Is there a right way to clean a used carburetor or am I overthinking it?

I keep seeing people online dunk carbs in berryman's and calling it good, but I had a 1985 Honda CB650 that still had varnish after two soaks. My buddy swears by ultrasonic cleaners while my dad says just use compressed air and elbow grease. Which method actually gets the job done for a carb that's been sitting for 5 years?

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quinn5823mo ago

Berryman's works if you take it apart first, but five years of varnish means it's going to need more than a bath. Have you actually tried just taking it apart and scrubbing it yet, or is this pre-panic?

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kelly.parker3mo ago

Heard a restorer on a podcast mention that Berryman's has a bad habit of forming a crust with old varnish, not dissolving it. You end up scrubbing the wood raw before the finish budges. Might be worth trying a gentle heat gun on a low setting first to soften that five-year buildup, then hit it with the Berryman's. Just watch for bubbling or scorching, especially if it's veneer.

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