If I can't clear the ports using a welding tip cleaning wire, carb cleaner, and an air blower, I fire up my steam cleaner. I use that steam cleaner for everything around the shop and house. It's one of the best tool investments I've made. However, ethanol gas may have not only gummed up the ports with fuel varnish, they may actually be corroded shut with metal oxides too. I have a small set of micro bits that are good for clearing corroded jets but they won't bend around corners. If a replacement carb is less than $20 I usually just toss the old one in the spare parts bin and order a new one as the Welch plugs are going to cost half that much unless you have enough need for them to buy them in bulk.
Posts by MPR
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This is the steam cleaner I have.
NEAT™ Steam Cleaner - dupray.com
The NEAT™ steam cleaner by Dupray is the new affordable way to clean, sanitize and degrease anything inside your house. Designed with care in Canada.
dupray.com
I use it to clean the bathroom, kitchen, carpets, beds, stove, dishwasher, windows, shop floor, and just about any greasy or dirty small engine, part, or tool that's not worth getting out the pressure washer for. The only down side is it takes about 20 minutes to heat up.
I also have an old Waterpik tooth cleaner that comes in handy for cleaning stuff at times.
You can get cheaper versions for as little as $35. You do have to be careful of melting stuff like linoleum and cheap plastic but since even plastic carbs are designed to be attached to hot engines I've not had any problems melting them. A steam cleaner makes short work out of cleaning the grease and dirt off of a carburetor before you remove it.
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