[auerrod]

I bought my wife a little, tiny 250 honda rebel (86) which needs some TLC. I pulled the carb and cleaned it real good, put it back together fine, cleaned out the tank and fuel filter on the petcock. Plugs are fine, oil is new, gets plenty of spark. I checked all lines for obstructions...none found. New battery, cleaned up paint etc. Bike won't start. Spray starter fluid in the intake and it starts. What am I overlooking? I can get it to run for little bursts with the fluid so I know I have compression and it turns over fine, it just won't start "naturally" (without the aid of starter fluid). I'm thinking of taking it in to the shop but that'd make a learning project a whole lot less of a learning experience. Any suggestions?


Brad

 

[Bladerunr]

Fuel is not getting past the carb. Check the float valve and jets for obstructions. And the fuel selector valve under the tank....

 

[auerrod]

I cleaned the crap out of the float and jets. Gas is not exactly free-flowing from the petcock (selector valve) but I think it needs vacuum (from the carb) to send the fuel. I will pull it... again... and take it apart... again... and recheck the float valve because now I'm paranoid that it will be that! Thanks.

 

[youngja]

The majority of the time if fuel sets in the carb float bowl for a long time some of the additives in the fuel (it seems to be worse now than it used to be) harden in the jets and air bleeds. The number 1 culprit is the pilot jet ( the smaller one next to the main jet). Remove the jets and hold them up to a light source, you should be able to see light through them. I have a set of very small drill bits that I start with by hand and run them through until I start to contact the jet bore. You don't want to hog out the jet size just remove the obstructions. Believe me I done this several time to dirt bikes that sit with old fuel, Its always the pilot jet. Or your float valve is stuck closed.

 

[Mike7202]

Gas is not exactly free-flowing from the petcock (selector valve) but I think it needs vacuum (from the carb) to send the fuel.

Correct; the petcock on the rebels had a diaphram in them that worked off of carb vacuum. (they still might for allI know) sometimes they get stuck and dont allow fuel to flow.


also check the floats. to make sure they are working properly

 

[arizonawarrior]

You are going to love this:


http://www.surfmaine.com/rebel/manuals/owner-manual/index.html

I bought my wife a little, tiny 250 honda rebel (86) which needs some TLC. I pulled the carb and cleaned it real good, put it back together fine, cleaned out the tank and fuel filter on the petcock. Plugs are fine, oil is new, gets plenty of spark. I checked all lines for obstructions...none found. New battery, cleaned up paint etc. Bike won't start. Spray starter fluid in the intake and it starts. What am I overlooking? I can get it to run for little bursts with the fluid so I know I have compression and it turns over fine, it just won't start "naturally" (without the aid of starter fluid). I'm thinking of taking it in to the shop but that'd make a learning project a whole lot less of a learning experience. Any suggestions?


Brad

 

[auerrod]

Very Cool!! I found the exploded carb view on another site which gave me a great diagram to follow during the rebuild. Since the last time I posted I have taken apart and cleaned it twice more and have since been able to ride it approximately 1/4 of a mile down the road. Unfortunately it only made it down the road, I then had a quarter mile push back. It only is able to stay running if I am on the gas and as soon as I get to 3rd gear and it is running considerably lower RPM's it starts to die out and stall. I'm pretty sure the underlying problem is a vacuum problem (obstruction in the venturi) somewhere in the slow jet pathway. Since it runs at higher revs it is bypassing the slow jet, but once it drops to idle during shifts it is unable to recover enough vacuum thru the slow jet to transition to the fast jet. I'm learning everything as I go so if anyone has any other suggestions about what it could be I would be very appreciative.

 

[preacherman]

You need to talk to Woody he is the resident expert on everything mechanical.

 

[arizonawarrior]

I'd say the carb is as rebuilt as its going to get do you think!! Unless there's a potato in your exhaust

orsomeone stretched plastic wrapover your intake air filter

I'd wonder ifyou lefta vacuum hoseoff someplace maybe. If not, yep, the idle is where to look but if it won't idle at all

set the idle up higher?

 

[warriordude]

check for vacuum leak with a little WD 40 spray. Check the carb vent lines clear. Try running the fuel selector on reserve,it will bypass the vacuum diaphram,reserve is also know as Prime 4 when U run out of fuel.Check the fuel tank vent or try it with the cap loose.