New member. 185s problems

[Liz Walden]

Ive got a list of problems Im having with this trike, maybe someone can help.

1. What should the plug be gapped to?
2. What are the screw specs? bottom (?) screw didnt adjust anything.
3. Im getting white smoke that smells of gas. Think its a carb issue?
4. Anyone have a write up to removing/rebuilding carb back to spec?
5. Pull start very seldom works (New rope, think its a bit to short.) I can get a compression tester, but what else could cause this?
5. How was the compression release originally wired up, and whats the purpose?

Thanks guys!

[MonroeMike]

Specs here.
http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?126290-ATC185-200-Service-Data

Manual here - Carb chapter 4
http://www.oscarmayer.net/atc/manuals/honda/Honda_ATC185s_200_Service_Manual.pdf

Thread on carb cleaning
http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?23819-Your-carburetor-is-FINE!!-Carb-cleaning-101..

[fenderbender713]

Your pull starter most likely needs to be replaced. does it not catch very often? if you kind of jiggle it will it catch? and the purpose of the compression release is to make it easier to pull start.

[tri again]

pretty sure manuals are still avail for free under the
'world class help' section.

altho people on here love to share their shortcuts too.

Pull start is prob the first thing to get working since you'll be fooling with the
trike to get the rest of it right.
Sometimes they just get sticky so 3 10mm bolts, pull it off , make sure it's not full of rust and spray some
oil in there and get it to loosen up.
It's not real fun to change a pull rope for the first time. but there are people on here who can do it with their eyes closed.
When they run right, the rope only needs to be pulled a foot or less.

Adjustment screw does nothing? sounds like trike has been sitting and needs the carb cleaned internally.

Some of The passages and jets are so small that if they are plugged a little, mix screw adjustments may not do anything.

Worst case is those carbs are getting really inexpensive and avail almost everywhere.

White vapor could be either water vapor moisture or I guess it could be a rich mix of fuel too if
your carb is not perfectly happy.

You'll get it.
We always do somehow.

The manuals are a fun easy read too.
The trick with those carbs is to get them off and onto a table out of the way of wind and cats and interruptions and also nice to be able to find tiny pieces and parts in case you drop them.
Gravel driveway is not the best place.

Most people (psychotrikers) can have them off, apart, cleaned and back on running in way under 1/2 hr so dont feel too intimidated about just tearing into it.
Again, absolute worst case is a new one that works for under 30 bucks.