Recommendations for low price ultrasonic cleaner for Stihl carburetor

[woodieallen]

Thanks chaps. Hadn't realised the replacement carbs were such good value. I'll give the mixture test that was suggested first but failing that will get a new one.

Damn. Not such good value. £42

 

[stuckinthemud]

Starting and running at full chat put very different loads on the engine and it takes 2 minutes to check a spark plug gap. I can only tell you that mine started easily but bogged down when I opened the throttle and the issue was with the plug. Doesn’t mean you have the same issue but it’s such a quick thing to check before a carb strip down

 

[John Brown]

Damn. Not such good value. £42

https://gardentoolspares.com/product/stihl-fs94-km94-carburettor-zama/

Mind you, I just bought a small spring for my mower from these people, and they add postage and then VAT, and you find the price has doubled...

I reckon you'd get it cheaper somewhere else, if you could find it.

 

[woodieallen]

Starting and running at full chat put very different loads on the engine and it takes 2 minutes to check a spark plug gap. I can only tell you that mine started easily but bogged down when I opened the throttle and the issue was with the plug. Doesn’t mean you have the same issue but it’s such a quick thing to check before a carb strip down

Checked and all OK.


Small cleaner ordered from Allendale. I counted up the number of two-stroke engines I have...5 So I reckon the ultrasonic cleaner will be a good investment. Wonder what else I can use it for ?

 

[Stuart Moffat]

I inherited a rotavater from my dad some years ago, with a briggs and Stratton motor. Because it gets used early in the season, not at the end like the mower, I always forget to run it dry. E10 . Yet every year it still fires up after one or two pulls!

 

[pe2dave]

Checked and all OK.


Small cleaner ordered from Allendale. I counted up the number of two-stroke engines I have...5 So I reckon the ultrasonic cleaner will be a good investment. Wonder what else I can use it for ?

Watch straps, jewellery anything with fine structure that won't harm in water.

 

[Fergie 307]

If you just put the item in a jar and sit that in the water then you can use pretty much any cleaning fluid in the jar, Alcohol or lighter/Coleman fuel being good ones. Lighter fuel is particularly good at removing oil and grease.
Personally I wouldn't waste your money on specialist ultrasonic cleaner fluids, you will get just as good a result in water by just adding a few drops of washing up liquid.
Usually helps if you leave the item to soak in your chosen fluid for a while first.
My local jeweller, a proper one who actually makes stuff, did a repair for me on a watch case. He cleaned it afterwards and I was very impressed. When I asked him what fluid he used "warm water and fairy liquid".

 

[pe2dave]

If you just put the item in a jar and sit that in the water then you can use pretty much any cleaning fluid in the jar, Alcohol or lighter/Coleman fuel being good ones. Lighter fuel is particularly good at removing oil and grease.
Personally I wouldn't waste your money on specialist ultrasonic cleaner fluids, you will get just as good a result in water by just adding a few drops of washing up liquid.
Usually helps if you leave the item to soak in your chosen fluid for a while first.
My local jeweller, a proper one who actually makes stuff, did a repair for me on a watch case. He cleaned it afterwards and I was very impressed. When I asked him what fluid he used "warm water and fairy liquid".

Due care please.
Find out the ignition temperature of whatever liquid you use, with respect to the temp you set the bath.

 

[Fergie 307]

Due care please.
Find out the ignition temperature of whatever liquid you use, with respect to the temp you set the bath.

Fair point, although I doubt most small DIY machines can can hot enough for that to be a concern. I generally run mine at about 35°c.

 

[woodieallen]

The model I chose is very basic ...no heat adjustment.

 

[woodieallen]

Success. Started first pull. Reve'd up without any hesitation and so thanks to one and all.

In the end I opted for Allendale's carb cleaner since I reasoned that they wouldn't sell anything that didn't work as they have a good reputation to keep. Not bad value as it's a concentrate. Currently got a pair of specs in there and ewatching the verdigris fall off !

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Success. Started first pull. Reve'd up without any hesitation and so thanks to one and all.

In the end I opted for Allendale's carb cleaner since I reasoned that they wouldn't sell anything that didn't work as they have a good reputation to keep. Not bad value as it's a concentrate. Currently got a pair of specs in there and ewatching the verdigris fall off !

The part that causes the issues is in top part of carb when open up it's a tiny Gauze filter remove with something like a bent safety pin! or squirt in place but making sure engine isn't running too long on carb/brake cleaner type stuff as "No Oil" Easy to diagnose! if fires up ok on choke but won't run off properly/cuts out/won't respond to throttle.
Choke circuit and running circuit are different as the lever moves flaps and internal parts so runs enriched.

