Small Honda outboard 4 stroke

[Pagetslady]

Hi a friend of mine has a small Honda 4 stroke outboard 2Hp I think, it wont start after a period of two years not used, Plug is dry after several tries. I assume this will be a blocked jet or float chamber blockage, to remove the float chamber is it just a matter of unscrewing the wing nut on the bottom of the chamber, unfortunately it looks a little rusty and I don't want to be the one that has to break it, also how much work is involved in removing the carburettor.
Regards Mike

 

[Lakesailor]

You really need to remove the carb entirely and strip it down. Clean jets and passages and the float needle valve. Even 4 stroke engines gum up if left with fuel in. An air line is the best way to really clean out the passages and jets. You can poke them with soft copper wire, but brass jets are soft themselves and anything harder will open the orifices up. Which you don't want.

You can always try flinging a bit of fuel in the carb throat and starting it. Sometimes it's enough to clear things.

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[John the kiwi]

Honda 4 strokes of older vintage have absolutely miniscule jets which are susceptible to water droplets, crud, gum from being left unused, etc etc.
i have found that repeated applications of CRC Carburetor cleaner is efficacious. Ideally carefully disassemble carb. and squirt all orifices. If you dont want to remove carb, try removing idle adjustment screw completely and squirt in there. Don't lose the spring and check manual for correct adjustment which is likely to be about one and a half turns from closed.
Also try disconnecting fuel line inlet to carb. and squirting CRC into the inlet.
Could be the float is just stuck. Does the carb bowl have a drain? Open it and see if anything comes out. if not try some very carefully judged percussive maintenance. i.e a sharp tap with a small blunt instrument to shock the float down.
Try to resist pushing wires etc through the jets. You will most likely damage them.
Good luck.