small plastic tub and put the carb in the tub with simple green 100% strength, spray it down and scrub with a toothbrush and then rinse with a hose on low pressure. That seems like a similar but preferable method over the kitchen sink and dish soap. I might be able to get most of it clean like that and then use brake cleaner as a final clean for all metal parts once it is fully disassembled.

 

[HiredHand]

I think Dawn detergent would be fine, just blow it out real good or maybe even warm it up in the oven or leave it outside in the sun. I’ve cleaned a few carbs with Simple Green HD, it’s the purple colored stuff, and one of those small Harbor Freight ultra sonic cleaners. Might take a few cycles, but it works.

 

[sh00ter]

Seems like a lot of reports about simple green hurting aluminum are wrong? I was leaning back towards dish soap because of that but the company says the original "green" formula isn't caustic. Perhaps the purple HD formula is more like the Castrol stuff?

I think I will just try the simple green mixed 50/50 and a plastic tub, brush and hose method and do a final clean with brake cleaners (speaking of why even use "carb" cleaner instead???).

If for some reason the simple green doesn't work, I'll then try the Dawn.

I saw this:

 

[cowadle]

just use gasoline,kerosene or diesel.