See full version: Shooting carb cleaner into the carb of a small engine
When the carburetor gets gunked up on these small engines the general thing has always been to tear the carb down and use carburetor cleaner to clean the carb. In doing so you will most likely have to get a new carb kit since the diaphragms/seals can't be reused.
I had a similar thing happen to my riding lawnmower over the weekend. The carb overhaul kit was 43 bucks. I removed the air filter and with the engine running started to spray carb cleaner into the air intake. I sprayed brief shots so the engine doesn't shut off. I noticed afterwards the engine ran a lot better and wasn't sluggish as before.
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Using your manual as a guide, reassemble the carburetor (install any new components included in the rebuild kit such as gaskets, needle valve, etc.). Reinstall the carburetor to the engine, and adjust it according to the engine manufacturer’s instructions. This last step usually requires an initial setting with the engine cold and a final setting once it has warmed up.
Follow your engine manual’s instructions for removing and disassembling the carburetor — watch that you don’t lose any springs, screws or other small bits. Clean each piece carefully taking advantage of the strong solvent characteristics of the cleaner. Take special care with the little orifices you see in the carburetor body and in some of the valves. Avoid the temptation to ream the orifices with anything other than compressed air or aerosol cleaner. Those tiny openings are all related to gasoline and air flow and have everything to do with making the engine run efficiently and effectively. Once the pieces are clean, lay them on clean rags to dry, or carefully blow them out with compressed air.
You will need plenty of clean, lint-free rags; some carburetor cleaner (visit your local auto parts store; I prefer aerosol carb cleaner); glass, glazed-ceramic, or metal container(s) (or plastic that you know won’t be dissolved by the cleaner); eye protection; and chemically stable gloves. You will also want to read the safety information provided with the carburetor cleaner carefully, and work in a well ventilated area. Carb cleaner usually contains strong organic solvents that are flammable and poisonous, so be smart. Those solvents might also strip paint, eat the plastic lenses of your new spectacles and strip your skin of any lipid available on the surface — be careful! [links]
Cleaning your small engine’s carburetor isn’t terribly daunting, but I recommend that you have the correct service manual for your engine and a carburetor rebuild kit on hand before tackling it. It’s a good idea to start this project without significant pressure to get your machine running that same morning, as it may take a bit of time. [links]
Some folks use a degreasing all-purpose cleaner called Simple Green to clean up their carburetors. Although Simple Green is one of my favorites for getting grease and oil out of my shirts and jeans, I doubt it would work well for removing the varnish deposits associated with old gasoline without heat. (I wonder what my wife Kate would say to the gassy, oily scent of boiled carburetor in her favorite Le Creuset pot?) If you go this route, please be sure the carb parts are free of gasoline residue before getting them anywhere near a stove burner. more
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Tools needed:
Phillips screwdriver
Flat screwdriver
Needle nose pliers
Wire brush
Wrenches or socket set
The carburetor being cleaned in this is off an old motorcycle and will look like most other carbs off a motorcycle or ATV. While most carburetors won't look the exact same as the one being shown, they still will have most the same functions and layout.
Picture 1: The last step before cleaning the carb is removing the last parts from the outside. The air screw and the idle screw can be removed with a flat head screwdriver. They are located on the sides of the carb. The idle screw is the larger screw which adjusts the idle when the engine is idling. more
How did you remove the carb?
I unbolted it from the rubber piece attached to the motor ??
I would not mess with the valves right now. To adjust them, you must remove all the body panels, the exhaust, the front exhaust mount bracket, the fan cover, the vacumn lines (2) and bi-starter wire on top of the plastic air jacket which covers the top of the motor, the top plastic air jacket and the valve cover. You will need a new valve cover rubber seal and exhaust pipe gasket (aluminum crush ring - one use only) when you put it back. Mine starts a bit better when the valves are tight and in need of adjustment. If adjusting, set them both at .06 mm (.0025"). This motor does not like much valve lash.
How did you remove the carb?
Drain the oil from the crankcase vent drain tube. clear tubing with band clamp, center scoot, bottom, left side. Make sure all the vent lines are tight. One runs from valve cover to the side of the oil gas seperator, the other fro the top of the seperator to the air tube between carb and airbox.