Easy Way To Clean Your Carburetors (MotorCycle) 

Great video and my 2001 honda shadow ace runs better then ever. But, you don't need to do everything you did in order to get your bike running good again. I drained the gas, but I used Berryman's B12 fuel injector cleaner and not seafoam. I also didn't use your method of pouring it into the gas tank but funneled it into the gas hose and pushed it through with an air pump. Did the same thing the next day, each time draining the carbs. No reason to use 2 cans of whatever when you just need to fill the bowls with the cleaner. Replaced the plugs just in case and shot carb cleaner into the carbs but followed the rest of the video minus what I mentioned above. Thanks for saving me $$$.

7, run for 5 sec with spark plug wires out. 8, let sit overnight, spray carb cleaner in holes, 9, drain carb bowls. 11, reconnect sparks, add new gas and a little sea foam, and run engine.

I have a 2002 VStar 1100. I had the exact same symptoms as you. I followed your instructions and I'm happy to say, today I was able to ride it. Thank you!

I did a simpler method that can work if it isn't extreme clogging but same symptoms. Empty fuel tank, drain carburetor bowl, and fill tank with about a quarter or a bit less with 1:2 ratio of seafoam and fuel respectively. Engage choke to a level where it will idle, and let it idle for 5-10 minutes to get the sea foam in the carburetor. Let the bike sit for a few hours, but preferably overnight to let the seafoam do it's thing. Next day, fill tank with fuel (still some seafoam in there from prior and that's fine) continue idle with choke engaged to heat up engine and slowly reduce choke until you're able to idle with no choke engaged. Worked for me.

The suspense in the music had me like...oh shit...whats he gonna do next.

Came for the information, stayed for the quality music

This a is a good trick for someone that doesnt have the time or skill to fully remove the carbs from the bike. They really should be set on a bench and completely dissassembled and cleaned with carb cleaner and compressed air. I have a 1992 shadow 1100 and was able to drain the bowls and do similar that you did however it only worked a short time. After removing carbs from the bike they were a bit nasty inside. Gave a thorough cleaning and bike runs great now. Good video though, should help many people that want to try this quicker method.

Good job on your video. It give me idea of a more simplified method when face with similar carburetor clogg situation recently. Without removing any mechanical parts, I drain out excess fuel from both the carburetor reservoir outlet drain. I gravity fill it up with Hardex carburetor cleaning fluid directly reverse thru the reservoir outlet drain nozzle about 60ml or more via a transparent plastic tube. Close the stop screw n let it soaked for few days. Next, before cranking my engine, I drain out the cleaning fluid n it looks dirty. To my surprise, engine starts quite easily. My focus on cleaning the main throttle jet valve works. What a relief. you can probably try that too in the future. Thanks.

Thank you for this info. I purchased a VT 1100 1996 model and in great shape. Low miles and garage kept. It had sat for over a year. I replaced the battery, checked everything to make sure it functioned, replaced fuel filter and cleaned the long empty tank. I gas it up and it would fire up completely choked for a short time and stall. would not start off choke. I checked fuel pump. OK, so I am figuring clogged carbs. I'm gonna try this. I'm an old Harley rider and not familiar with all the fancy doodads on this machine. My last bike was a 59 pan and didn't even have a battery. Drove it for 35+ years. Stolen 2 years ago. So, I'm on a learning curve at 62. Thanks for the lesson. Fingers Crossed.

Excellent! I bought a $3000 bike with carb troubles for $1200. I did this, and it is running pretty well. Although it's a nice bike, I want to sell it and get a dual sport.

you did a good job I think this is the easiest method ive seen.

I didn't realize it was a James Bond mission....with the sleek music and editing lol...cool video

Makes sense to me. Between work and kids who has time to take carb apart... I likey!!!! Will do!!!!

I've been so scared of my bike (it was sitting for more than a year, lost pieces, spent a lot of time at the shop fixing this and that), I said "F it, I'll sell it, period", I was this close to sell it but the buyer changed his mind, so now I'll get back to use it fully. Out of a sudden, I'm not that scared of actually cleaning the carbs, so thanks.

