Toolbox Tips - Restoring Carb Boots

BY: AUBREY MASON

TOOLBOX TIPS RESTORING OLD CARB BOOTS “Old” rock hard carburetor boots—or any other rubber component that hardens with age and exposure to the environment can interrupt a repair or restoration. Guess what? That hardness isn’t permanent and can easily and inexpensively be “fixed,” provided the rubber hasn’t rotted (visible cracks). There exist SEVERAL versions of what I am about to show you on the internet; this is the only version I know that actually works every time (while some melt and destroy the boots).

WARNING:

DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS INDOORS UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR HOME TO STRONGLY REEK OF WINTERGREEN FOR A MONTH, OR LONGER.

WARNING:

WINTERGREEN OIL IS TOXIC TO ANIMALS AND HUMANS. ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES AND WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER PLAYING WITH THIS STUFF. You HAVE been warned. Keep this solution away from your pets.

1. Go out and buy a stock pot with a lid. I use a one-quart pot. Select your pot to accommodate the size of the parts you want to restore if you have larger parts.

6. Set the hotplate on low to simmer the parts; should NOT see boiling, just the occasional tiny bubble floating up in the mixture. It is perfectly fine to see bubbles all over the parts.

2. You’ll also need a single element electric hotplate. Amazon has them for $20 USD. Size the hotplate to the diameter of the stock pot you will use.

3. Find “essential oils.” 100% pure Wintergreen in a oneounce bottle (or larger bottle if you are doing very large parts). I use the “Now” brand found on Amazon for less than $10.

https://amzn.to/2Y9HXxb

If you live in Texas, go to HEB, they have the same brand, same bottle for less than $6.

4. Clean the carb boots with a degreaser and a nylon bristle fingernail brush (or similar, your choice) and then warm soapy water. Make sure the degreaser is removed and the rubber is pristine clean before beginning. I use Simple Green as a degreaser.

7. Simmer the parts for four to eight hours.

Solution simmering time depends on the hardness of the rubber parts. Harder parts and lower ambient temperatures require longer immersion times.

8. While you are cooking the carb boots, be advised that the petroleum oils the degreaser could not remove from the rubber (one of the contributing factors that make the rubber harden) tend to boil out while cooking. You will see this as darker, oilcolored globs of goo. Don't let it freak you out. Remove the parts from the mixture with tongs. Use Dawn dish soap for final cleaning and goo removal.

Now you have rubber carb boots that look and function like new.

5. In the stock pot, mix one ounce of Wintergreen oil with one cup of hot water. Add the amount (one ounce of Wintergreen oil/one cup of water solution) to cover the parts being treated.