ULTRASONIC CARB CLEANING

[Oldpath05]

My 20015 riding mower has this surging thing going on, it started doing it last summer and and wont come out of it. I tried Sea Foam and few other cocktail mixtures, still acts up and think it's getting worse cause it barely started couple weeks ago and have to run it with choke on a little, guess I'm gonna have to take carb apart and see if I can make it run worse. This thing is only 5 years old, I have a 30 year old wood splitter that starts every fall and runs still runs like new.
Sears riding mower P-1 - YouTube

 

[Alan W.]

Bringing this zombie thread back from the dead again. I have a couple of tractor carbs which need cleaning and this seems like a worthwhile investment. Are those of you with the HF (Central Machinery) units still happy with them? Is there a better product that I can buy for $79.99? (Before the coupons)

We have had that model for years. Use it to clean brass for reloading. Plus other odds and ends.
Has worked perfectly over the years. If Im not mistaken Lyman sells the same model with their name on it.

 

[von-mil]

Bringing this zombie thread back from the dead again. I have a couple of tractor carbs which need cleaning and this seems like a worthwhile investment. Are those of you with the HF (Central Machinery) units still happy with them? Is there a better product that I can buy for $79.99? (Before the coupons)

The HF website will not allow a current 20% off coupon on the ultrasonic cleaner. Maybe in-person at an HF store it can be used - I don't know.

The percent-off coupons now exclude Central Machinery. That's a lot of products they just added in the fine print.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I have had the same one H F sells for 8 or 10 years , but I bought it from ebay.
I put hot water in it to start with, and a couple table spoons of automatic dishwashing liquid soap,
It has a built in heater, but seams to work better if I put hot water in it first.
I have cleaned a lot of carbs in it , from saws to tractor carbs. the only thing I don't like about it is the timer , it don't run a very long cycle before shutting down so I just keep resetting it, depending on how dirty the carb is.
It does good for what it is, for the price .

Hope this helps.
Rich

I also couldn't resist buying the HF ultrasonic cleaner. So far I've found it to be totally useless. The timer has a max setting of 480 seconds - not even close to the amount of time needed to do much of anything at all, and no apparent way of disarming the timer. Using various cleaning additives has seemingly had no effect.

I since looked for a better ultrasonic cleaner, but have found none in my price range. Good ones are rather expensive it seems.

 

[shaeff]

My 20015 riding mower has this surging thing going on, it started doing it last summer and and wont come out of it. I tried Sea Foam and few other cocktail mixtures, still acts up and think it's getting worse cause it barely started couple weeks ago and have to run it with choke on a little, guess I'm gonna have to take carb apart and see if I can make it run worse. This thing is only 5 years old, I have a 30 year old wood splitter that starts every fall and runs still runs like new.
Sears riding mower P-1 - YouTube

First thing to do is check your fuel filter and make sure you have good flow from the tank to the carb.

If that checks out, it's probably plugged jets. My generator did the same thing when I got it, more than the normal surging under no-load. Several jets were plugged.

When you clean out the carb, pop a new fuel filter on it, too.

 

[shaeff]

I also couldn't resist buying the HF ultrasonic cleaner. So far I've found it to be totally useless. The timer has a max setting of 480 seconds - not even close to the amount of time needed to do much of anything at all, and no apparent way of disarming the timer. Using various cleaning additives has seemingly had no effect.

I since looked for a better ultrasonic cleaner, but have found none in my price range. Good ones are rather expensive it seems.

Timer modification:
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/ultrasonic-cleaner-timer-hack.250938/

 

[dragoneggs]

I also couldn't resist buying the HF ultrasonic cleaner. So far I've found it to be totally useless. The timer has a max setting of 480 seconds - not even close to the amount of time needed to do much of anything at all, and no apparent way of disarming the timer. Using various cleaning additives has seemingly had no effect.

I since looked for a better ultrasonic cleaner, but have found none in my price range. Good ones are rather expensive it seems.

Heat up your cleaning fluid first in the microwave rather than waiting for the heater on board to heat it. It still takes a couple three cycles sometimes and yes they are not a good as a 'professional' US cleaner. You pretty much get what you pay for.

 

[Rebeldad1]

time to change to ethanol free gas.....

 

[JimRB]

I got a Crest brand ultrasonic cleaner with a heater that works well. It was not $80.

 

[Jstpssng]

I got a Crest brand ultrasonic cleaner with a heater that works well. It was not $80.

I would say not....Amazon.com: Crest Powersonic P11H 45kHz Ultrasonic Cleaner Power Control With Basket: Industrial & Scientific

As previously mentioned, you do get what you pay for though. :thumbsup:

 

[Gem99ultra]

I would say not....Amazon.com: Crest Powersonic P11H 45kHz Ultrasonic Cleaner Power Control With Basket: Industrial & Scientific

As previously mentioned, you do get what you pay for though. :thumbsup:

Nice lead on the $1100 cleaner on Amazon. BUT - what I really want is an $1100 cleaner for $80.

However, the hack that Ronic posted on the link Shaeff posted just might work. So far mine has spent the last three years sitting in the box it came it. I'm going to try Ronic's hack and see if I can't make the cleaner useful. Otherwise, I'm going make some shelf space.

Thanks Shaeff for the lead. And Jstpssg, I only WISH I'd always get what I paid for. That seldom happens.

 

[Ford850]

I think this is the one posted on here before, as a step up from the HF. Amazon.com: CO-Z 6L Professional Ultrasonic Cleaner with Digital Timer&Heater for Jewelry Glasses Watch Dentures Small Parts Circuit Board Dental Instrument, Industrial Commercial Ultrasound Cleaning Machine 11V: Health & Personal Care

 

[Oldpath05]

First thing to do is check your fuel filter and make sure you have good flow from the tank to the carb.

If that checks out, it's probably plugged jets. My generator did the same thing when I got it, more than the normal surging under no-load. Several jets were plugged.

When you clean out the carb, pop a new fuel filter on it, too.

I have plenty of fuel flow, after watching this video I think my riding mower surging problem is a carb problem.
Nikki 2bbl Rebuild Part 1 - YouTube

 

[Jstpssng]

I have plenty of fuel flow, after watching this video I think my riding mower surging problem is a carb problem.
Nikki 2bbl Rebuild Part 1 - YouTube

My mother's mower is in right now for the same problem. I've done the maintenance for the last few years but this time she decided to have a pro* do it.

*Pro: somebody who knows what they are doing.

 

[Oldpath05]

My mother's mower is in right now for the same problem. I've done the maintenance for the last few years but this time she decided to have a pro* do it.

*Pro: somebody who knows what they are doing.

Thanks but I'm not really a pro, she'd be better off to take the mower somewhere else.

 

[Jstpssng]

Thanks but I'm not really a pro, she'd be better off to take the mower somewhere else.

Don't worry, we didn't take it to you.
Part of the reason I started doing it was because her machine is about 20 years old and nobody wants to work on "that old stuff". Yet this one runs fine except for routine maintenance and "if it ain't broke why fix it." I believe that the surging problem is just a result of old gas... and you can have that problem after storing a new mower with gas in it through the winter.