Big Red DEAD!!!

[BigRed1984]

I am ready to roll this POS over a cliff!

Before, it would run and idle, but it would bog down and die when you gave it the gas. Acting lean.

This is a BRAND NEW carburetor right out of the box.

I got the service manual and took the carb apart.

Manual says 14mm for the float level. It was way off, closer to 20mm.
Manual says 1-7/8 turns for the pilot screw. It was only out 3/4 of a turn.

I blew out every tube and jet with carb cleaner, put everything back together, and...

THE %$#@ing thing WON'T EVEN POP.

I took the carb apart again, re-cleaned everything again, re-checked the settings again, and...

NOTHING!!! After the third time, I gave up. I can't make it work!

What gives? Everything is perfect. It should run like a top!

The carb is full of gas when I take it apart. I'm covered with gas from taking the carb apart.

[dajeepman]

Well it probably not the carb buddy after all the messing you did to it..... have you tried to see if its getting spark.. Timing might be way off.. what about compression? or new spark plug...

[daniel_250r]

first are you getting spark? are your valves properly adjusted? is your ignition timing right?

[BigRed1984]

It ran before I took the carb apart tonight. But it was dying when I gave it the gas.

It ran ok from a test tank last week.

The problems started after I put the CLEAN original tank back on. As soon as I did that, gas started pouring out the carb and choking out the engine. Then I took the carb off, looked at it, put it back on. Gas stopped pouring out, but then it wouldn't rev up. It would idle, faster and faster, but I couldn't ride it because it would just die out.

[daniel_250r]

spray some quick start in the intake and try it

[factoryX]

I am going with a spark plug on this one. is the plug wet? is plug black? carb can be full of gas but it does not mean the motor is getting it.

[3Razors]

Was this a brand new OEM carb? Or was it one of those jingwansukee aftermarket ones?

[oscarmayer]

if it was flooding a lot,m you coudl have ruined the plug.
also are you sure your getting fuel to the carb? if the old tank had a ton of gunk, the pecock coudl be plugged or the fuel filter.

check your fuel level too. sounds dumb, but it has happened to the best of us. :shiftyeyes:

[BigRed1984]

The plug is bone dry. It's not getting gas.

I've taken the carb apart 3 more times, blown everything out, reset the float 3 different ways. It still won't run.

The float needle has a little spring loaded pin in the middle. Do you set the float with that pin extended or depressed? I tried both ways and it doesn't make a difference.

There's plenty of suction on the intake. I have a big hickey on my hand from checking that. Spark is good. Timing checks out.

Yes, it's a cheap aftermarket carb, but the thing ran better with that carb than it EVER did with the OEM carb. All of a sudden it's like it fell apart.

[plastikosmd]

is gas even getting to the bowl in the carb? if u loosen the drain screw on the bowl, does it dump gas out the carb?

[3Razors]

If the oem carb was in proper working order it will run much better than that chineese wonder carb. There is internal jet circuitry that is different between the two. Will it start on starter fluid?

[Bryan Raffa]

did the float stick,, or set too high,, at one time and fill your crankcase with gas?

[plastikosmd]

I bought on of these 14 dollar carbs after my oem started to leak. For me it was the same price as a kit ( about) so I gave it a try and got lucky. Runs like a top. Same machine. 1984 BR. I have another engine, 8 hp Briggs. Carb acted up. Rebuilt it, worse than ever. New cheap carb, still bad. Took components out for cheap and put in oem, no luck. Bought a used 8 hp at a tag sale and swapped carbs, been running ever since, I feel your pain

[brapp]

first off make shure your bowl is gettign fuel, but what jets are in it?? AND THE CARBS MAY BE DIFFRENT AND REQUIRE DIFFRENT SETTINGS . I HAVE HAD 2 BRAND NEW CARBS OFF A 300EX AND WHEN I SWITCHED MOTORS I AHD ALOT OF ISSUES SO EACHMOTOR AND EACH CARB NEEDS SOEM FINE TUNIGN TO MATE THEM TOGETHER PERFECTL;Y. JUST MAKE SHURE YOUR MAINJETY IS FLOWING FUEL AND YOUR PILOT IS CLEAR. AND MAKE SHURE AQLLYOUR PASSAGES ARE CLEAR. TRY PUTTIGN A LIUTTLE GAS IN THE INTAKE AND NPUTTIGN THE AIR FILTER BACK ON TO SE EIF IT FIRES AND BUILDS SUCTION TO DRAW THE FUERL UP INTO THE MOTOR ALSO.

[brapp]

Raffa just go fix the damnthign for him your not far from rodchester lol

[daniel_250r]

yea sounds like you are doing something wrong, like stated before crack that bowl screw and see if she pisses, sounds to me like your float is sticking shut, also unhook the fuel line and make sure its flowing out there

[jeffs250Russell]

I'm going with fuel fouled plug.

[harryredtrike]

go back to the settings on the carb when you got it.not [what it is supposed to be].go back to when it ran,and start from there.

[1985BigRed250ES]

If the plug is dry then there is not gas getting to the motor. It probably the float sticking. those damn aftermarket chinese built carbs will give ya trouble.

[1985BigRed250ES]

why not just get a carb rebuild kit for your old carb, buy a gallon on the b-12 carb dip from an autoparts store. take the old carb apart, soak the carb in the dip overnight, pull it out and blow it out with compressed air, put the rebuild kit in the old carb set the air/fuel mixture screw at 3 turns out and the throttle needle on the 3rd clip and that should get it running so you can tune the carb

[BigRed1984]

How do you set the float?

It has a little spring-loaded pin in the middle of the float needle. The float can be set with this pin pushed in, or sticking out.

That little spring-loaded pin makes a HUGE difference in the float level. I've tried it both ways with no luck.

What is the "fuel mixture" screw? There is none listed in the service manual, only a "pilot screw."

I've done lots of simple float carbs, but these Honda carbs have weird stuff on them that isn't normal.

[daniel_250r]

the fuel mixture screw is at the front of the carb, right in front of the bowl

[BigRed1984]

Okay, it's running. I kept raising the float little by little and finally got it close enough to start.

It still dies when I romp on the throttle. I know what a lean engine sounds like, and this is definitely lean.

What do I adjust next? Mixture screw? In or out?

[Bryan Raffa]

easy way to check the float level is to get a peice of clear hose and put it on the bowl drain ,, loop it up next to the bowl,, and open the drain screw.. the gas will rise in the tube to where the floats are set..you can guage how far you need to go , by holding it dead still next to the carb.

Im thinkin its 1-1/2 tuns out from lightly seated ,, on the low speed screw.

[BigRed1984]

The fuel level should be dead even with the seam between the carb body and carb bowl, right?

Which way should I turn the fuel mixture needle for what reason?

[oscarmayer]

Actually it should be slightly below the break in the bowl and carb. like below the lip edge is where it should be. you may also need to adjust the float some more. maybe just a tiny bit. these chinese carbs are a pain ! tell ya!!!

[tri again]

I appreciate the floatlevel exactity.

HowEVER, why is it that when I run across the field, my 250es runs perfectly and then dies within seconds.

I forgot to turn the gas on. DuH!

So the float must go lower and lower till it's empty but runs great until it runs out.

So I guess my question is: How critical can the float level really be?