Beneteau381
Well-Known Member
The float height is adjustable, just bend the tangs. The rule of thumb is to turn the housing upside down and the float should lie level parallel with the edges of the housing
Honda 2.3hp problem
- Thread starter DennisF
- Start date
Beneteau381
Well-Known Member
Of course you did.
Seastoke
Well-Known Member
What’s this.
Beneteau381
Well-Known Member
The symptoms indicate running rich, how does your solution fix that? I suspect that the issue is the float or float valve. Either dirt preventing the valve closing properly or the float has a hole in it. He did say he didn’t know how to adjust the float so I explained that for him.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
For my Tohatsu 3.5 2T an OEM carb service kit was over £50 which was over half price of a complete OEM carb and only contained about 50% of the carb components. (It didn't contain some stuff that wears out and included stuff that never wears out.
)I bought the service kit. I wish I'd bought the carb. Then I'd have a complete spare carb to allow me to swap components about and pin point exactly what I need. That would also have allowed me to have a total spare tested and working carb next time which can be instantly swapped out while I work on the faulty one at my leisure. It would likely have paid for itself at the next carb clean.
I have a complete spare carb for my other outboard and it's a game changer.
So my vote is buying a new carb unless you already have one.
Chinese carbs? Maybe if one comes recommended, but I didn't have that luxury.
Seastoke
Well-Known Member
Do you know the 2.3
Beneteau381
Well-Known Member
Yup, do you?
Beneteau381
Well-Known Member
Whatever is good for you that works. Most carb probs are caused by E fuel debris and dirt, sometimes by leaky floats. Careful, thoughtful stripping followed by thoughtful analysis usually gives a solution. In this case it looks like it’s running rich, the opposite of the usual problems caused by E fuel and or dirt. Careful cleaning using mechanical means such as a fine soft wire, is the answer.For my Tohatsu 3.5 2T an OEM carb service kit was over £50 which was over half price of a complete OEM carb and only contained about 50% of the carb components. (It didn't contain some stuff that wears out and included stuff that never wears out.
I bought the service kit. I wish I'd bought the carb. Then I'd have a complete spare carb to allow me to swap components about and pin point exactly what I need. That would also have allowed me to have a total spare tested and working carb next time which can be instantly swapped out while I work on the faulty one at my leisure. It would likely have paid for itself at the next carb clean.
I have a complete spare carb for my other outboard and it's a game changer.
So my vote is buying a new carb unless you already have one.
Chinese carbs? Maybe if one comes recommended, but I didn't have that luxury.
I have used a strand out of a wire brush for years to clean orifices.
Service kits are not the solution, a bit like when someone says oh I’ve had the engine “serviced” which usually means a filter and oil change, careful mechanical cleaning is usually what is required
Sometimes people remove and clean jets but dont clean the orifices in the carb or emulsion tube.
In this case he is presenting with an engine running rich, as ive said, either the float valve is sticking open or the float is punctured. That is a simple analysis.
Out in the field I’ve never needed a rebuild kit, whatever that is. Disassemble, clean properly, don’t break the gaskets, no lazy carb cleaning spray waved about
Inspect the float by shaking it. Check the level as detailed previously and it will work
DennisF
Well-Known Member
Thanks all, but the jets and emulsifying tube were cleaned with a wire and not just carb cleaner as some seem to be assuming. After confirming it is running rich I looked at the float (Not punctured to naked eye and no liquid inside) and the needle valve looks intact with no obvious wear of the rubber tip. Honda’s own workshop manual states the float height isn’t adjustable, but if adjustment needed it should be replaced. However, I didn’t clean the hole that the needle valve seats into, although no obvious debris. There was some corrosion in the bowl which is another reason I decided on a replacement carb, rather than ordering multiple new bits. I’ve learned quite a bit about tracking down problems, both from my own efforts and the replies here, which was of course the main reason for doing this.
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Mark-1
Well-Known Member
Whatever is good for you that works. Most carb probs are caused by E fuel debris and dirt, sometimes by leaky floats. Careful, thoughtful stripping followed by thoughtful analysis usually gives a solution. In this case it looks like it’s running rich, the opposite of the usual problems caused by E fuel and or dirt. Careful cleaning using mechanical means such as a fine soft wire, is the answer.
I have used a strand out of a wire brush for years to clean orifices.
Service kits are not the solution, a bit like when someone says oh I’ve had the engine “serviced” which usually means a filter and oil change, careful mechanical cleaning is usually what is required
Sometimes people remove and clean jets but dont clean the orifices in the carb or emulsion tube.
