The Best Carburetor Cleaners (Review) in 2021

What to Consider When Buying a Carburetor Cleaner

The answers to this are somewhat obvious yet are easily forgotten. The main things you should be looking out for when buying a carburetor cleaner include:

The Ease Of Use

First and foremost, a carb cleaner should be easy for you to utilize. There’s no point having an amazing cleaner that you aren’t even able to set up and get ready- it’s all well and good having the finest item in the world if it won’t do its job. The most effective cleaner will be one that you can pull out or buy whenever you need it, use quickly and safely, then get on with your day. Otherwise, you might as well head to a local mechanic.

How Effective It Is

Another major component in your decision-making skills should be just how effective your cleaner is. As with all things, a cheaper brand may save you money in the short-term but the costs can add up easily over time, if you have to keep buying it, to do the same job a more expensive brand can do first time.

What type of carb cleaner is best for your needs

As it turns out, you may not need to take apart your carburetor completely to give this cracking piece of engineering a clean. If you have a newer car, it can be worth just grabbing a carb cleaning spray that does the trick. Of course, an older car will probably need a full carburetor dip, which would involve taking each piece apart and leaving them to soak overnight.

It depends entirely on how much build-up there has been and where, along with how old the car is and whether you’re doing a quick once-over or a full, deep clean. We’ve given you a good selection to help you get a better idea of what’s on offer, above.

The Materials Used

If your carburetor or nearby equipment has rubber or plastic areas, some carb cleaners may be too strong and, ultimately, cause more damage to your car. If you’re not sure what your vehicles designs include, it can be best to play it safe and get yourself a multi-fabric cleaner, which leaves you feeling much more secure in your usage.

The Speed of The Carb Cleaner

Some cleaners can take a few minutes, depending on how much it needs to shift, whereas others will need you to take your vehicle off the road overnight while the liquid gets to work, shifting the dirt. You’ll usually see this in more of the deep-cleaning carb cleaner types, but they can appear in any form. Be sure to read the instructions before purchasing your product, in case you need to be somewhere ASAP.

Safety

This comprises of multiple facets- you’ll need to check the ingredients used, if you’re allergic to anything, and be sure to get the right cleaner for your needs. A standard car with a dirty carburetor shouldn’t need anything too dangerous, but some stockists may sell for garages and mechanics, as well as yourself, and therefore sell the more corrosive or dangerous stuff.

Benefits of Cleaning Your Carburetor

Improved Fuel Efficiency

Years of built-up dirt and grime like grease, oil, and sludge can starve your engine of fuel, which ultimately limits its combustion. Carb cleaner helps improve engine performance, removes deposits, and delivers better fuel economy.

Better Acceleration

When gas from your fuel system struggles to get to your engine, your acceleration can suffer. Using a cleaner quickly removes the gunk in the way, giving you more responsive and immediate acceleration.

Achieve a More Accurate Air Fuel Ratio

If fuel isn’t getting where it needs to go, you can wind up with a less-than-ideal air to fuel ratio, which results in worse performance and fuel economy. With a carb cleaner, you can eliminate these woes — and potential future problems — with the right ratio of air and fuel.

Prevent Engine Failure and Other Issues

No car owner wants to replace their engine. You can avoid this frustrating and costly problem by using a carburetor cleaner that will remove deposits that can, over time, lead to expensive repairs.

Related Post: Best Fuel Injector Cleaners

Types of Carburetor Cleaners

Chlorinated

Chlorinated carb cleaners are quite common — and that’s because chlorine is a great, highly effective cleaning agent. It can break down dirt easily, acting as a cleaner quickly and reducing the amount of effort or time you need to expend. However, they can damage more delicate components or materials. Especially potent and able to clean thoroughly, a chlorinated product can be a good choice.

Non-Chlorinated

An alternative to chlorinated cleaners is non-chlorinated carb cleaners. These cleaning products are gentler, as they don’t include any harsh chlorine. However, a non-chlorinated solution is milder. It’ll be perfectly safe to use on all surfaces, but it may pose a challenge if you’re dealing with particularly tough dirt, grime, or deposits.

Sprays

Spray carb cleaners are incredibly straightforward and easy to use. They remove dirt, grime, and other stuck-on materials with the press of a button — spray cleaners typically come in aerosol forms with a thin straw that allows you to spray the solution into hard-to-reach areas. They’re convenient, and they don’t require you to remove your carburetor. 

Dips

Dips are an alternative cleaner. These cleaning formulas can get your carburetor and choke valves sparking clean — but you’ll have to immerse your carburetor into the cleaner. It’s like giving your carb a bath. You’ll remove it from your vehicle and place it in a container filled with dip cleaner, then let it soak to get completely clean. These products are very effective, but they do require more effort.

Top Brands

Gumout

First created in 1941, Gumout has been combating tough engine residue and buildup since World War II. Today, highly effective products like Gumout Carb and Choke Cleaner or Gumout Fuel Injector & Carburetor Cleaner will improve engine perfect in your own vehicles. 

AutoZone

AutoZone is one of the best places to pick up quality carburetor cleaning products for any kind of vehicle. With a wide selection of different products, you can find the right formula and the right application with ease.

Super Tech

Dedicated to creating high-quality engine parts, valves, and more, SuperTech has more than 30 years of auto experience and expertise. The brand focuses on high-performance choices, which make for great variety and trustworthy reliability no matter what you’re driving.

MANNOL

Mannol is a brand that creates quality auto products, with a strong focus on lubricants, oils, and greases. You can find formulas and solutions that’ll keep your engine and fuel system running efficiently, with products that can improve your vehicle’s performance.

Berryman

A worldwide leader in auto products, Berryman offers some of the best car cleaners available today. Options like our top pick, the Berryman Carb Cleaner, and the Berryman Chemtool Carburetor Cleaner, are fantastic options.

