Engine is starving for fuel. How should I clean the carburetor?

[sparky]

OK... I've had a problem with fuel before, and I thought it was a leaky fuel line or primer bowl. I really thought it was that bowl, but I finally replaced it and it's not running any better.

I have to prime the thing like 20 plus times in order for it to run properly. The more I prime it, the longer it seems to run. 80 primes and I can almost make it two miles!!

But the engine always starts to lose power over time, specifically if I'm going against the wind or uphill, and that will almost instantly kill the engine. I can fool with the choke to close off almost all the air and get it going good enough, but I don't think this is a very good idea. It will eventually die anyway, but I think the problem is fuel starvation.

Sometimes whenever I try to crank it up after I was just riding it, it feels like the engine has almost seized because of no lube.

Anyway... I'm going to try cleaning the carb and replacing gaskets today. How should I clean the carb, tho? Just disassemble and soak all parts in carb cleaner for 20 min?? Any pipe cleaners or other tools I should consider?

By the way, I do not have a Happy Time carb, but a more "traditional" weed whacker carb, like so... http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/851257/7836743/0/1231561816/diaphragm_carburetor.jpg

 

[sparky]

I disassembled it as much as I could and am just soaking all the parts in a bowl of carb cleaner.

While I was looking for additional methods, some did mention brushes and pipe cleaners... one site actually reminded me that an air compressor would be perfect for this job!!! DUR!

Good idea!!

 

[DuctTapedGoat]

Has that always been an issue on that carb, or is it just gunked up?

A weed whacker is going to get a lot better fuel economy than a bike motor, so I'd almost want to say that it's stock fuel inlets are too small.

 

[sparky]

Ok... I let it soak in the bowl for at least an hour. There was a good little bit of dirt and stuff that I could see.

Sprayed it with the air compressor and I'd have to say the thing was looking brand new.

Hooked it all back up. Put one, new, direct fuel line on; left the return fuel line on. Priming her felt awesome. It even felt brand new!

Get a quarter to half a mile away, maybe, and then it does what it always does. Whines until it runs out of fuel and shuts off. It CANNOT be the carburetor...

I just kept priming and cranking until I made it to my friend's house. Took the plug wire off, and SNAP... the wire just broke, because I'd left the spark plug's "thread protector" on & the wire was so dang corroded (that last part very well came from letting a buddy take it and leave it outside for weeks while he never welded it, or maybe leaving the thread protector on, as well? dunno).




Well... now I guess I've gotta buy a new magneto or something.

 

[sparky]

Oh yea...

Forgot to say that I was actually able to put the rusty spark plug wire back "together" by just eyeballing it and it crunk right up. Then died. Then crunk right up again and I held the gas and made it back to my house.

At least I'm starting to narrow this down, tho..

 

[6blueoval9]

You can buy a brand new stock NT carburetor for $10.00 plus shipping and anything Rusty on a plug wire can't be all that good either.

How old is the fuel filter?... Do you have rust inside the gas tank?

Did you research what the float bowl adjustment should be and check it?... If the carb is in fact ok but you aren't getting fuel then the issue is from the tank to the fuel line somewhere or the motor runs so lean you are experiencing vapor lock...or just maybe the carb has a hidden issue.

Let us know what you find that fixes the issue.

 

[crassius]

How old is the fuel filter?... Do you have rust inside the gas tank?

6 years older than when he posted this thread

 

[6blueoval9]

Lol ooops