Soda Blaster for Carbs

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Here's a link to a technical article on soda blasting the grunge from carbs.  http://www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/soda_blaster/
It's green and best of all, it's Cheap! 8-)

[nhmaf]

Hooot!  Tim (Toolman) Taylor would be very impressed !

Have you tried this out yourself, Mike?

[montmil]

Occasionally, ol' Bengt Mike, like that blind hog Grandpa talks about, trips across an acorn. The low-ball budget soda blaster he linked us to is definitely a keeper. Good on ya, Phorqs [smiley=beer.gif]

Since the entire front end is off the '83 R65 for steering bearings and the fork legs are scattered about the shop, I thought I'd give this syphon feed soda blaster idea a try out. As I had enough vinyl tubing of various sizes around the shop, along with some aluminum tubing for the air gun extension, my total cash outlay for the experiment was $1.50 for three small boxes of baking soda at the nearby Dollar General store. Shoot, if the idea tanked, Mike wouldn't owe me much money, right?

The 7/16" i.d. tubing didn't generate the velocity I was looking for. I also had some 3/8" and some 5/16". Used the 5/16 and it provided some pretty good power. Will try the 5/8" on something else later. May add a larger i.d. piece of tubing in a small quest for performance upgrades.

So check out the results. Whatdaya think? I'm impressed. Quick doesn't seem to be the best word to describe the time invested but it's danged close.

[Bob_Roller]

In my opinion, this is one of those ideas, that needs to be entered into the Technical FAQ section, so it doesn't get too buried, like this thread will .

How much blasting media was required to do the fork leg ?

[Barry]

Very impressive indeed Monte.

I want one for Christmas.

[montmil]

I expended the small amount of soda remaining in a box I liberated from Lynn's kitchen. And as noted, I bought three small boxes and burned through them pretty quick doing both fork lowers. Cheap materials cost and the results are remarkable.   Monte

[montmil]

...I want one for Christmas.

You may have to crawl up on Santa's lap, Barry.  

[Bengt_Phorqs]

To answer New Hampshire Mike's first question, no, I haven't personally tried it but some of the guys in the local BMW chapter have and swear by it.  After seeing Monte's results it's even more impressive.  I've been up to my elbows in grease and mineral spirits cleaning the grunge off of the Yamaha TY250 trials bike I'm rebuilding.  The carb on that one is on the list as well as the engine cases.

Glad to hear that it's so effective.  If someone knows how to post it to the tech section that would be good.

[montmil]

In my quest to get the Super Soda Blaster pics posted, I forgot to mention that the soda will not harm items such as the ugly orange plastic reflectors stuck on the R65's lower legs unless you really lay on the soda blast.

The baking soda used is very mild and a slightly different cut composition than the blast soda used by the pro shops. Big deal, I ain't doing a car! It is a popular, although slower, paint removal technique that will not harm or etch glass, chrome, sheet metal substrates, etc.

Also, you need to keep the box of soda agitated during use or the tubing sucks up some soda and the rest does not flow into the cavity left by the Hoover action.

Gonna play with this idea a little more and see where it leads.

Monte

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

[movedhere] BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 [move by] Rob Valdez 79 R65.


Is this where you wanted it?


My carbs need this, and I have a drum brake for my Honda that I hope to try it on, too.

But, considering I had both of my fork sliders done at a shop near home for $20, I'm not sure it's worth the investment in a big compressor.
Although I would be more comfortable doing the carburetors myself.

I wonder if my little cheap compressor would handle it?  http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/119418562/medium
(no tank or regulator)

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Monte wanted to add:

[size=12]More info on the DIY soda blaster...   I began the soda shootin' with four feet of 5/16" i.d. tubing. The VW tipster mentioned using a two foot length. OK, let's try that...

Believe the two footer is better as the distance the low pressure must "lift" the soda is cut in half. Slightly better cleaning performance even if the soda box is a bit in the way.

Next I will try a different size aluminum tube.
[/size]

[chewy4x4]

This is a cheap and easy sand blast cabinet. I love back yard builder they are the most resoursful people on earth.
http://www.letterville.com/steps/hines/

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Bump...
Try this for cleaning carbon from the headers.