Spark plug fouling

[milwaukeephil]

I lowered the needle one notch over the weekend.

Can you describe how you lower the needle? My experience with carbs goes as far as pulling out the jet and cleaning it. I can see the needle, but don't know how to adjust it...

Thanks!

[mustanger]

It's been a while since this post and since I did this, so I can't picture too much of what it looks like anymore. However, I think it's going to be obvious when you get the carb out. You're going to see where the needle is held to the throttle cable and you're going to see a small clip stuck into the middle of five notches. The notches are less than a millimeter apart and you're going to reset the clip for the second from the top, thus lowering the needle.

BTW If you haven't figured it out already, the best way to pull the carb is to unhook the cable at the throttle control in the handle bar. This allows you to pull the carb out while still attached to the throttle cable. You can then take it apart, work on it and get it back together with plenty of room to work with. When it's back together, push the carb into the bike and push the cable back up into the handlebar and hook up the throttle control to the cable.

Let me know how it goes and you can reach me easier at drosson@utmem.edu

[milwaukeephil]

Awesome, that makes a lot of sense, THANKS! I had the carb out last night but it would have given me much more room to work if I had disconnected it at the hand control.

Much appreciated...

[milwaukeephil]

Hey, guess what? I adjusted the needle to the 2nd notch and the bike started right up and will run indefinitely.

Now on to the next problem -- it won't run unless the choke is closed completely. If I even breath on the choke towards OPEN, it quits. I tried it with the idle adjustment at every speed and it still dies when I try to open the choke, even after running for 5 minutes. Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks again, you guys are awesome!

[joeweir1]

Did you tear this carb down and clean it?Is idle jet clean?Sounds lean?Did you look at a plug after you got it to idle with the choke closed?Also look at them after you open the choke and it dies and see what they look like.Are your carb o-rings ok and no air leaks?

[milwaukeephil]

Did you tear this carb down and clean it?Is idle jet clean?Sounds lean?Did you look at a plug after you got it to idle with the choke closed?Also look at them after you open the choke and it dies and see what they look like.Are your carb o-rings ok and no air leaks?

I tore it all the way down and cleaned it as well as I could in the driveway, but I could probably do a better job on the bench. I'll start with that.

I haven't looked at the plugs since I had it idling -- I'll do that and report back.

As always, THANKS!