Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

I picked up an 84 Spree on Sunday which had issues with the carb. I tore into the bike pulling the carb and spraying it down with the carb cleaner I had onhand. I ran out of the cleaner and being too lazy to go to the store, I had the bright idea of trying to boil the carb in distilled water. Of course I removed all the insides (float/valve/gaskets/etc.) before the boiling began. Long story short, 30 minutes of boiling and afterwards blowing out with compressed air I installed the carb and after a little priming it fired right up!

After the water cooled down, I saw all kinds of crap floating around in there.

Anyone else ever try this?

Hmmm? I wonder if it would boil out stubborn varnish? We got a guy on another thread having a problem getting that little hole clean after digging at it with a guitar string and unsuccessfully shooting carb cleaner in it, but not through it.

What did the "crap" look like? Varnish?

This is a good idea, I can't believe it took so long to come up LOL

Or course you'd want to use a pan that would no longer be used for cooking

Greetings:

Devenex disdains carbureted cookware:

Or course you'd want to use a pan that would no longer be used for cooking

Au contraire, M'sieur! Ze Keihin residieues add a certain je ne sais quoi to many recipes. Bouillabaise au Johnson Outboard, anyone?

Heat will likely soften varnish, but I'm just not sure that water is the best solvent for hydrophobic hydrocarbons. Try deep-frying!

Chef Wheelman
Cordon Bleu

Heat will likely soften varnish, but I'm just not sure that water is the best solvent for hydrophobic hydrocarbons. Try deep-frying!

Awe, come on Chef Wheelman, we wanna clean it, not eat it. Those things are tough. You'd have to pressure cook it to make it tender. Not sure if that would work.

Or course you'd want to use a pan that would no longer be used for cooking

Sounds like you've been in trouble with your wife a time or two... or three. I remember the time that... Awe, never mind.

Okay, let's not ruin Brad's thread with frivolity. I've got a carb needing the treatment on my junkbasket recovery project. I soaked it Gunk and cleaned it with Carb Cleaner while I was waiting for my big bore kit to come in, and now that I've completed the engine overhaul, it starts and idles, but won't take throttle, just bogs down. I'm trying to work up the nerve to try Brad's method.

Brad, what was your carb doing before the boiling? Was the tiny passage way plugged? The one that takes the guitar string to clean?

I have done this before, works alright.

Lunytune wrote:Okay, let's not ruin Brad's thread with frivolity. I've got a carb needing the treatment on my barn recovery project. I've cleaned it but now that I've completed the engine overhaul, it starts and idles, but won't take throttle, just bogs down. I'm trying to work up the nerve to try Brad's method.

Brad, what was your carb doing before the boiling? Was the tiny passage way plugged? The one that takes the guitar string to clean?

Mine was doing the same thing. It would start then idle for a second, then bog down and stop. Every other passage was clear except for that darn tiny little hole.

But it may have been the other problems I found on the scoot tho. Somewhere along this scoots life someone decided it would be a great idea (instead of cleaning the carb) to drill a hole on the airbox cover and run a hose from battery box to the airbox tube leading to the carb. The purpose of this tube was to prime the carb as the previous owner tells me. Also the bystarter was missing the brass needle end. I suspect that the carb was also upjetted with a mystery un-numbered main jet because I now need to screw the air mixture screw nearly all the way out. The plug was a golden brown

There was like a white film hoovering on the water when I was done as well as a few specks of grime.

Don't worry Wheelman and Devenex, I eat little bits of gas and dirt everytime I work on my scoots so by now I am immune to both. I made sure the wifey gave me my own carb pot for my tinkering!

I did have the sucker in there for about 30 min.

Wheelman-111 wrote: Heat will likely soften varnish, but I'm just not sure that water is the best solvent for hydrophobic hydrocarbons. Try deep-frying!

Chef Wheelman
Cordon Bleu

Mais non!

I prefer flambe. Place on a shallow fry pan with half a cup of 87 octane. High heat for 30 seconds, then add a lit match. This will remove everything, including hair.

P.S. please do not try this at home unless highly skilled.

Wheelman-111 wrote:Heat will likely soften varnish, but I'm just not sure that water is the best solvent for hydrophobic hydrocarbons.

Well the varnish doesn't have much attraction to the metal either, so if the heat can loosen it the convective movement of the water should carry it away.

