Float bowl Crap

[BwanaDik]

I've got a '78 Ducati Darmah in good condition but I've not started it in quite some time (18 months?). It was running when it stopped (famous last words). So today I figured I might as well try a full restart on it, including cleaning everything, changing the oil, etc. It has 40mm Del Orto carbs and when I took the jet nut/float bowl nut off and dropped the float bowl, it was caked in a hard white substance of some sort. What a suprise.....I know, shoulda drained the fuel before putting it to bed.

I cleaned the bowl by scraping the stuff off, easy enough. However, the nut has internal threads so scraping isn't an option. And the threads are in quarter sectors so a tap is a dodgy proposition at best.

Anybody know what kind of solvent might dissolve this stuff without attacking the aluminum?

 

[Capt. Bob]

When I first read this, I thought you had "varnish" in the bowl. Sounds now like metal oxidation (white residue?).

If in fact the bowls are aluminum (pot metal?) how about a little "Navel Jelly" (for alum of course). Think it was called "Aluminum Jelly"

I think they still make the stuff.

Edit: Here is an interesting read Clicky

Down toward the bottom he talks about carb cleaner.

 

[evil_henchman]

Replace the nut or try an ultrasonic cleaner

 

[rushes]

Never found a chemical that worked for me but I've made carb cleaning brushes of various sizes from multi-strand copper wires. Cut back the plastic insulation about 1/8" and "fray" the wires out a bit. To get inside threaded areas, just put a 90 degree bend at the tip.

 

[BwanaDik]

Never found a chemical that worked for me but I've made carb cleaning brushes of various sizes from multi-strand copper wires. Cut back the plastic insulation about 1/8" and "fray" the wires out a bit. To get inside threaded areas, just put a 90 degree bend at the tip.

Excellent suggestion! I've been casting about to try and find something exactly like that. I completely cleaned the Duc's wiring harness some years ago by taking the pins out of the multipin connectors and dipping them in acid first then a baking soda solution to neutralize it. Tedious to say the least but it worked great. I also have a 1969 Datsun 2000 that is suffering from some harness corrosion and the wire "fray" sounds like just the trick to get inside the multipin connectors. Possibly with a Dremel tool. Thanks a lot!

 

[rushes]

It's a bit time consuming but does no harm. :thumbsup:

 

[radman]

Ty-D-Bowl soak. The restorers secret carb cleaner. No charge.