Honda Foreman 450 fuel leak

JDgreen227 · Nov 27, 2011

HHR said:
I have had water get trapped in the primer assembly that is on the bottom of the float bowl. the water froze and cracked the primer housing. Also, the needle can look good and still leak.

I rebuilt the carb today with a kit I got from a dealer yesterday...IT STILL LEAKS !! (Censored) Honda for NOT building the carb with an adjustable float. I am going to try to scuff the float up where the float valve seats and tack on a bit of JB Weld and hope that works to make the float valve raise a tiny bit higher....GRRRRRR.

radioman · Dec 3, 2011

how is jb weld working out for ya?

JDgreen227 · Dec 3, 2011

radioman said:
how is jb weld working out for ya?

Have not tried it yet, that near foot of snow we recently had plus all the tree damages I experienced were more of a priority than fixing the bleeping carb float. Maybe I should just buy a new ATV with FI instead....

Professor Marvel · Dec 3, 2011

I have a Foreman 400 with what I believe is the same problem. Took the carb off a few years ago and everything looked like it was working ok. So I took it to Honda to have them rebuild it. Worked good for a while but it has the same problem now. Not leaking as bad but I smell gas plenty near it. I will be following this thread for info. Thanks for bringing it here.

cdaigle430 · Dec 3, 2011

This may be a shot in the dark but I had a similiar mystery leak with my Honda Shadow motorcycle and found the fuel petcock to be defective so check the fuel petcock. I have also read on some forums that this can hapen with our ATVs as well. My Honda Rincon ATV and my 2000 Foreman ES have not had that issue yet.

To prevent this in the future,
The best thing to do is to shut the fuel off whan your parking it for more than a week and let the engine die.

Hobo 76 · Dec 10, 2011

I am dealing with a similar issue. Thanks for all the help. The petcock valve seems to be my problem. Called about one today, $96.00....! Does this sound accurate? Seems a little steep. I mean it's just a little valve! Yikes.

JDgreen227 · Dec 10, 2011

Hobo 76 said:
I am dealing with a similar issue. Thanks for all the help. The petcock valve seems to be my problem. Called about one today, $96.00....! Does this sound accurate? Seems a little steep. I mean it's just a little valve! Yikes.

Welcome to TBN...glad we are helping you with the same issue...yes, $96 for the valve is a nuge ripoff, did you get that price from a dealership? I am sure an Ebay seller could beat that price easily. On my Foreman 450, there is a hard plastic outer tube for much of the length of the fuel line that shields the line itself, it can be shortened so there is enough room to add an aftermarket in line fuel shut off valve near the carb inlet.

Hobo 76 · Dec 10, 2011

Thank you. Yes that was a dealer price. I will check eBay and online. I think I have two problems. I think it's a combo of the petcock valve and the float sticking. I bought this four wheeler used from a guy that said he hasn't really ran it very much in the last two years. So I'm sure it is all corroded up in there... But it runs and idles fine when there is fuel in the bowl. Then it runs out of fuel and dies. Then give it a few seconds and it will start right back up. I haven't taking the carb off yet, probably will be doing that tomorrow.
Did you ever get yours straightened out?

JDgreen227 · Dec 10, 2011

Hobo 76 said:
Thank you. Yes that was a dealer price. I will check eBay and online. I think I have two problems. I think it's a combo of the petcock valve and the float sticking. I bought this four wheeler used from a guy that said he hasn't really ran it very much in the last two years. So I'm sure it is all corroded up in there... But it runs and idles fine when there is fuel in the bowl. Then it runs out of fuel and dies. Then give it a few seconds and it will start right back up. I haven't taking the carb off yet, probably will be doing that tomorrow.
Did you ever get yours straightened out?

The carb removal isn't that difficult once you remove the air filter box, except for ONE THING you should know about...there is a wire for an electrical connection for the carb heater on the bottom of the carb, DO NOT try to disconnect it there, but trace the wire to the bundled group of wires on the right side under the clipped on side panel (right side as seated on the machine) and VERY CAREFULLY use a small screwdriver to pry the white plastic electrical connector apart. Sounds to me like your float and needle are gummed up from old gasoline and cleaning them up should solve your problem. The irritating thing about mine is even with my petcock leaking fuel even when shut off, the carb float should shut off the fuel flow..it will leak fuel even with the engine running. It has been so cold here I have given up trying to work on my ATV for this winter.

Hobo 76 · Dec 11, 2011

@JDgreen227.
Thanks for that tid bit. Every little bit of info helps on these "fun" projects.
I am having a similar issue, but I have'nt taken the carb off yet. The overflow tube on mine was pinched, and it kept filling the carb up with fuel, and ended up going into the crankcase. So I drained all of the oil, and figured out that the petcock valve was leaking, so I am trying to piece by piece fix all of the issues. Kind of a process of elimination. Well, I'll let you know what I find, about to go get after it... Don't know how much will get done... My Saints are playing today.

WhoDat.... ha