Of course you can also use a nice big can of carb dip to dissolve things off, as I have a feeling that a REALLY clogged carb would need lots of boiling.

bradthreee wrote: Every other passage was clear except for that darn tiny little hole....
Also the bystarter was missing the brass needle end.
I suspect that the carb was also upjetted with a mystery un-numbered main jet because I now need to screw the air mixture screw nearly all the way out. The plug was a golden brown

Ever since I discovered that tiny little hole, I've been tooting my horn about it, to the annoyance of some people. But in time, they come back and say, "Luny's not as luny as I thought".

Brad, did you resolve the bystarter issue? I have a spare one if you need it. I will also have a spare 68 jet, when I rejet the Polini and the 2001, both with 100's. With two overbores, I'm sure I can spare you a 68 jet.

Lunytune wrote:Hmmm? I wonder if it would boil out stubborn varnish? We got a guy on another thread having a problem getting that little hole clean after digging at it with a guitar string and unsuccessfully shooting carb cleaner in it, but not through it.

Were you referring to muah? Super nice of you to think of me BBBUUUUUTTTT- I'm no guy
All girl- Got an 84 Spree for my 7th Birthday and learned how to do small things from there- three wheelers, dirt bikes etc... eventually worked up to restoring a 64 1/2 Mustang...
Now, I've come back to the 84 Spree I just bought it from some guy a couple of weeks ago and have been reading this forum avidly since...

I tried compressed air at a shop yesterday, soaked it some more and still nada!
Oh yeah, I'm going to try boiling tonight!!! I'll let you all know how it works!

christle wrote:Were you referring to muah? Super nice of you to think of me BBBUUUUUTTTT-
I'm no guy All girl-

OOPS! I'm really not a chauvinist, it's just that... I better stop while I'm ahead. But this does settle a matter on another thread that has been getting off color. We gotta cut the locker room talk. Not that some gals can't handle it, but this is just not the place... if there is such a place for it.

Yes, I was thinking of you, and also of myself. Now I'm just trying to figure out which pan I can use to boil my carb and not get caught by "my gal".

Lunytune wrote:

bradthreee wrote: Every other passage was clear except for that darn tiny little hole....
Also the bystarter was missing the brass needle end.
I suspect that the carb was also upjetted with a mystery un-numbered main jet because I now need to screw the air mixture screw nearly all the way out. The plug was a golden brown

Ever since I discovered that tiny little hole, I've been tooting my horn about it, to the annoyance of some people. But in time, they come back and say, "Luny's not as luny as I thought".

Brad, did you resolve the bystarter issue? I have a spare one if you need it. I will also have a spare 68 jet, when I rejet the Polini and the 2001, both with 100's. With two overbores, I'm sure I can spare you a 68 jet.

I did resolve the bystarter issue. Luckily I had like 3 or 4 lying around . You forget that I have a small inventory of Spree parts from the 10 or so I've parted out. As for the jet I may have to take you up on that offer. I always sell the carbs complete so I dont have any extra 68 jets laying around. So far I just messed with the air screw and its working properly for now.

I'll keep you updated.

Wow another female on the forum. I know there are 1 or 2 that lurk around from time to time. Make sure that you boil it for a while to really get that little hole unplugged. Also make sure you remove all the innards of the carb. Remove all gaskets,bystarter,air/idle screws with springs, main jet, brass tube underneath the main, float, float needle, etc. before boiling. Let us know how it works out. Dont forget to blow out with compressed air immediately after the boil.

I just finished boiling my carb. Now I gotta clean biker babe's pan before she catches me. Put it on, sucked on the vacuum line to get fuel bowl filled, hit the starter and busted right off. Hit throttle and WOW. Strapped up my handlebar cover (hey, I've upped the guy with zip ties. I used surgical tube), aired up the tires, etc, and out the driveway.

Remember now, this is the junkbasket with the 50mm jug. I felt the wheel come off the ground as I was coming out of the driveway. Easy now. Pulled out in the street, goosed it and front wheel came up almost a foot. Okay, settle down, get my heart back under control, and took it for a road test. It's gonna be a goodie. I'll not be able to trust my SIL with it though.

Oh Brad, I don't think you'll have to worry about christle. Before long she'll be telling us what to do.

Boiling now- second time...

*crosses fingers*