Newarcher Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 I have fallen down on the job maintaining all my equipment. I had to jump the lawnmower battery to get it started and got everything running except the quad. To the best of my memory, I used the same gas in the lawnmower (which I had to drain) in the quad. But once I drained the gas from the mower and jumped the battery and replaced the gas it worked. So here's my idea. Before ripping the carburetor off the machine and rebuilding it (or paying to have it rebuilt), could I possibly drain the old gas out of the carb and let new gas in? I siphoned off the gas from the tank and replaced it. Here's an exploded diagram of the carb (click on the carburetor pic). It appears there are only two screws into the carb bowl as best I can tell and one of them is a drain. Can someone tell me which one it is? http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/2000-honda-motorcycle-trx250-fourtrax/o/m10767 I am seeing two screws, #25 and #12....which one would I remove to drain the bowl? Thanks, New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shedhead Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 i would say number 12. number 25 looks to be the bolts to hold the float bowl to the carb. i would just pull it out slowly and see if fuel drains out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texastrophies Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 It is the #12 screw. You don't have to take it all the way out. Just unscrew it a turn or two and you should see it starting to drain. The hose on it will have a check valve that it drains through and then on out. Just use caution when you start to loosen the screw, they are easy to strip the head out. If that happens, you can usually get a pair of vice-grips on it and turn it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Problem is New, that your jet may also be plugged up and just emptying the fuel from the float bowl will not help with that. You may have gotten some bad gas, I had a similar problem last spring with my tiller, chainsaw, and the 4 wheeler. Ended up having to get a rebuild kit for the tiller and then pulled the carb on the 4 wheeler and cleaned it out real good. When I took the float bowl off the 4 wheeler carb it was gelled up pretty bad. Our 4 wheeler did not really sit for a long time though, never more than a week at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 That's what I was afraid....I just simply haven't worked on a carb like this and the dealer wants $200 including parts to fix it. I may try draining the old gas out first and if that doesn't work, get a buddy to help me figure it out. The quad is 10 years old and has sat a LOT, so it may be that the time has come for a rebuild regardless. Thanks, New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Have you looked on EBAY for a new after market carb? Ive bought a few for different things and they typically seem to be cheaper than having one rebuilt. You simply put it on and work it a little to get the flow and everything right. Once you do that youre golden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Have you looked on EBAY for a new after market carb? Ive bought a few for different things and they typically seem to be cheaper than having one rebuilt. You simply put it on and work it a little to get the flow and everything right. Once you do that youre golden. Not a bad idea...I found one for about $60. The rebuild kit at my dealer is somewhere around $25 plus my time which is limited. I might go for this. When you say work it a little, what's involved? This model has an idle adjustment screw and that's really it. Anything else involved? New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Not a bad idea...I found one for about $60. The rebuild kit at my dealer is somewhere around $25 plus my time which is limited. I might go for this. When you say work it a little, what's involved? This model has an idle adjustment screw and that's really it. Anything else involved? New We have a shop here where the mechanic will rebuild a honda carb for $75, that is him pulling it off the bike disassembling it and letting it soak in carb cleaner and then reassembling it and putting it back on the bike. I would likely not go to the dealership, they will rip you off and some of the mechanics at these small engine repair shops are often times better mechanics then some at some of the dealerships. You should not have to adjust the idle unless you swap carbs, even if you do that should not be a huge ordeal once you get the bike back to running. Getting to the carb with big hands is probably the toughest part of the job, should be access panels that come off and might also be able to get to it better with the seat off, depends on the bike. I can pull mine off in a matter of about 5 minutes. There should be a nut for the choke, a fuel line in that you will have to slide the clamp down and pull the hose off, the throttle cable, and the air intake clamp and that is pretty well it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Not a bad idea...I found one for about $60. The rebuild kit at my dealer is somewhere around $25 plus my time which is limited. I might go for this. When you say work it a little, what's involved? This model has an idle adjustment screw and that's really it. Anything else involved? New The idle screw is about the biggest thing. Some have other tuneing you can do. The last aftermarket carb I put on was on a tractor and it took quite a bit to get it to run right. That and if you have any leaks you have to deal with that sort of stuff. For the most part its pretty limited and if youre patient you can have it running in no time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Pull the bowl right off, take the float out, pull out the needle and seat (15) blow out the bore where it sits/seats. Pull the main jet out (17) and do the same. Brake clean works good cleaning carb parts. Clean all the gunk out of the bowl and put it back together. Should be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Thanks all.... I found an OEM all new carb for $60. I figure that 10 years in of sitting most of the time, it was time to redo all of the o rings, gaskets, float, etc. That would have run me $50 out the door at the dealer plus my time and then the time to fix what I break. I have tried carbs before and never got them right. But here's my question. Looking at the carb, it wasn't as bad as I once thought. Since I am getting a new one it should be the gas line and drain line. But here's the dumbest question....I don't see anywhere that the choke or throttle hook to the carb....how is that controlled on a four wheeler? New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 But here's the dumbest question....I don't see anywhere that the choke or throttle hook to the carb....how is that controlled on a four wheeler? New Best as I recall on my honda both the choke and throttle attached with nuts. Not sure on your bike, but you should see the cables where they go in, to get the carb free you will have to remove them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Best as I recall on my honda both the choke and throttle attached with nuts. Not sure on your bike, but you should see the cables where they go in, to get the carb free you will have to remove them. I thought so, I haven't taken off the body panels yet so it is hard to see in there. I thought maybe Honda had reengineered something new! Thanks for all the help, I should have it running next weekend once the new carb gets here. I will take the old one off and clean it up really good. I will order the rings/gaskets if I ever need it again. New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted January 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 Whoda thunk it? I drained the bowl, siphoned all the old gas out (almost all), put new gas in with the conditioner, and tried to start it. It didn't start. I let it sit for a few hours and then whadda you know, it started up. It spit and sputtered and after a while sounded mostly okay. I took it out and rode it to get the new gas into it really well (maybe 10 minutes) and had to put it up to go to Church. Came back and she fired right up. While I was riding it, it began a little rough with an occasional small backfire but then seemed to even out. I had to adjust the idle up a little but that's something I have had to do before. It didn't seem to mess up any shift points. Is there any fuel treatment I can run through it to get any varnish out--safely without damaging the engine? I am thinking I will just cancel the order for the new carb if I can. I will keep running it regularly (at least once a week to move gas through it). Thoughts? New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texastrophies Posted January 28, 2010 Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 If you know or think you might be leaving it set up for a while, get you some "sea foam" treatment for the gas, will help keep it from going bad on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted January 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 I actually put some Stabil in it. I suppose that I don't have to have a new carb or even rebuild the old one as long as it stays started and runs well. I was just wondering if there is anything I can run through it to remove the varnished gunk (assuming there is some). I am not sure if I caught it before it turned to gunk. When I drained the bowl, the gas was a little golden like honey but was free flowing. I HOPE that I can just keep running gas (and perhaps some sort of fuel treatment) to clean the carb as is. Any ideas? Thanks, New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted January 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 10-4 on the SeaFoam that sounds like what I need to clean things up---what ratio would you use? Forgive my ignorance I had never heard of SeaFoam and didn't know the first thing about it. I thought it was just a stabil type additive. New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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