Re: To glass-bead or not to glass-bead...

[Gary Nelson <Gary@xxxx>]

Mike and all

Marshall is correct the best way to clean a carb is media blast w/ walnut 
shells. The primary reason is glass media will force its way into the 
throttle shafts and you cannot get it out. It will remain there to grind 
away at the throttle shafts and bores until it turns to powder. walnut 
shells are excellent for the interior as well as the exterior. I dedicate a 
blast cabinet to walnut shells so not to cross contaminate the media. You 
must completely disassemble, ( not one fastener left attached ) including 
choke assembly and then you must use compressed air to clean all the media 
out. For the throttle shafts use alcohol or the electronic/ cleaner, spray 
both directions each place it passes through the shaft bore then blow out 
w/ air. Do that a few times until the shaft moves without any resistance. 
The very small passages I use a small copper wire and work it all those 
places and then blow out.
For the linkage pieces I dedicate another cabinet to a fine glass media. 
all the linkage pieces are steel unlike the cast aluminum or zinc 
die metal on the carb air horns and float bowls. Fine glass media will not 
move steel. It will remove any remaining rust that the walnut shells do 
not. Next is to refinish the linkage parts. John C. mentions Eastwoods OEM 
spray finishes. OEM spray is a bit of a misnomer as the OEM plated the 
parts not sprayed. Of course Eastwood would like us to think it is the 
original finish. Early plating was cadmium and later zinc w/ a gold 
chromate. I send out all my 57 parts for cadmium plating. That is not 
always cost effective or practical in small lots. That leaves spray coating 
like Eastwood products. I have a cad coating I use myself for customer 
rebuilds that do not want to go the plating route. springs can be sprayed 
w/ a low gloss black to replicate black oxide and give a nice contrast to 
the finished product. I just finished a carb using all of the above 
methods. If one wants to see it next to a non rebuilt carb contact me and I 
will e mail a photo.

Gary, The Parts Doc




At 08:53 PM 1/10/2003 -0500, mwl1967@xxxx wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> Before I go and ruin a perfectly restorable matched pair
> of 3505's can someone tell me the best way to restore the finish on the
> aluminum body. Soaking in carb cleaner is great for removing goo but the
> linkages are all rusted and the aluminum surfaces are well... just kinda
> ugly.
>
> Also, whats the best source for a carb rebuild kit... the
> guy at NAPA wasnt much help
>
> Thanks in advance...
> Mike Laiserin