Troubleshooting and cleaning crankcases

[Chainsaw Jim]

Here's a pic of what crankcase seals look like after use of carb cleaner/starting fluid.

The two little pieces laying next to the bearing had enough strength and weren't possible to pull apart without using serious force, but then they easily pulled loose after I introduced a drop of carb cleaner.
Spraying starting fluid down the carb will also ruin the intake boot and if it gets in the main nozzle check valve then it'll get that too.
A small bottle feeder without mixed fuel is sufficient for trying to get something to fire up.

I've never tried seafoam products or others that may be safe for rubber so I'm not going to advise on what to use for cleaners other than good ol mix from the fuel tank. Lol

A customer brought it in to have me get going right after buying it from a craigslist add. This is a low hour pre epa Husqvarna 350 that was straight gassed. The builder who sold it to him used the wrong cleaner to rinse out the crankcase to clean for reassembly with a brand new oem top end and it didn't last long enough to cut wood. Here's what the rubber debris did during the test run at time of purchase.

 

[Stihlsmoking]

Good info. Thanks for sharing

 

[Armbru84]

Is it best to just use regular mix, and then dump it out and use an air hose to blow it out after? Or just dump out the fuel and that's enough? Always wondered the best way.

 

[Al Smith]

I'm going to tell a method that most people will call me nuts .Hot water and Dawn dish washing soap .It's the same stuff they use to wash off water fowl caught up in oil spills from tankers. It really does work .--junk yard dawg 101 ---