Cant keep it running

[tnich]

I am new to this forum. I have a 86 Honda Spree. I have owned it for several years. I stored it about a year and a half ago. I got it out of storage this weekend and replaced the battery. It wouldnt crank so I got the starting fluid and sprayed it into the intake. Everytime I sprayed it it would crank and run for a few seconds then die. My next step was to take the carb off and take it apart and clean it. I have done this a couple of times over the years. This time it still didnt cure the problem. I am convinced it isnt getting fuel from the tank. I checked the tank and it is clean, the fuel screan has been removed. What am I missing? Any help you guys can give would help get megoing in th right direction.

[Bear45-70]

Cranking means the engine turns over when you hit the starter button. Starts means the engine fired.

First, replace the gas with fresh.

Second, compression test.

Third, clean the carb again per instructions in Tech Documents.

Fourth, it wouldn't hurt to drain and replace the oil in the oil tank.

[tnich]

I replaced the fuel with new. When I pull the fuel lines off of the carb they are dry. There is no fuel getting to the carb. I know the motor is good I used to take the Spree to the race track when you could still do it. I will change the oil as soon as I can keep it running. I have faith in my ability to rebuild the carb. I let it soak for 36 hours in good carb cleaner and blew all the parts out good. If I can get it to run I will repalce the carb if it still doesnt run correctly.

[Bear45-70]

If there is no fuel to the carb you need to check the vacuum petcock. Pull both lines from the petcock off at the intake and suck in the one comming off the bottom of the petcock. Fuel should flow out the other line. If not remove the petcock and clean it.

Why do you need the engine running to change the oil?

When it comes to cleaning the carb, soaking does not get the job done. The passages are to small for the cleaner to get into all of them. You need to squirt either carb cleaner or WD-40 thru all the passages to confirm they are clear. Fuel sitting in the carb, then evaporating leaves crap in the carb from the junk fuel we now have to live with.

[tnich]

The more I read the more I think it is the petcock. At least now I know how to check it. Can it be cleaned or does it have to be replaced? I let the carb soak then I sprayed all the parts with carb cleaner then blew all the parts out. I know it set long enough that the old fuel had varnished. I just read the carb cleaning post and it looks s though I got all the little parts cleaned. Kind of like cleaning the old carbs on air cooled VW engines. I may just buy a rebuilt carb. I am sure there are some available on this site. I will change oil but my first priorty is to get it to run again then I will take care of changing oil and adding a new spark plug and doing some cleaning on it.

[Bear45-70]

The petcock is a vacuum controlled valve, the vacuum comes from the intake manifold when the engine is being cranked by the starter or running. No vacuum and no fuel flow. Vacuum pulls the valve open. The engine does not suck real hard so if the valve is stuck due to old fuel, try sucking on the line out of the bottom of the petcock and it may clear. If not, then the petcock has to be removed from the tank and you can try manually forcing the valve open from the inlet side.

[tnich]

Thanks

I will check the petcock and see if I have any vacuum to the valve. If not do I use compressed air from the top of the valve to free it? The more I study this forum the more I learn about these Spree's. Its a good forum with a lot of information. The more I studied it last night the I have decided I probably need to replace the carb. Where can I get one and what should it cost? I see these mopeds have quite a following and like everything else guys get their hands on a lot of these are being made to run a lot faster with bigger displacements.
I also see a lot of people recommend to remove the washer/spacer from the exhaust? Where is this spacer/washer located in the exhaust?

[Bear45-70]

Thanks

I will check the petcock and see if I have any vacuum to the valve. If not do I use compressed air from the top of the valve to free it? The more I study this forum the more I learn about these Spree's. Its a good forum with a lot of information. The more I studied it last night the I have decided I probably need to replace the carb. Where can I get one and what should it cost? I see these mopeds have quite a following and like everything else guys get their hands on a lot of these are being made to run a lot faster with bigger displacements.
I also see a lot of people recommend to remove the washer/spacer from the exhaust? Where is this spacer/washer located in the exhaust?

You can use air pressure, but don't be using 120 PSI. A non-sharp tool will work, something flat or smoothly rounded on the end as you don't want to puncture the diaphragm. The vast majority of carbs that are replace are done so because someone either doesn't understand how carbs work and can't fix it or they are too lazy to try.

The spacer washer is only on the IOWA Sprees. The vast majority do not have it.

[tnich]

Again thanks for the info I will try your suggestions later this week when I get back to the Spree. I understand how carbs. work and I have the patience to rebuild them. The problem with mine is I know it set for so long that the fuel varnished in it and made a mess. I am not sure that I will ever get it clean enough so it will run the way it used to.
So IWOA Sprees are different from those shipped to other states? Mine is Texas born and bread.

[Bear45-70]

Again thanks for the info I will try your suggestions later this week when I get back to the Spree. I understand how carbs. work and I have the patience to rebuild them. The problem with mine is I know it set for so long that the fuel varnished in it and made a mess. I am not sure that I will ever get it clean enough so it will run the way it used to.
So IWOA Sprees are different from those shipped to other states? Mine is Texas born and bread.

To qualify as a moped in all states but Iowa, a scooter had to have less than 50 CC and go no faster than 30 mph. However Iowa insisted on being the oddball and required 25 mph, hence the restricter. Carb cleaner will remove varnish easily and quickly and is not a good reason to replace a carb. If I had replaced varnished carbs instead of rebuilding, I would have rebuilt less than 100 carbs instead of thousands.