Wish I had saw this before I removed my carbs , now I’m having trouble remembering where all the fuel , vacuum lines etc; go , thanks for sharing & May God Bless

Excellent video. Quick presentation of info. High Quality camera work.

I'll definitely have to try this out too. And mine wasn't even sitting for as long as yours was. I got mine back in July, rode it around the neighborhood a bit, but couldn't really do anything until I got the lost title issue resolved. It ran great for a few weeks after I got it, but after not being able to ride it for a month due to no title/no registration(TX plates had 2013 tags on them, so who knows how long the fuel was in there, if it got changed,. etc), I finally got the title and plates/tags/reg today and now it's doing the same thing you're describing. So yeah, I'll do this before I go and seek out a model specific tutorial of a physical, carb rebuild.

My VStar 1100 has the same symptoms but it sat for much longer. Tomorrow is step 10. Hope I don’t have to take carbs apart. Will update I a few days. Thanks for posting this video. PS- bike was parked for 13 yrs. :/

Great idea to cycle concentrated seafoam through the fuel system and let it sit. I just bought 2 goldwings, one that I think may have a clogged carb, and both could use some cleaning. Think I'll add a half can to a half gallon gas, run it for 5 mins several times a day, at quarter gallon top up fuel and add recommended amount of seafoam to the oil, run through that tank via riding and then change oil.

my old lady watched this video and made me drink an 8 ounce glass of SeaFoam 🥛 because she says I’ve been sitting for 56 years and wasn’t sure if I’d run well after she got me started 🏃🏻💨

oh and a buddy spent 700 to 800 on his shadow because gas was leaking out the over flows and he took it to honda a year later he cranked the bike same problem they said he didn't winterize it right and it was another 700 plus. i did this method pretty much charged him a 100 bucks fixed the problem!!!

3:23 I've heard of loving your bike. But that's just too much. ;D All kidding aside, thank you for this. I will have to try it!

7 years ago..... I just used this method and it cranked right up. Idles smoothly. Thank you for the vid. I did not use a carburetor cleaner i just decided to see what happens.

Instead of removing the gas tank, you can just pull the gas line and drain it from there..

I WANT TO THANKYOU...I DID EVERYTHING THAT YOU RECOMMENDED...IT WORK PERFECTLY .......AT FIRST SHE WOULD NOT START BUT I PUT A LITTLE BIT OF FUEL DIRRECTLY IN CARBURATOR N BANG SHE STARTED UP....AGAIN THANKYOU .....NOW I COULD RIDE MY BIKE.......2004 SUZUKI VOLUSIA 800

Lol good vid and this soundtrack is super spacey retro😂

Seafoam or Marvel Mystery Oil are both good but best used as preventive maintenance once a year for 500 miles

that music is serious business

Never saw the mention of removing the Seafoam after it sat overnight. I tried this method and will now remove the carb since it was a fail for me. I went in with the Tee connection rather than running Seafoam through the tank and trying to pressurize the line. More direct to carb..

Thank you! I had a belief that this process might work for something a little less severe, but I didn't want to buy a bike that needs its carbs cleaned without being sure.

I really enjoyed the music and the video. I think I will definitely try this method because I have 4 carbs that run nicely. Then I don't have to have them tuned and synched.

Next time shut the fuel valve off and run the carb dry. You can just disconnect the fuel line from the tank to the carb to drain the tank too.

Those are great bikes. The only thing that sucks on them is the fuel system. I replaced my fuel pump with a MR. Gasket 42 electric fuel pump and it works great.

Brian, Thank you for Sharing ... great suggestions!

Exact same problem. Let’s see how I go. Really reluctant to strip out the carbides.

hey mate, thanks so much for the vid, it worked perfectly for me!

Brian, thanks so much for this video. I just bought a 2011 Suzuki Boulevard 650 with 3000 miles on it. It has been sitting for a couple of years. I replaced the battery & it starts but it does exactly what you described. Only runs with the choke out & will not rev up. Hope your method works for me (praying) PS I got chubby to (Truck driver :--))) Also it you figure out how to lose weight please make a video on that to.

had high hopes, but unfortunately, this didn't work for my Vstar1100 classic, after the completing the process I filled the tank with fresh gas and took it for a spin but ended up with more backfires than i'd started with and finally she stalled and then wouldn't run under load. For the price I had to try it; looks like it's now time to learn how to do the carbs the long way!

