Mexstan

Is there any chemical or other difference between throttle body cleaner, carburettor cleaner and brake cleaner? Or are they all about the same, but sold with different names and prices?
Why can't oven cleaner be used in areas that have a lot of carbon? (ignoring the fact that oven cleaner can stain aluminum)

dssimecek

Prolly not much difference. Do a search on the web on what chemicals are in the cleaner, then go out and purchase the raw material and make your own cleaner. Ketones make good cleaners.

Shovelhead

Carb cleaner usually leaves some stuff behind, brake clean drys clean.

jbjarko

Brake cleaner has lots of alkie in it, dries up real quick too.

fiveology

They are way different things, use the proper one for your intended cleaning job.

jrs_dodge_diesel

The oven cleaner is very caustic but gets the job done. Do not EVER use it on aluminum though.

Hankpac

Those products all have to have an MSDS sheet, that you can get from the manufacturer. Almost all manufacturers have a web site or 800 number on the label. that's wehre you got o askfor the msds sheet.
that sheet lists EXACTLY what is in it (any ''it"). that will allow you to determine the differences, and amounts.
It''ll take a little while to get all this together, but if it is really important to you, it is important to get the full info.

zulusafari

Baloney. I look at MSDS sheets everyday. Many get so far and the formulation is listed as Proprietary, and lists a CAS number for several chemicals, but not everything in "it." Shovelhead said it best -- the Carb/throttlebody cleaners leave a residue, but brake cleaners do not. With the change in technology, many carb cleaners are the same as throttle body cleaners, but people aren't sure if they should use the products labled for the other part.

Mexstan

Thanks for the answers so far. Reading between the lines, because brake cleaner does not leave a deposit, can it be used for everything? Are there any known chemicals in the brake cleaner that can cause harm to any carb or TB non metallic parts? Will brake cleaner clean the induction system any better than TB or carb cleaner?

Rocky5.9

You've tried this I'm guessing?

Shovelhead

I prefer to use a job specific product when in doubt.
We're only talking about a 3-4 dollar can of stuff.....
Trying to save $$ by using the wrong chemical and toasting a hundred dollar assembly isn't very cost effective.

jrs_dodge_diesel

Nope, just what I've always read and heard.

annabelle

Brake cleaner and starting fluid (either) do not leave a residue, where it matters.

biododge1

i was told some years ago that the difference between carb vs. tb cleaner is that the tb cleaner wont dissolve the "special coating" in a tb( sounded to me like back yard mechanic mumbo jumbo hog wash imo).

Mopar440_6

"Special coating," probably not. Electronic components, very possible. Throttle bodies, carbs and brakes all have alot of different materials in them. Each different type of cleaner is made for a specific purpose and created not to harm the specific materials. A throttle body, for example, has many electronic components. These components may be damaged or destroyed by using carb cleaner. The gaskets in a carb could be dissolved or softened by the chemicals in brake cleaner. Brake cleaner is by far the strongest of these three cleaners thus I wouldn't use brake cleaner on anything but brakes. However, I use carb cleaner for general (metallic) parts cleaning.

Cliff notes: Use the cleaner specific to the part...