Slowwwwly Dying.....

[Water Warrior 2]

Whoa, stop the presses, take a breath or something. Sheesh guys, don't get so worked up. My original suggestion was to add something to the gas tank( run through the engine ). I was thinking of Berryman's, STP gas line treatment or something similar. The idea was to just hopefully clean out the gunk while riding rather than pulling apart a carb or doing a carb rebuild with all the trimmings. Let's keep it simple to start with and work from there.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by patrick_777

...and every can of carb cleaner I've ever seen, said exactly what MM just said on the back of the can. Don't SOAK rubber parts in it.

OK, fine. Consider this however: Since about 1976, when they first started experimenting with mixing ethanol in gas, there are NO rubber parts in carbs or elsewhere in the fuel system for that matter......all "those" parts are now a neoprene compound (or similar) that is unaffected by gas or alcohol.....and presumably carb cleaner too. So if the vehicle in question is less than 30 years old....there shouldn't be a problem.

My SOLE reason for responding in the first place was: That is how urban legends get created....when it gets twisted into "Don't ever use carb. cleaner in your gas as it will EAT up the rubber seals." That's BS but it no doubt got started as "don't soak rubber parts in full strength cleaner". :roll:

AND I think that was the specific question that got it started: " I've heard bad stories of cleaners that eat all the seals away!" My answer is an unqualified "don't worry about it; ain't gonna happen"....unless you have an antique vehicle maybe. Do you disagree with that ???

[patrick_777]

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

My SOLE reason for responding in the first place was: That is how urban legends get created....when it gets twisted into "Don't ever use carb. cleaner in your gas as it will EAT up the rubber seals." That's BS but it no doubt got started as "don't soak rubber parts in full strength cleaner".

No, your sole reason for responding was to falsely admonish MM for "generalizing" about carb cleaner when you apparently only read every other word or so of his post and assumed what you wanted to hear for the other half.

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

It depends on what KIND of carb. cleaner you use and how you use it. The stuff is not intended to be used full strength and actually works better if mixed at least 50/50 with gas for soaking.

This is just a bullshit statement, and you know it. The can of B-12 itself states on the back to remove all rubber or plastic pieces from the parts before soaking. It doesn't say anything about having to dilute it in gasoline to soak parts for a duration which is precisely what MM was referring to, and later explained.

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

AND I think that was the specific question that got it started: " I've heard bad stories of cleaners that eat all the seals away!" My answer is an unqualified "don't worry about it; ain't gonna happen"....unless you have an antique vehicle maybe. Do you disagree with that ???

Not if you add it in proper proportions to a tank of gas, no. But...

Originally Posted by music man

One thing to note though, if you are going to take your carb off and take it apart and clean it with carb cleaner, then you need to make sure, and I mean damn sure that you get anything rubber off of it before you spray it or soak it in carb cleaner, because it will ruin anything like that it comes in contact with.

...this is a profoundly true statement if you append "for more than a couple of minutes" onto it.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by patrick_777

No, your sole reason for responding was to falsely admonish MM for "generalizing" about carb cleaner when you apparently only read every other word or so of his post and assumed what you wanted to hear for the other half.

MM and I have been on good terms of late and I assure you that I have no reason to "just pick a fight", as you would seem to be implying.

I am somewhat amazed that you can reach into my brain and assertain the reasons for my actions.

The fact remains that there are no "rubber" parts in modern carbs........so the whole discussion is moot.

The answer to the original question remains: No, carb cleaner in the gas won't hurt "rubber" seals because there aren't any.

[Water Warrior 2]

:popcorn:

[bonehead]

I"m staaying out of this one!!!!