250 BigRed Choke problem

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Hi guys,
Had a problem with the carb on the BigRed. Nothing unusual really, local farm borrowed it and finished up with crud in the carb (typical!). Anyway, while cleaning it out I thought I would see what the problem was with the choke. The slide on the handlebars never has worked, and so far it's never needed it but if it's there, I like it to work. I asumed the cable was corroded but on inspection I found the 'choke valve' to be stuck in it's barrel. The cable has become detatched from it so I can see down inside and it looks like it's rusted in place. I've filled it with WD40 and left it to soak, but does anyone know a way of extracting it without damaging it, or do I leave well alone, put it back together and pretend I never saw it?!
Any help apreciated, best regards,
Rob.

[Dirtcrasher]

Soak it and apply heat, propane only!! That barrel is real delicate. The little brass ears will snap off like nothing.... Remove the carb from the ATC and the fuel bowl, soak it, heat it, tap it, soak, heat, tap and then get out an air nozzle and start blowing through the passages in the carb and in the float area.

I've even thrown them in the freezer for a day and then heated up the barrel area and got it out that way.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Thanks for that, so, we're not a lost cause yet!

[Hair Bear Bunch]

I've been told there is an 'o' ring around the valve which may have gone soft and jammed it. I can't see a reference to an 'o' ring in the Clymer manual, should there be one, and is this a likely cause of the problem?
Thanks.