am i losing my "knack"?????

[Scrubcadet10]

seems like used to,i take a carburetor off a engine, clean it, even rebuild one, put it back on and it'd run great. Here lately i do one, i have to take it off and on several times, for cleaning, even in the USC cleaner before it runs right.
even the 5.5hp Quantum Carbs give me fits and those are SIMPLE...... i don't get it.
Working on a GX340 on a honda generator. took the carburetor off, cleaned it really good. soaked it for a few hours, sprayed out everything with carburetor cleaner. typical carb job. put it back on and now it won't even fire, with my fresh gas, or starting fluid for that matter...........
it gets old, taking off, putting back on, taking off, putting back on.

 

[7394]

Bad day ? or days, I know about them.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

Bad day ? or days, I know about them.

been having quite a few lately. don't know why. shouldn't be.
I'm in my Prime.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

Had one of those couple weeks ago. Snow blower with the honda style briggs engine. Had the carb off 8 or 9 times till i finally figured out the carb problem.

 

[7394]

I'm in my Prime.

Good to hear, I still remember mine.. lol

 

[StarTech]

I have seen clogs that even a USC will not break through. Most times the clogs surface is so smooth there is nothing for micro bubbles to attach to. I had one carb last year where the engine would start cold but would not to save your life when warmed up. Choke was working find. Had prime it to start. Finally gave up and replaced the carburetor. Didn't make much why it was failing.

But there will those runs of aggravating problems where something else breaks too. At least it is just a carburetor and not like the Dingo I got to pull the engine on. First I got to get all the dirt, oil, and rocks out then pull hydraulic lines as there is room to remove the pump.

 

[hlw49]

Those Honda style carbs are a pain in the arse. The pilot jet will warp and it will suck air and cause the engine to surge. Those carbs are so cheap your are better off to just replace it in the first place.

 

[StarTech]

Yes the OEM Honda smaller carbs have come down a lot in the last few years but some of the larger ones are still expensive.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

One issue most folks don't figure out with honda style is the cross drilled passage from the pilot jet to the emulsion tube. It is 90* with a steel ball plug on the cross drilled passage. When it is plugged engine will surge like a plugged pilot jet. You can't run a wire through it and sometimes an US cleaner won't clear it. I usually have to use use 175psi air and blow it out. Lots of those carbs are trashed because of surging and that is the problem.

 

[StarTech]

One issue most folks don't figure out with honda style is the cross drilled passage from the pilot jet to the emulsion tube. It is 90* with a steel ball plug on the cross drilled passage. When it is plugged engine will surge like a plugged pilot jet. You can't run a wire through it and sometimes an US cleaner won't clear it. I usually have to use use 175psi air and blow it out. Lots of those carbs are trashed because of surging and that is the problem.

That what I try to explain as an USC or dip cleaner are not cure all methods; otherwords, they are not 100% effective all the time. And you must use different cleaners too at times.

It takes experience in cleaning of carburetors to know some of the other tricks we need to use to get things done. Even then there are times the only solution is a new carburetor. It is nothing to be ashame of when one has to be. A DIYer has alot more time to waste than us at owns shops.