In this case he is presenting with an engine running rich, as ive said, either the float valve is sticking open or the float is punctured. That is a simple analysis.
Out in the field I’ve never needed a rebuild kit, whatever that is. Disassemble, clean properly, don’t break the gaskets, no lazy carb cleaning spray waved about
Inspect the float by shaking it. Check the level as detailed previously and it will work
I bought the kit because I suspected the float valve or float height and I couldn't find a reliable source for float height so I figured a new spring would come at the right angle which it did. By the time I'd bought those the carb service kit looked like a better deal. From memory a float valve and a float spring (which were my initial suspicions) was the best part of 40 quid so a bag of carb components that included those for 50 quid seemed a better deal. (As I say, in hindsight, a new carb would have been better value IMHO.)
Of course nobody is going to buy a new carb or any component if a decent clean with compressed air and soft wire had worked, but if that works, people don't need to ask on YBW. By definition by the time people ask on here they've already tried the bread and butter stuff. If a through clean fails, and there's nothing else that looks untoward then parts darts is the next option and buying stuff individually is a large multiple of the cost of buying stuff grouped into a service kit or buying a whole carb.
(And yes, bending the spring a bit to let in slightly more fuel even if it wasn't 'right' would have been a wise thing to try. Googling had made me a bit obsessed with the float valve by that point - again a problem that a spare known quantity carb would have solved because I could have cannibalised the float spring and float valve out of that to rule them out.)
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Mark-1
Well-Known Member
If you suspect the float height you can just bend the spring with your fingers as a test. (And if it works just leave it like that.
)They typically bend the way the floating float 'pushes' in my limited experience. (So on my OBs one eventually lets more fuel in and the other eventually lets less in.)
If you do that I'd be tempted to try both more and less fuel. Wiser people than me reckon it's too much fuel but it sounds like too little to me.
When I had my mystery problem google suggested iffy float valves are often not detectable with the naked eye. No idea if that's true but I thought it was worth a punt at the time. Like you my valve seat looked immaculate but I replaced it anyway since I had one.
Seastoke
Well-Known Member
He has already stated , the float is not puncturedWhatever is good for you that works. Most carb probs are caused by E fuel debris and dirt, sometimes by leaky floats. Careful, thoughtful stripping followed by thoughtful analysis usually gives a solution. In this case it looks like it’s running rich, the opposite of the usual problems caused by E fuel and or dirt. Careful cleaning using mechanical means such as a fine soft wire, is the answer.
I have used a strand out of a wire brush for years to clean orifices.
Service kits are not the solution, a bit like when someone says oh I’ve had the engine “serviced” which usually means a filter and oil change, careful mechanical cleaning is usually what is required
Sometimes people remove and clean jets but dont clean the orifices in the carb or emulsion tube.
In this case he is presenting with an engine running rich, as ive said, either the float valve is sticking open or the float is punctured. That is a simple analysis.
Out in the field I’ve never needed a rebuild kit, whatever that is. Disassemble, clean properly, don’t break the gaskets, no lazy carb cleaning spray waved about
Inspect the float by shaking it. Check the level as detailed previously and it will work
VicS
Well-Known Member
If you suspect the float height you can just bend the spring with your fingers as a test. (And if it works just leave it like that.
The float is not adjustable in this way.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I guess unless it's insanely worn that suggests the float height is beyond suspicion? The needle valve, maybe?
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Milgrip
Well-Known Member
Most engine problems are either fuel or ignition. When did you last change the spark plug, it could be breaking down under load?
spudnukem
Active Member
I bought myself a small ultrasonic cleaner off ebay for around 15 drinking vouchers. Always works for me!
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
Are they really that good? I've always been skeptical but at £15 I'm thinking it's worth the punt.
DennisF
Well-Known Member
I changed the spark plug just before starting the thread, sadly, so it’s not that. I’ll update when I’ve received and fitted the replacement carb.
Steve65
Well-Known Member
Float isn't adjustable
Steve65
Well-Known Member
Hi Dennis,
Sorry I couldn't be of any help at the minute. I think you said you put a new plug in, if not change the plug.
Check the colour of the old plug, if it's black it's running rich, You may be able to adjust the carb by the tick over mixture with the screw...turn it inwards to lean the mixture.
If it's still rich the carb will need rejetting
Sorry I couldn't be of any help at the minute. I think you said you put a new plug in, if not change the plug.
Check the colour of the old plug, if it's black it's running rich, You may be able to adjust the carb by the tick over mixture with the screw...turn it inwards to lean the mixture.
If it's still rich the carb will need rejetting