Is it safe to spray carb cleaner into the carburetor with engine running?

[Oz]

Running smooth down the road, stopped and made a turn, as I accelerated, the engine acted like it wanted to cut out until I let off the gas a bit.  I was limited to about 40 mph.  Any time I tried to give it more gas, it wanted to cut-out and it ran weakly at 40 mph.  Once I slowed to around 20 mph, it seemed to run okay but, if I gave it gas... it wanted to stutter again.

I cleaned the air cleaner box but I'm thinking maybe a piece of crud got dislodged and went into the carb.  So, before attempting to tear the carb apart to clean it, I'm wondering if it is safe to spray some carb cleaner directly into it to see if that might clear it first.

[M & J]

It is, but it will only clean the carb throat and butterflies. rev it a little to keep it from stalling. I use Sea Foam in the tank to clean injectors, float valves and jets. It has to run through the fuel to get to the jets Mark.


You didn't state what year/make/model.

[DonD]

Fuel filter(s)

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Like Mike said Mark.  Internal cleaning will have to come through the fuel system.

Dave

[Oz]

This just ocurred after running over a particularly bumpy stretch of road which may or may not have anything to do with it.

It was good to get the info that spraying carb cleaner directly into the carb while running is safe, but it won't get to the areas I most likely need it to get to.  I know nothing about carbs.

I do use seafoam on a regular basis to keep it clean in general.  This just sort of happened like... runs perfect one second... major bogging down the next.

I will change the fuel filter first as well, that was a good reminder.

Since it will at least run, I can also add a bit more seafoam and let it work for a while to see if that does it.

[M & J]

Any noticeable or strange odor from the exhaust? Burns your eyes or black smoke? Bumpy road also could mean you've jarred a vacuum line loose and its starving for fuel. If the exhaust burns your eyes it's rich and stuck float  stuck choke.

[Oz]

Nothing noticeable from the exhaust.  I'll add checking for stuck or restricted floats to the list though.

[mnoyes]

i had the exact problem.....driving on highway just fine,,,,then all of a sudden running like total crap....i also know nothing about carbs (mine is holley 600cfm) but i was just really careful and removed the front float bowl section, found tons of crud in it, sprayed it out with gumount carbnchoke cleaner, pulled the jets sprayed them out and just gave all of it the good once over. just be very carefull of the ball bearing inside the bowl above the accel pump....i dont have a clue what it does but it needs to be there. also beware of the gasket, i put a touch of silicone on mine when putting it back on and sealed just fine.  then pulled the jet inside front chamber, i dont know what its called but it sprays gas from accel pump when you first step on the gas...its located under the phillips screw in the ffrront chamber, sprayed it out real well and reinstalled......now the mh runs better than ever....cost one can of cleaner and 1hr of my time....also i had a flat spot when i accelerated from a stop now this is gone also.....matt

[Stripe]

The three times I had the same exact symptoms you are describing, it ended up being that on my '77 it was that the alternator was not putting charge to either battery or the engine.  On the '84 it ended up being a loose wire connection first, then a burned out alternator.  Double check your voltages. 
First rule of troubleshooting,'is it getting power?'
Then, 'is it getting fuel?'

BTW, if I guess this right, the ball bearing in the carb is part of a one way check valve.