Cleaning ethanol residue from the carburetor is necessary to keep your car running in good condition. Ethanol is a common fuel additive for gasoline, but it can also get into the carburetor. This can cause issues with the performance and lifespan of your vehicle.
What is Ethanol Residue?
Ethanol residue is a mixture of alcohol and water. which can cause problems with the fuel system, as well as your car’s performance.
Ethanol is an alcohol and in the fuel systems of older vehicles, when alcohol that has been mixed with even a little bit of water gets into the fuel system, it can cause corrosion in some places.
When an ethanol-based fuel mixes with water, probably while you are trying to fill up your tank, it forms a chemical combination that can cause certain parts of the fuel system like the carburetor to rust.
The best way to avoid this is by preventing the vehicle or machine to stay in a certain position for too long because this allows the ethanol that has already mixed with water to quickly eat away that part.
Make sure that every engine that uses ethanol-based fuel runs at least once a week so that the fuel does not settle in a place for too long and so that the fuel system does not develop delivery problems.
If the ethanol residue in the carburetor is not properly cleaned, the engine will not run well and signs of stalling and the poor running engine would be noticed in the machine.
Can You Clean Ethanol Residue from Carbs?
Yes, you can clean ethanol residue from carbs, that if you know how to go about it. Carburetor cleaners are a great way to remove the residue and keep your carburetor running smoothly.
Several different types of carburetor cleaners can help dissolve the remaining alcohol in your carburetor, but they all work similarly.
Carburetor cleaners come in various forms: liquid, spray, or granular. The type of cleaner you choose will depend on what kind of car you have and what type of engine it has (gasoline or diesel).
Here’s an overview of the various forms of carburetor cleaners;
Liquid Carburetor Cleaner
This is typically used for gasoline engines with electronic fuel injection systems because there’s no need for pressure-sensitive additives like those found in other types of chlorine-based formulas.
Spray Carburetor Cleaners
These products can get rid of hard-to-remove deposits without damaging sensitive electronics like sensors.
Granular Carburetor Cleaners
These formulas contain abrasives that remove gunk from internal surfaces without scratching them up too much.
Regardless of what type of carburetor cleaner you decide to use, the procedures to clean a carburetor are pretty much the same thing.
How to Clean Ethanol Residue from Carb
Step 1
For safety reasons, you should first take out the spark plug because the spark plug generates electricity that runs in the car. It has to be removed so it does not spark while you are trying to clean the carburetor.
Step 2
You should drain out all the remaining fuel into any container of your choice so that you can properly clean the carburetor. If there’s gasoline that’s old in it, you’ll notice varnish in the bottom of the bowl of the carburetor.
Step 3
This sticky residue that you find in the bowl is the ethanol residue that you want to clean. You should wipe it off and then use the carburetor cleaners to make sure that it’s very clean.
Step 4
You should also clean the central jet passage, use the carburetor cleaner and make sure that there’s nothing that can block the central jet passage.
Step 5
Finally, you should check the gasket that serves as a cover for the carburetor’s bowl, make sure that it’s not worn out and if it needs a replacement, you should get a new one as soon as possible. Tighten all the screws and make sure that there’s no fuel left around the carburetor’s bowl.
Pros of Cleaning Ethanol Residue from Carb
When the ethanol residue has been completely cleaned away from the carburetor and the fuel system is functioning better, you’ll experience the following;
- Cleaner Fuel Delivery System: The reduced volatility of ethanol has made it possible to use less fuel, which means cleaner air and lower emissions. When the ethanol residue in the engines has been cleaned, the fuel delivery system is clean and the fuel doesn’t have to mix with residue again.
- More Efficient Combustion: Ethanol burns more efficiently than gasoline when mixed with air at high temperatures; this results in less fuel being burned during combustion and higher power output from the engine.
- Better Performance: In addition, since there are no deposits left behind by regular gasoline after each fill-up (as there typically would be), you get better performance from your car or truck every time you drive it.
- Improved Fuel Economy: When using only 10% ethanol instead of 100% regular gallons of gasoline like most people already these days then we won’t have any problem getting better mileage out of our cars/trucks/SUVs etc.
This also means fewer repairs down the line because not only does use only 10% ethanol work but it’s cheaper too.
What are the Best Solvents for Cleaning Carburetors?
The best solvents for cleaning carburetors are ethanol and acetone. Ethanol is a good choice because it’s easy to come by, some people always have some of it in their homes, but it can evaporate quickly if left on the engine for too long.
Acetone should also be avoided due to its toxicity (it makes it difficult to breathe and causes dizziness when exposed directly to the skin or eyes.
Other common solvents include alcohols (including rubbing alcohol), naphtha, benzene, and carbon tetrachloride (CTC).
You could also make your carburetor cleaner by mixing these chemicals and the exact quantities;
- 1- Quarter Alcohol
- 1- Quarter Acetone
- 1- Quarter Xylol
All of these should be mixed inside a 1-gallon paint-thinner container/can. This will give you a carburetor cleaner that is capable of dissolving and removing the ethanol residue inside the carburetor.
Conclusion
As you can see, cleaning ethanol residue from carburetors is not a difficult task. This article has given you all the necessary information regarding how to clean ethanol residue from a carburetor.
You should endeavor to clean your carburetor as much as you can, especially if your car or any other type of machine that uses ethanol-based fuel has been left in a particular position for a while.
