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

#1

Scrubcadet10

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.


#2

7394

7394

Bad day ? or days, I know about them.


#3

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

7394 said:
Bad day ? or days, I know about them.
Click to expand...
been having quite a few lately. don't know why. shouldn't be.
I'm in my Prime.


#4

Hammermechanicman

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.


#5

7394

7394

Scrubcadet10 said:
I'm in my Prime.
Click to expand...
Good to hear, I still remember mine.. lol


#6

StarTech

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.


#7

H

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.


#8

StarTech

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.


#9

Hammermechanicman

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.


#10

StarTech

StarTech

Hammermechanicman said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.


#11

mikehouse

mikehouse

Hammermechanicman said:
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.
Click to expand...
What was the problem Hammer?


#12

7394

7394

Yea inquiring minds need ta know..


#13

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

I had to blow out the passage to the pilot jet and drill out the pilot jet to get it to idle smoothly. When cust picked it up he was pretty happy. He said he could never idle it down below half throttle or it starting surging and died since rhe day he bought it.


#14

B

bertsmobile1

When I suspect that a jet is just too small, I slip the colour tune in to verify it.
If the carb has been cleaned fully & properly ( at least twice ) then it is out with the jet drills
Note jet drills and micro drills are not the same things as Jet drills are designed to leave a smooth finish and are numbers according to their flow rate under gravity and not the diameter of the hole.
Micro drills ( used mostly for cleaning are about $ 20 a set
Jet drills only ever used for enlarging a jet hole are around $ 200 a set
A racing friend has a set of jet hones and they were over a grand


#15

Tiger Small Engine

Tiger Small Engine

bertsmobile1 said:
When I suspect that a jet is just too small, I slip the colour tune in to verify it.
If the carb has been cleaned fully & properly ( at least twice ) then it is out with the jet drills
Note jet drills and micro drills are not the same things as Jet drills are designed to leave a smooth finish and are numbers according to their flow rate under gravity and not the diameter of the hole.
Micro drills ( used mostly for cleaning are about $ 20 a set
Jet drills only ever used for enlarging a jet hole are around $ 200 a set
A racing friend has a set of jet hones and they were over a grand
Click to expand...
Don’t forget to check for air leaks that will cause surging. I have about a 90% success rate with cleaning carburetors with carb cleaner, small wire and air compressor. Will drill out pilot jet if it continues to surge. Otherwise, use carburetors from Amazon and have had really good results.


#16

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

bertsmobile1 said:
When I suspect that a jet is just too small, I slip the colour tune in to verify it.
If the carb has been cleaned fully & properly ( at least twice ) then it is out with the jet drills
Note jet drills and micro drills are not the same things as Jet drills are designed to leave a smooth finish and are numbers according to their flow rate under gravity and not the diameter of the hole.
Micro drills ( used mostly for cleaning are about $ 20 a set
Jet drills only ever used for enlarging a jet hole are around $ 200 a set
A racing friend has a set of jet hones and they were over a grand
Click to expand...
I bought some jet drills but they were just too big as they were for automotive carbs. I use the cheap micro drills. Seem to work fine.


#17

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

this generator makes the 8th Honda GX engine i've worked on within the last 12 months to have the spark plug misfire issue, as well.


#18

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

I have had a couple Honda engines come in that would start and idle but as soon as a load was put on them they would die. Replaced the spark plugs and fixed the problem.


#19

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

Scrubcadet10 said:
been having quite a few lately. don't know why. shouldn't be.
I'm in my Prime.
Click to expand...

It sort of redefines "easy jobs," doesn't it? Maybe you've got what I get during the winter time. The "don't wanna do's." I tend to rush through things that I have to do, during the winter, like it's woke me from hibernating or something.

"Rush" may have been the wrong word. More like not being as careful or precise.


#20

7394

7394

PTmowerMech said:
The "don't wanna do's.
Click to expand...
I know about those... LOL Like the honey-do list stuff..


#21

StarTech

StarTech

I never had that "honey do list" problem. Just a me need to do list.


#22

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

StarTech said:
I never had that "honey do list" problem. Just a me need to do list.
Click to expand...

I've had that list. And now just have my own list. They get done at about the same speed.

What used to aggravate me was being reminded every 6 months to do that thing she wanted done.


#23

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

After 40 years together she has given up on the "list" and asking "what did that cost". This past Saturday i picked up a Browning Citori White Lighting shotgun. She just rolled her eyes.


#24

7394

7394

Hammermechanicman said:
After 40 years together she has given up on the "list" and asking "what did that cost". This past Saturday i picked up a Browning Citori White Lighting shotgun. She just rolled her eyes.
Click to expand...
Well I've had the chain on for 30 yrs next month.. (Time flies) She still tries.. But I still 'do it my way' .....

Nice piece you got there.


#25

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

Hammermechanicman said:
After 40 years together she has given up on the "list" and asking "what did that cost". This past Saturday i picked up a Browning Citori White Lighting shotgun. She just rolled her eyes.
Click to expand...

Do know what you've accomplished? You have done something that few men have ever done. You've trained your wife.

I bow to your greatness, sir.


#26

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

PTmowerMech said:
Do know what you've accomplished? You have done something that few men have ever done. You've trained your wife.

I bow to your greatness, sir.
Click to expand...
LOL. she's not trained. She just gave up. I do a side hustle knife sharpening business and just dropped some coin on some Japanese cooking knives. That got the eye roll, the heavy sigh and a sarcastic "really?" I probably do have to many knives.
Link to vid of one of the cheaper ones i sharpened.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtube.com youtube.com


#27

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Hammermechanicman said:
LOL. she's not trained. She just gave up. I do a side hustle hustle knife sharpening business and just dropped some coin on some Japanese cooking knives. That got the eye roll, the heavy sigh and a sarcastic "really?" I probably do have to many knives.
Link to vid of one of the cheaper ones i sharpened.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtube.com youtube.com
Click to expand...
:eek::eek:


#28

7394

7394

Hammermechanicman said:
LOL. she's not trained. She just gave up.
Click to expand...
Well, I guess I can hope for that then for me. LOL


#29

7394

7394

LOL..


#30

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

Hammermechanicman said:
LOL. she's not trained. She just gave up. I do a side hustle knife sharpening business and just dropped some coin on some Japanese cooking knives. That got the eye roll, the heavy sigh and a sarcastic "really?" I probably do have to many knives.
Link to vid of one of the cheaper ones i sharpened.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtube.com youtube.com
Click to expand...

Sir, do not, under any circumstance belittle your accomplishments. They are a huge.


#31

M

mechanic mark

Do you own magnifier work light for overhauling carburetors etc.?


#32

7394

7394

I do, & use it for many tiny things I'm tinkering on.. Must have tool.


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