How to Clean a Carburetor

Removing and cleaning your carburetor will be slightly different for each vehicle type- but equally messy for all! Be sure to cover yourself up, keep some soap and water handy for spills, complete this task somewhere quiet and away from busy streets, and get yourself some good, thick gloves.

• Turn off your vehicles and fuel valve- ideally on an empty tank.
• If you’re cleaning a motorcycle carburetor, be sure to turn off your petcock if you don’t have a fuel-injected carburetor.
• Next, you’ll need to loosen up the screw clamps and rubber boots, if required.
• You’ll now need to remove the fuel throttle, plus any overflows or vent hoses if required. Be sure to make a note of where you’ll need to reattach these, later- otherwise things can get a bit confusing.
• Being careful not to spill any fuel on the ground (there will usually be latent fuel in the system, even if your tank is completely dry), take out your carburetor and place it, carefully, on a clean mat, on the floor.
• Grab a bowl (that you don’t mind getting dirty) and pull the drain pan, if you have one- this will allow the rest of the fuel to leave the carburetor.

How to Disassemble a Carburetor

Be sure to lay out any and all pieces you take apart in an order that makes it simple to reassemble your carburetor. Otherwise, this can become a massively time-consuming task that will have you pulling your hair out.

• The first thing you’ll need to do on any carburetor is detach the float bowl. It’s located at the bottom and should be held in by four screws. Take these out carefully, as they can easily become damaged. Then set your items aside.
• Next, use long-nose pliers to remove the float pin, if it didn’t come out with the bowl.
• Take a good look around the inside of your carburetor. Aside from being interesting to look at, this will help you get your bearing during the next series of tasks. Get a good look at the small jets available through the item- the ones with a hexagon shape are screwed in and can be removed, although some may simply have a spot which can fit in a flathead screwdriver.
• Unfortunately, you’ll need to remove each piece in order to clean them, so get to work on that and then place them somewhere out of the way but easy to find. We’ll wait.
• The air screw and idle screw now need to be removed from the sides of the carb.
• If the choke can be removed, gently but firmly remove this with a wrench.
• Remove all gaskets and O-rings, placing them aside with your other, small parts ready for a clean.

You should now be ready to clean your carburetor!

Best Carburetor Cleaner FAQ:

Q: What does a carburetor do?

A carburetor is a nifty piece of engineering that allows for the correct mixture of oxygen to the ratio of fuel needed for the speed at which you require your car to travel. In other words, it uses a series of valves and precise measurements to ensure that your car doesn’t completely explode with a rush of excess fuel, while also allowing the fuel to actually come into contact with the oxygen at all.

Q: How does a carburetor cleaner work?

A carb cleaner works by dissolving the oil, grease, and other types of dirt and grime that build up both on and inside your carburetor. After you spray the cleaner on the inside and outside of this part, the cleaner will loosen any gunk present so you can easily wipe it away.

Q: Can I use fuel injector cleaner in a carburetor?

A fuel injector does exactly what it says on the tin- injecting fuel into your carburetor cleaner. Therefore, a fuel injector cleaner runs through the injector itself and works its way through the mechanisms, using a little force and some clever chemistry to loosen the gunk in the carb cleaner. Since these are one of the most likely places for the build-up of debris and general gunk to appear, it can be handy to run an injector cleaner through your system before taking the entire carburetor out and apart, with a view of cleaning the entire bit of kit from top to bottom.

There are, however, a few things you should be aware of if you’re looking to use a fuel injector cleaner:

• If your fuel injectors are blocked or have a massive build-up, it’s unlikely that an injector cleaner will work well, since the fluid itself won’t work its way through the contaminates in order to reach through the nozzle.
• Not all of the cleaner fluids work for all vehicle types. If you are looking to use this, you’ll need to shop around and find the right fuel injector cleaning fluid for your car. An older car might respond to any form of cleaning, while a new car may need something that is a little stronger and more likely to break down smaller build-ups, that are more likely in newer cars.
• There is still some debate as to whether fuel injector cleaners actually work. Of course, it may be due to the fact that some folk may be using cleaners that are incompatible (as mentioned in the last point) and others may be using these when it’s too late.

Q: How often should I clean my carburetor?

It’s a good idea to use a carb choke cleaner every six months to keep your vehicle’s engine and fuel system running efficiently and smoothly.

Q: Can you use WD 40 to clean a carburetor?

WD-40 can work as a carb cleaner in a pinch. However, it doesn’t work as easily or as effectively as a true carburetor cleaner; you’ll need to work harder to get rid of really stubborn dirt and grime inside and outside. 

Q: Can you clean the carburetor without removing it?

With a quality carb cleaner, you won’t need to remove your vehicle’s carburetor to get it clean. A spray cleaner will allow you to remove deposits from every angle, and it can get both inside and outside as well as into nooks and crannies with a thin, flexible applicator.

Q: What can I use to clean a carburetor other than carb cleaner?

Brake cleaner can be a decent alternative to a traditional carburetor cleaner. Like a carb cleaner, brake cleaner is specifically formulated to break down and dissolve grease and built-up grime, so it can tackle the source of any engine or fuel system issues.

Our Top Pick

With its usability, powerful ingredients, and incredibly fast-acting effect on even the toughest of grime and muck, it’s not hard to see why we chose the Berryman Carburetor Dip Cleaner. For those looking to get the most out of their engine and start afresh, this is the most powerful carb cleaner on the market while also remaining one of the simplest and most effective available. Great for use across the board, with any material, this is perfect for those who want to have a good go at cleaning their carburetor from top to bottom, for a great price.

Sources:

1. Carburetor – Wikipedia