Ultrasonic Carburetor Cleaning – Thistle Moto

By A Mystery Man Writer

Last updated 22 May 2024

Ultrasonic Carburetor Cleaning – Thistle Moto

Introduction to Ultrasonic Cleaning If you have a carbureted motorcycle, regardless of how well the fuel is filtered or treated, at some point it absolutely will need a thorough cleaning. Maybe you just bought the bike and it had been sitting, perhaps you are ready to bring yours out from a storage period, or your bike

Introduction to Ultrasonic Cleaning

If you have a carbureted motorcycle, regardless of how well the fuel is filtered or treated, at some point it absolutely will need a thorough cleaning. Maybe you just bought the bike and it had been sitting, perhaps you are ready to bring yours out from a storage period, or your bike has been running well…until lately. Modern fuels with their ethanol content, or improperly stored ethanol-free gasoline will, over time, leave various deposits in the carburetors which drastically reduce or impede their ability to properly deliver fuel to your engine. For your bike to run well, the carburetors must not only be properly tuned, but be extremely clean internally.

What Ultrasonic Cleaning Is and Does

The process uses ultrasonic sound waves to create microscopic bubbles throughout the tank that violently implode on the surfaces of the carburetor, both externally and internally. The bubbles in our machine are especially tiny, only about 15 hundredths of a millimeter in diameter. That means the bubbles clean even the most narrow and hidden passageways and cavities in the carburetor; they don’t flow into the passageways, they are actually generated from within them! When the bubble implodes, it creates a shock wave, temperatures of approximately 8500 °F and pressures up to 10,000 PSI. The implosion, including the pressure and temperature spike, happen so quickly that the material is undamaged while any contaminants have little chance of survival.

In short, the bubbles, along with a gentle cleaning additive, clean carburetors exceptionally well, both inside and outside.

Benefits of Ultrasonic Cleaning

A visual inspection which determines “clean enough” or “still dirty” leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to carb cleaning, and leaves a lot unanswered about the actual cleanliness of the carb. Additionally, we can only clean what we can get to, and many carbs have passageways that turn sharply or are super narrow (or both). The cavitations clean the “hidden” areas of carburetors that wires, spray, or whatever contraption may be used just can’t get to.

Traditional carb cleaning requires incredibly harsh chemicals that can damage the user, the carb and the environment together with potentially damaging practices of using wire to clean orifices and passageways. It’s no longer the ideal way of cleaning carbs.

Cost structure

Ultrasonic cleaning is not only more effective than traditional manual cleaning and “dipping,” but, in many cases, it’s more cost effective. The various options and costs are listed above; just select how many carbs you have and if they are on or off the bike.

We can remove the carburetor(s) from the bike and reinstall, if you prefer, or you can bring or ship just the carburetor(s). Our machine is large enough to fit assembled racks of carbs, so there is no need to pull the carbs apart unless you want them cleaned that way (for an additional charge). We will disassemble each individual carb, catalog its jetting and settings, clean, reassemble and do a function check. If repairs are needed, those will be made at an additional cost.

We can also clean other parts, including engine cases, suspension components, brake parts and wheel hubs. Since the possibilities are too many to mention, contact for a quote on cleaning other parts.