Honda Rancher won't idle unless choked

[tprmac]

hello everybody, i have a honda rancher 350 2 wheel drive 06 that has been sitting around for about a year. so i changed the gas and oil plus the oil fitter and the air filter and put in a new spark plug plus a new battery. after all that it still did not want to turn over so i pumped the choke a couple times hard and it stared. so then I was told the float was bad and need to be replaced so i did that and It fired up somewhat ha. It has been through some deep mud holes so i knew the carb needed to be cleaned so i took it off and cleaned it with some carb cleaner (spray can) then used a air compressor to blow it out. After that i started it up and it sounds okay. the problem i run into it that it will not idle and it wants to die when u down shift into low gears or just warming up wont idle unless choke all the way out. so after the first carb clean did not work i thought that maybe i did not clean it good enough? so i took it off again and let it soak in some b12 fuel and carb cleaner (liquid) and let it soak for about an hour or so and did the same thing blew it out with a air compressor. After letting the carb soak i put it back together and still no idle unless the choke is all the way out. before i replaced the float you had to ride it with the choke all the way out or it would die. also you cant shift into first without the choke out or it will die but u don't have to after u get going with the replaced float. so any thoughts on what it could be ? help please

 

[Dmace]

There sounds like two possible problems here, the first which is easy to check is to actually remove the pilot jet (smaller and off to the side) and make sure it's clear. Second, your float (the plastic block that floats with the fuel level) may not be adjusted properly. If it rises too soon, it will shut off fuel flow before the bowl is full allowing the carb to run out of fuel. You adjust it by slightly bending the metal tab on the float that pushes the needle up. The choke is actually an enricher that allows more fuel into the carb instead of choking the air.

 

[clemsonfor]

A couple things. Order a carb rebuild kit and a float. Teh float will be like $15 online from a honda place and the kit cam be found im sure on ebay for around $20 delivered. Sounds like you may have a partial or plugged lowspeed jet or an idle orface somewhere or something?? Or your fuel or air screw is misadjusted or the float level may be wrong.

"Pumping" the choke does nothing. Its like a needle valve (atleas on my trx 300) that plugs an orfice enriching the air/fuel mix by limiting air. Other small engines have a seperate butterfly valve that closes air off, in either case its not a fuel primer squirting fuel in like my older big outboard has.