Brake and Carb cleaner differences

[Sal Lubrano]

I always woundered what the difference between brake and Carburator cleaner is. They pretty mush do the same thing? Does anyone know the differences?
Thanks
Sal

 

[1 RARE T]

Brake clean

I know one thing for sure. It smells like $hit when it burns.

 

[ijames]

Brake clean is mostly aliphatic hydrocarbons of fairly low boiling point so it evaporates quickly and won't hurt most plastics or paint. Carb cleaner has a higher boiling point so it "soaks" longer before evaporating, and has aromatics like toluene and xylenes in it (plus other stuff) which can melt some plastics and ruin some paints. Brake clean is mostly meant to wash away brake fluid and light oils while carb cleaner can tackle heavier gums and gunk.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

thats right, except the results answer. its exactly the opposite. i paint a ton of stuff every day, and i also am cleaning a different car part pretty much every day as well, and i thought the carb cleaner was going to do me more good, but the brake cleaner, strips EVERYthing i have ever painted lol. i stripped one of my softball bats paint right off, with brake cleaner, and the carb cleaner didnt work. stripped off some paint off of my intercooler, with brake cleaner, and the carb cleaner didnt work that good. took the epoxy coating off of an old kabar knife im restoring, and again, the brake cleaner did it, while the carb cleaner did not. A ton of other stuff too but, overall, the brake cleaner is far more volatile than the carb cleaner. TOTALLY.
But, the chemistry is everything. what works wiht some, may not worth with others. its all based on what the stuff is youre trying to clean off is made from. sometimes carb will do it, other times brake cleaner will do it. ya just gotta experiment. i always thought the brake cleaner was alcohol based, and the carb cleaner was petroleum based. i could be wrong though.

 

[corsair231]

Most carb cleaners leave a protective residue behind as well. Brake cleaners don't.

 

[ijames]

thats right, except the results answer. its exactly the opposite. i paint a ton of stuff every day, and i also am cleaning a different car part pretty much every day as well, and i thought the carb cleaner was going to do me more good, but the brake cleaner, strips EVERYthing i have ever painted lol. i stripped one of my softball bats paint right off, with brake cleaner, and the carb cleaner didnt work. stripped off some paint off of my intercooler, with brake cleaner, and the carb cleaner didnt work that good. took the epoxy coating off of an old kabar knife im restoring, and again, the brake cleaner did it, while the carb cleaner did not. A ton of other stuff too but, overall, the brake cleaner is far more volatile than the carb cleaner. TOTALLY.
But, the chemistry is everything. what works wiht some, may not worth with others. its all based on what the stuff is youre trying to clean off is made from. sometimes carb will do it, other times brake cleaner will do it. ya just gotta experiment. i always thought the brake cleaner was alcohol based, and the carb cleaner was petroleum based. i could be wrong though.

Wow, that is exactly backwards from my experience. I unintentionally took the paint off the air cleaner lid on my truck with carb cleaner, while brake clean got the grime off and left the paint intact. Also, brake clean doesn't seem to bother the paint on my rear backing plates when I change shoes. Guess it all comes down to the exact brand of cleaner and paint .

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

yea, thats what im thinking. i found that certain chemicals, regardless of how violent they are just sittin there, wont necessarily be violent to the substrate im trying to strip. i tried this with paint thinner, and acetone downstairs. i was cleaning something, i dont remember, and one of em wouldnt do a darn thing to the part. the other one, cleaned it like there was no tomorrow. so i guess it all depends. for me, i found that brake cleaner will eat plastic like its goin outta style. thats why i tape everything off from now on lol.

 

[turbofish38]

Most carb cleaners leave a protective residue behind as well. Brake cleaners don't.

Probally because of the chlorine content. IIRC carb cleaner is a bleach and brake cleaner aint. I remember years ago it was easy to make tie-dye clothes if you sprayed CC on your clothes by accident.