Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

lets see if i can help.
1. yes put in the fuel filter.
2 lucas cleaner only a cap but i would use seafoam instead
3 cleaning tank. you could put fresh gas in put only a little and something inside to rattle around. do you need to? look inside and see if you see flakes of stuff floating in the gas now. but do just to be safe.. there maybe a chemical cleaner not sure also cleand the petcock and the fuel strainer located in the tank under/inside the petcock(make sense?)
4. oil tank wouldnt worry about it unless its plugged, just clean the filter thats inside the hose coming off tank.
5. air filter, clean with says stoddard cleaner,ive use hot water and dawn dish soap. let dry completely then oil with the gn-2 oil and wring out excess.
hope this was of some help to you if the fuel strainer confuses you let me know and ill try to get a pic for you.

Ok so i installed the fuel filter, new fuel lines, vacuum lines,oil lines and clamps.

Peaked inside of the gas tank, doesnt look bad at all.

Why Seafoam instead of Lucas?

However my new problem is i couldnt figure out how to reattach the Brass colored cap, that is holding the fuel gage float back to the top of the tank. When i pulled it off i wasnt really paying attention and thought i turned it. I tried "turning" it again and looking at it closer but i have no idea how to reattach it. There doesnt seem to be threads or anything for it.

There is a small arrow on the gas tank itself, that lines up to the way the brass peice is formed...but that doesnt reattach it. it just wants to set on that position...

AHH!

Alright so crisis averted...i found the clip to seal the gas tank hanging on some wires on the other side of the gas tank. Put it back on....

OK, So got new gas and oil in it and charged the battery. Pulled the gas line out of the carb to test the Petcock. Fired it up...and nothing. I checked by the Petcock valve, and gas was seeping out the top of the threads and dripping out. So i took it off and ran carb cleaner through the holes.

Then i fired it up again, and IT RAN!...>BUT its really rough. And wouldnt hold an idol at all...
What should the carb screws be tightened to? What do they control? I just received my idol screw in the mail...dont know what the setting should be.

But back to a problem...The petcock valve, even after i cleaned it out, was still spilling Gas out the top of the threads(Yes it was tight)....and i believe it was the problem in getting Gas to the carb in the first place. Can you do Maintenance on these? I've looked at the Technical documents on it, does this sound like a Petcock valve gone bad?

--Simplified Questions---

1) Is the Petcock valve bad? What can i do?

2) Carb screw settings and what they accually do?


Please help!

Greetings:

Check the Service Manual for the parts that go under your petcock. There's a cylindrical strainer and if memory serves an O-ring. The assembly should not be over-tightened.

Your lawn & Garden supply store can probably provide an O-ring in the approximate size needed to seal your petcock leak. If not, consider Teflon-taping the threads.

The left side of the carb has three screws. The top one merely determines where the throtle slide stops. Turn in to raise idle, out to lower. Idle speed recommended by Honda-san is 1800 RPM. On the stand you should be able to stop the wheel from turning with one finger on the tire. Which one you use is up to you.

The second screw is your idle mixture adjustment screw, sometimes called "air bleed". Turn in to reduce air (richen idle mixture) out to increase (lean idle mixture). Start at about 1.5 turns out from lightly seated. Don't crank on this thing. Brass and aluminum are easily damaged.

The third and lowermost screw is merely a drain for the float bowl. Keep it tight. I believe an o-ring goes around it too. Comes in handy when you pull the carb to keep the fuel off the priceless Afghan carpet.


Good luck!

just to add to wheelmans great explination on carb setting. the upper most screw on the carb is 1 1/2 to 2 turns out. other then that we all have you covered. hope it helped you and keep us posted.

The crazy thing is, i dont think i have ever pulled the petcock valve off..so where the heck did the 0-ring go?

My other thought, is...I had the teflon tape in my toolbag...but could it come off and move into the fuel line right? I was hesitant about that...

I'll check the store, and take some pictures. But im lost to where exactly the o-ring would go..does it need to fit the hole that comes out of the gas tank...or set inside of the petcock valve...as wide as the opening would allow?


Also, when i started twisting the screws in and out this afternoon after i got it started....it really didnt make a difference in how it was running....(idol and mixture screw)your thoughts?

the o-ring will be the same size as the hole coming out of the tank, is your carb tight? check for leaks around it,it should when the upper screw is being turned in the idle should increase,and decrease when backed out. is your needle in the center position? you idle circut may still be a bit plugged,you may have to clean it again,soak in carb dip or maybe some laquor thinner and use that #13 (i think it is)guitar string to clean that little tiny hole. oh and to answer the seafoam question, seafoam will clean the carbon over the course of time. never used the lucas so i dont know if it removes carbon build up or not,if it does then go for it.

Got an O-ring today. put in on, fit great....but somehow the gas is still getting up the threads, and dripping out of the tank...

Not to mention its still not idling worth a crap...

I'm very frustrated. Thinking about taking the carb off again and cleaning it again.



Would anyone recommend the Teflon tape on the threads for the gas tank? I'm out of ideas...it never had any problems like this before.

I'm losing my motivation..

I personally would stay away from the teflon tape. I would be worried it might degrade over time and cause further damage in the future.

Try cleaning the threads really well. It might not actually be leaking from the threads. Look close and make sure.

As for the idle, get the scoot runnin well first (correct main fuel mixture setting) then work out your idle.

Greetings:

Are you sure the gasoline is climbing up the threads? It is possible that there's a crack where the petcock fitting is welded to the tank. May I suggest you remove the petcock again and plug the hole with your finger and observe? Over-zealous tightening with a big wrench can shear the thin tank metal from the weld.

As long as you keep the Teflon tape confined to the threads, I see no harm. I've done it without issues.

with regards to the carb... the first thing you have to do is to run the engine...and hear the sound of the engine, if it is too loud then turn the idle screw counter clock wise until you get the ideal idle sound of the engine, and also check the rear wheel if it is running once the engine is turn on, if it is moving then adjust the idle screw counter clock wise.

you have to remove the air filter once you are having problem starting on the motor.