The idle mixture screws can be very hard to remove....and there is very little slot in the brass head to get a good grip with a screwdriver.  Originally these screws are easy to remove - but the aluminum corrodes and the tiny threads get distorted, and it can be a real problem to get the screw out with that tiny soft brass slot.  Often you have to drill the darn thing, use an easy out, then clean up the threads with a tap, then install a new screw (and O-ring while you are at it).

I just drilled out a plug and removed the screw from a 2002 bike last night and it came out real easy....the one from the theft recovery bike was much harder.

If you want to mail me that spare carb.....I can take it apart for you and see if there is anything wrong with it.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 10/02/15 at 10:33:18:

I'm curious about what exactly is busted that caused the need for a replacement carb.
I really want to applaud this young ladys grit.

I'm with Justin on this one. I KNOW I have some carb issues/rough running and will have to take it off the bike and rebuild/clean/jet it over the winter...but I am dreading it. Kudos to jj for diving in and doing it!

jjthejetplane wrote on 10/02/15 at 12:27:36:


Took me a moment to decipher that.  The first couple of times I read it, I was thinking about the diaphragm for the throttle enrichment valve. That didn't make sense, though.  I had to look at a parts fiche to realize what screws you're talking about.  They are the teeny tiny phillips ones at the bottom of the slide assembly.  So your mechanic didn't spray any penetrating oil and stripped the screws, then figured it was easier to have you buy a whole other carb.  

But let's think positive.  We can work with that!  With a proper easy out (I prefer pro-grabit) you can burnish and remove the stripped screws by hand.  It would, however, require an extended T-handle (like what would be used to tap threads) to reach down the hole.  I can't think of a way you would do that with a drill.

This is what I'm thinking of:



To be honest, I don't think removing that plate for the purpose of cleaning would have made much difference.  If it were my bike,  I would clean the carburetor that is off of the bike as thoroughly as possible.  Then put that one on and see if it runs.  That plate shouldn't be a big deal unless you get into tuning and adjusting needle height.

On another topic:  So the bike has been sitting for over a year, and we're worried about a gaswashed cylinder... What does the oil look like?  Can you stand the bike up and check the level?  No need to jump right into changing it, but I thought it was worth a peek.

Air, fire, fluid.... make sure your bike is getting all three...

Sometimes amounts don't matter with a single.

If your air cleaner is good...no worries
If your carb is getting gas...no worries
If your bike turns over...no worries

Now that said..
Test your carb for flow... pull the line going in... turn the petc0ck... fuel going to carb? good
Put a small drain hose on the bottom of your carb "the very bottom!"  
With the petc0ck in the on position, loosen the carb bowl screw... got gas? good
And of course... if you turn the key and it, "the starter" turns over.. that's good, however, you might have to test the voltage on your battery as you turn it over, to insure that you have enough start voltage to fire off the gas.
Now if it doesn't start or "chug" like it wants to start, you can pull the "fuel enrichment handle" or "choke" (on this bike it is not a real choke as it doesn't move a butterfly valve to cut off air)
If it still does not start after about three tries, stop.... (about 10-15 seconds each)
Tap your float bowl with a screw driver handle pretty soundly (float could be stuck) try again
If it does not start after about five tries (total, twice after you whack the bowl).... I would pull the float bowl and see if your float needle is stuck.
Some would say before pulling the bowl to squirt some start fluid into your carb intake... if you want, do that.. and if it chugs a couple of seconds.. good.. it proves that it will run (but since it ran before.. it should)
Keep that air/fuel mix screw at 1.5 turns, it will run like that... you just want to get this thing started and chugging.

One last thing... sounds like you are getting the hang of ready and trying to fix your baby.... GOOD...
It is a single.. single everything.... you can eliminate things easily...

I personally think the carb change was a bad thing... can you "rebuild" the old one? buy a kit and clean it up, if it looks clean.. it probably wasn't the problem, pull the jets, spray a lot of cleaner.. put it back together and back on the bike... with the air/fuel mix screw 1.5 out.....

LOL, I wish I was closer.... I like a puzzle... and i'm kind of a mizer... so I fix it with what I got.

The above is what I would do... even if I had "known" variables.... start back at square one yourself... then you KNOW... it has been covered.

Good luck, should you accept this mission, you will save your world... this message will not self distruct in five seconds...but man it would be kewl if it did!  

Hello again,

There is finally a break in the rain so I am going to attempt to get her started. I will report bk in a bit on oil levels, float bowl, etc. I did a lot of digging through the "archives" over the rainy weekend and found some helpful carb cleaning posts. I was unable to procure transmission fluid due to lack of visible neighbors but i did pick up some pb blaster( i know it's not highly recommended but figured it'd due for the time being) and some starting fluid spray.
I have gumout carb cleaner and assortment of tools, power cordless screwdriver w bits, needle nose pliers, and marine oil pads to catch any mess.
Am i missing anything?
Also, I have awesome pics from the forum posts but does anyone have a link to or pics of the Clymer's for my carb?

Please and thanks.

Checked the oil. It is black and in the lower range but looks fine. Just tried to start the bike at 1.5 turns out with the hoses capped, choke out. It made a sick sound, sputtering like a car. I shut if off completely. Turned it back on, tested my horn and lights. Horn is strong, blinkers ok. Tried her again, sputtered and then clicking.
Wtf

So in the year that he's had it, he has not changed the oil once.  

clicking usually happens when the battery is low, charge it.

Also can happen if the starter stalls which can happen if the decomp solenoid is out of adjustment.

Wiring connect