Exactly what I needed, thank you!!!

im like whoa . . good video but im like . . what did i just watch . . good stuff though love it !!

You misspelt 'mechanical' in through beginning of the video but 'machanical' sort of sounds like having maniacal and mechanical skills sort of fits this video 😄 Great tip and going to try this on my Honda shadow as it runs ok but is a bit hard to start cold

Presumably if the alternate step (#7) is used it is unnecessary to unplug the spark wires and #s 5, 7, 8 & 9 is repeated after 10.

Excellent, music is very cool also!!!!!!!!

I don't believe in this kind of approach.I went the hard route and took the carbs off my vt750.Never attempted this before.Cleaned and rebuilt the carbs and put in a new fuel pump while I was there.The bike had coughed spluttered and died while I was out riding but after this work which wasn't easy as im not a mechanic the bike came to life and has never run so well.This sort of thing is only a temporary fix. Don't be afraid to get stuck in folks providing you have the time. The hard route is worth it in the end

Nice instrumental, if I ever make a new time lapse video I wouldn't mind purchasing it for use in a video

Had bike on reserve for a full tank and let go passed tge empty mark cause i eanted to register how many miles my 82 suzuki gs1100gk holds on a full tank but after filling up and turning petcock to ON a few minutes later the bike acted up lean, sputtering barely accelerating, diffficuly accelerating on 1st gear so i figure the dirt, debris, rust from tank got into carburetor but surprising cause petcock has a filter and theres an inline filter between petcoxk and carburetor, all to say im gonna attempt this method before taking carb apart cause i dont see what else it could be considering it all started when i filled her up, btw is it safe to spray carb cleaner like that in tge spak holes?

Thanks helped me a lot brother!

Awesome tutorial.

Brian wrote the music!..... awesome awesome job, very captivating, just like the new Deep Purple "man alive" video they just dropped check it out, I hear some John Lord in your sound, sadly the new Purple isn't Lord but the new guy is incredible

Can I clean seafom/carburetor cleaners/aditives hurt gasket in the cabrs if they are put clean without gasoline, like in this case?

Nice video bro .. my bike have 2 carburetors so is time to do the cleaning like you bro thanks ... 👍🏼

This is such a great idea. I wish I had of thought of this. My bike is still running kind of shitty due to dirty carbs, I am going to try this

I think you got lucky with this method working but that's great

hey if yall need to remove your carbs and you have the air box boots on i learned a method of placing a sheet of carb board between the carbs and the boots after you pull them back from the carb so as you slide the carbs out they dont drag on the boots bending them and same putting it back together. i would make a video but hope i don't have carbs to pull this is on a twin side by side motor

When daylight breaks, I'm going to give a try. Unfortunately, with a new child, I hadn't had time to ride, let bike sit for the winter forgetting to but etho treatment in, tried to start it up that next spring, no such luck. 2 1/2 years later, I'm ready to get it started again. Definitely starting with draining tank - get that gunk out of there. I may have to end up doing a full rebuild. shouldn't be any harder than a '64 MG Midget - just harder to get at the components. I also have a problem with the battery draining while sitting - any suggestions? I have a 1994 H-D FLSTC - Heritage Softail.

I go tried tomorrow thanks man 👍

Between steps four and five, do i leave the petcock on?

My Fiance's X left a 02 Honda Shadow Spirit for a year and a half in her garage. 3 mechanics couldn't fix it or get it started. They gave up after supposedly redoing the carb. I got it to turn on and run but then got these symptoms. I replaced the fuel filter and luckily they drained the gas tank. However no worky but I can get it to start for about 30 seconds. I am going to try this and see if it works. It also had a bad fuel pump relay which I replaced. I am a computer tech and was told I would never get this thing running. Nuts to them. lol. If this works I will definitely comment back. Thanks.

You have the same symptoms as mine but mine had been riding and ran for a bout 2 weeks went to work came back and then tried to go on a night ride and nothing.

