Have you ever thought of cleaning a carburetor in a pressure washer? It is not as hard as it may sound. But are you having trouble with your gas-powered pressure washer again? If you have had gas on it for a long time, there are chances that the fault is on the clogged carburetor.
If you want to save up on maintenance costs and repair, or you don’t have time to go into the repair shop, you will need to learn how to clean your carburetor on the pressure washer, and it doesn’t require any complex skills. You can know it now.
What does a carburetor do?
Before we discuss how to clean a carburetor, we must know how the carburetor works and fits on the pressure washer scheme. Operating a gasoline-powered pressure washer will need the right amount of air to burn fuel properly.
The standard air to fuel ratio is 12:1 and 15:1. A carburetor is a mechanical gadget that acts as the heart and carries out a balancing act. Whenever a carburetor is clogged, it will not pump the right mix of fuel and air.
Signs to know if the carburetor needs cleaning
How will you know that the problem is a clogged carburetor? Just as some symptoms and signs will help the doctors know of any health issues, some symptoms and signs will tell you that there is a clogged carburetor. Here are some:
It doesn’t start
The clogged carburetor will prevent fuel and air from going through. Commonly, the pressure washer doesn’t start, so an uncleaned carburetor can cause but not necessarily the reason for a pressure washer not to work.
It produces popping sounds or sneezing.
When an imbalance occurs for air and fuel, there can be sickly sounds. The reason is that it is not getting enough fuel in its carburetor.
It produces black smoke
Whenever there is more fuel than air, it will result in making black smoke from its exhaust.
It is leaking
If there is a block on the fuel bowl, it will prevent the needle valve from shutting. The fuel will then deluge into the carburetor.
What is the cause of dirty or clogged carburetors?
It is essential to know how you can clean your carburetor, and it is also necessary for you to understand how to prevent and the cause of this. We know that prevention is always better than the cure.
You must avoid putting fuel in the pressure washer for a long time to prevent it from building up in the carburetor. When the ingredients of the fuel evaporate, it can leave a thick and gummy residue. The sticky substances are the cause of engine issues and clogging. It can have a worst-case scenario where you will need to replace or rebuild your carburetor.
Is it acceptable to use WD 40 to clean a carburetor?
Another typical question is if it is ok to utilize WD 40. There might be some who are wondering what the differences are and how they are comparable. Well, for beginners, although all of these cleaning materials bring several benefits to the pressure washer, there are still some dissimilarities in performance.
If you want an alternative that will create the same job, you might be looking for less residue and more power. However, if you’re going to clean the carburetor without removing it, the WD 40 will do. It is also a great option if you are saving up.
What are the things you can use to clean a carburetor?
Several different kinds of solutions are used to clean any carburetor. Suppose you are working for an alcohol-based solution such as acetone or gasoline. In that case, we will recommend soaking the carburetor to it for a few minutes before rebuilding and running its engine once more.
You may also use solutions that are solvent-based such as choke cleaner and CRC carburetor. It must be applied to the interior of your carburetor accompanied by aerosol spray, and let it soak for 20 minutes before starting the engine.
How to clean a carburetor on a pressure washer?
For you to clean a carburetor and make your pressure washer run once more, here is the step-by-step guide on how to clean a carburetor on a pressure washer.
Step 1: Detach its spark plug and put off its fuel valve.
Step 2: Find and access its carburetor. Typically, you can detach the air filter box, throttle cover, and its intake set up to access the carburetor.
Step 3: Look for the gas line that is running between the carburetor and fuel tank. Disengage its tube from your carburetor nipple to vacant old gas. You may clamp off its fuel line using pliers before you pull the tube when you have a new gas on your tank. Whatever the case is, put a towel or bowl in the bottom to capture drips.
Step 4: Using a nut driver or socket, detach the carburetor from its engine by removing the two bolts that connect to the machine. Then, drag the throttle cable from your carburetor linkage.
Step 5: get rid of the residual gas in the carburetor on a towel or container. Check if your carburetor is corroded or dirty. You will need to buy a new one if the carburetor is corroded. You may proceed to clean it if it’s just messy.
Step 6: Disassemble the carburetor. Unscrew the bolt at the bottom to remove the carb bowl. It will make the float visible. Next, remove the pin that holds the float in place on the metal body. After that, remove the needle valve. Please keep track of the material used to make its needle valve’s tip. If it is made of rubber, don’t clean it with a carb cleaner. Instead, disconnect the rubber gasket on the rim in which the carb bowl’s mouth seals against the main body.
Step 7: Spray carburetor cleaning into any nooks and crevices of the metal parts wherever gummy or crystals residues can be found. If there is any moisture in the bowl or on the metal component, wipe it dry. Make sure you don’t get the carb cleaner on any rubber parts! Check the primary and idle jets also to ensure that they are free of obstructions. You can clean them with a bit of wire brush.
Step 8: Finally, rinse them under running water and dry them using compressed air.
Step 9: Clean the gaskets and float them with water and soap before allowing them to dry. Replace any warped or torn gaskets with new ones if necessary.
Step 10: Replace the floater, needle valve, gaskets, pin, and carb bowl in their initial locations.
Step 11: Reattach the carburetor to its main engine and put everything back where it belongs. If you’re unsure, look through the photos you took.
Conclusion
Now we have provided the step-by-step guide on how to clean a carburetor on a pressure washer; you may learn it in a few minutes. However, if you are unsure and don’t want to make everything worse, you may go to the nearest repair shop.