 

[Fergie 307]

Success. Started first pull. Reve'd up without any hesitation and so thanks to one and all.

In the end I opted for Allendale's carb cleaner since I reasoned that they wouldn't sell anything that didn't work as they have a good reputation to keep. Not bad value as it's a concentrate. Currently got a pair of specs in there and ewatching the verdigris fall off !

It is amazing sometimes how much dirt can come out of something that looks relatively clean. The old style expanding metal watch bracelets are a good example. In a big jar and ideally over a bit of tube or mounted on a bit of thick wire so as to open them up a little. Often have to repeat the process multiple times as the fluid turns to something like soup the first few times with all the accumulated muck coming out!

 

[woodieallen]

I've got one of those and not thought about it - Must remember to take the watch off first !

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Watch straps, jewellery anything with fine structure that won't harm in water.

Have you, or anyone else, tried cleaning router bits or bandsaw blades?

The reason I’m asking is that if they do a good job on those I will get a bigger one that will fit my circular saw blades. They seem to be quite inexpensive, ranging from about £100 for a 10 litre one (240 Ultra Sonic 250W heat0 to £180 for a 30 litre (claimed capacity) one 600W Ultra Sonic 500W heat.

I generally don’t have access to cleaning fluids other than the regular solvents like, alcohol, acetone, paraffin petrol, diesel etc, though we do have a rather nasty paint cleaner/oil paint thinner (AAA thinner) that is probably banned in the U.K. so suggestions on a cleaner will be appreciated.

 

[woodieallen]

Have you, or anyone else, tried cleaning router bits or bandsaw blades?

The reason I’m asking is that if they do a good job on those I will get a bigger one that will fit my circular saw blades. They seem to be quite inexpensive, ranging from about £100 for a 10 litre one (240 Ultra Sonic 250W heat0 to £180 for a 30 litre (claimed capacity) one 600W Ultra Sonic 500W heat.

I generally don’t have access to cleaning fluids other than the regular solvents like, alcohol, acetone, paraffin petrol, diesel etc, though we do have a rather nasty paint cleaner/oil paint thinner (AAA thinner) that is probably banned in the U.K. so suggestions on a cleaner will be appreciated.

That’s a very good suggestion. I’ll try and remember to give it a try.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

That’s a very good suggestion. I’ll try and remember to give it a try.

@woodieallen if you do could you add a link to me (as I have done) when you try, I would be very interested, of course for router bits it would be easy to put them in a cleaning solution in a glass jar or strong plastic bag and drop that into the water bath so you don’t contaminate the main section.
Or also the vacuum bags designed for chamber vacuum seal machines would be a good alternative. Even better if you have a chamber vacuum seal machine you can seal the bags with the tool bits and turn the vacuum off.

 

[imageel]

in my experience -
Alcohol will soften resin build up but is not particularly fast
Acetone is better but it's high volatility is an issue unless you can get it cheaply
The best solution I have found is cellulose thinners -gun-cleaner grade is the cheapest, and I find it quickly dissolves the resin build up on router bits and spindle tooling and isn't as volatile as acetone.
Specifically for bandsaw parts I found an old scraper held against the blade whilst the wheels are turned by hand can effectively remove most of the build-up leaving only the teeth to clean with an old toothbrush dipped in solvent for the teeth.
A scraper also works well on the tyres where use of solvents is a little risky and can even be performed with care whilst the blade is still fitted.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

in my experience -
Alcohol will soften resin build up but is not particularly fast
Acetone is better but it's high volatility is an issue unless you can get it cheaply
The best solution I have found is cellulose thinners -gun-cleaner grade is the cheapest, and I find it quickly dissolves the resin build up on router bits and spindle tooling and isn't as volatile as acetone.
Specifically for bandsaw parts I found an old scraper held against the blade whilst the wheels are turned by hand can effectively remove most of the build-up leaving only the teeth to clean with an old toothbrush dipped in solvent for the teeth.
A scraper also works well on the tyres where use of solvents is a little risky and can even be performed with care whilst the blade is still fitted.

@imageel are you talking about in conjunction with an ultrasonic machine or just as you would usually do it?

I suspect that acetone maybe available at reasonable cost, I haven’t tried it out in plastic containment but suspect it won’t work well.

 

[woodieallen]

Here you go. A bearing guided router bit and a spindle moulder cutter.

Before


After


The 'before' bearing was a bit graunchy but after the ultrasonic clean, free as a bird and can easily be spun using compressed air

Before


After


I'm unclear as to what vacuum bags have to do with ultrasonic cleaning TBH