Removing brass tubes

I know this is an old post, but it seems like the right place.

Just put a 4100 on my 351w yesterday - started right up; but wouldn't idle or even stay running unless I held the choke almost all the way closed. Something's dirty. So I go right back to the carb cleaner and air on that grubby primary booster. Several cycles of soaking and blasting didn't clear up the idle circuit which seemed very restricted. So... I pulled the inner brass tubes out.

I gently clamped the booster upside down in a vise and slowly heated it with a propane torch. Not so hot that you couldn't touch it - but hot enough that you wouldn't hold it for more than a second or two. I put my leatherman pliers on the brass tube and with light but steady pressure wiggled the tube right out - pretty easily - both.

With the inner tube out I made a half hearted attempt at the outer tubes; but didn't want to press my luck and didn't see the point.

The tubes were still dirty; but easy to clean up when they're out. Even with them out, one side of the booster still seemed restricted. So I grabbed my cheapo sandblaster and a box of baking soda and had at it. I kept blasting up the outer brass tubes (inner ones still on my bench) until I saw a steady stream of baking soda blowing out the idle jets and air bleeds. Clean is good.

When tapping the inner tubes back in the booster they had a mind of their own though. All my efforts couldn't get them to go back in any different than they came our - Crooked! -

Idles great and seems to run good now - won't know how good until I get the boat on the water for the real test.