Dude you are the idk just have a feeling t his willl work fingers cross ed .thanks for sharing

I will try it and let you know. Thank you!

very nice ,iv got red one 2001i did that salt of thing with mine ,your idear was better good vid

Could have taken the line off the tank by closing the petcoak and using another container to put the seafoam into the carbs. One step saved.

At first i thought you were kissing your bike haha

Gonna give this a whirl. Didn't winterize this year. Was not looking forward to a carb cleaning since I've never done it before

Nice basic effective method

Great instructions but why not just pour the Seafoam into the tank say a 1:1 mix and let it run through the system. Surely that would save all the time and effort? all your fuel lines will be cleaned as well !

hi,... just watched your video, thanks for doing that!... my 2000 virago 250 mixture adjust screw was adjusted all the way in (lean)... with no change in idle or running status, any ideas why this is happening? thanks,... It seems to be running fine, just smells like its running rich...

Can I put the whole can of SeaFoam in the gas tank and drive it? Will it hurt anything. It's just a preventative for carb problems.

i just bought a 95 with only 7k miles. one cylinder is misfiring but with spark....i hope this method will free up the clogged part.....i dont want to rebuild the whole carb

I got vt 500 that was siting for like 6 years hope it works for me thanks

Thanks for your help champ

WELL< HOW DID IT RUN? everything but the results

Hey Brian..did the seafoam overnight damage seals or the diafragm in any way?

Hello, I know it’s been years since you’ve posted this but had a question if you do not mind answering. When I did all the steps of filling with seafoam and cranked to fill carburetor, I noticed it did not fill when cranked. But when I blew some air down the gas cap, I rechecked and it was filled that way. Any specific reason for that?

VERY GOOD!

Couleve just run the bike and slowly sprayed carb cleaner in it every now n then and slowly turn ur carb up to normal idle til it ran correctly. I did that to mine and runs like a top

I have a 2001 Honda shadow spirit 1100 replaced spark plugs flushed tank new battery still don’t turn on it cranks but nothing

That's hose right next to your hand as you drain carburator where does that come from n go too. I'm sorry to bother. Mine is just loose on one end. First bike.

sorry, i didn't understand what to do with the second can of seafoam. what i understood is empty the gas tank and carburettor, disconnect the spark plugs, add seafoam, leave it overnight, clean the spark plugs, use the carb cleaner on the carb, next day empty it, refill with seafoam , empty, add gas, reconnect all and the engine should start. Did i understand it right?

Why dont just pull the air filter and spray some carb cleaner until the jets get unclogged. My klr sat for the same amount of time and had the exact same symptoms. I sprayed some of that carb cleaner and it worked. Now it runs like a champ.

Seafoam is safe for an engine? Just heard otherwise from a mechanic

how many times can seafoam be used and remain effective i.e. after using as illustrated in the video is it still effective for other uses?

I loved the video game like music

In france we (I )don t know this "seafoam" ? what is this "miracle" please !

I can dig it

Very informative! I'm not really a fan of motorcycles(I've had to nurse too many back to health :-( Great you enjoy your motorcycle so much-you must be very careful and it looks like you take great care of it. Great music!

how long after you do everything you say does it take for the smoke to stop and run better

Hey bro thanks for u video but I have 2 Suzuki’s intruder and boulevard and I just can’t find the drain screw !!! Man for real I just can’t .. please helpme !!!

What position should I have the petcock while seafoaming?

Sorry I'm not familiar with the product seafoam what is it? Also is it sold in the UK

....OR..... You can just pull the damn carbs and spend an hour cleaning them.... No big deal.

Gonna Give It A Try !

what brand of forward controls did you get? im looking at putting forward controls on mine here very soon

you could of done all those steps in a half of a day. and you had the gas tank off. why not just get a few cans of carb cleaner; blast out the choke; blast out the bowls; remove carb screw and blast inside the port?

i have a 96 honda shadow ace 1100 C2 and it sat for while due to deployment and losing key lol...would it be just as if not some what effective if i did the process for just the first 24 hours besides 48 due to time i will actually have with the bike? ive already stared your method and waiting to check it out tomorrow.

I’m so tired of carburetors !!!!

Would this work on an R6?

What's with the 007 James Bond music? lol

I will use toilet plunger.