ATV carburetion ajustment

[caveman]

            Hey Guys,  Wishing you all a nice day,

      As some of you already know,  I recently bought an "ATV".     [ It's just a "fill-in" until I get  my mower running]    I've found this ATV to have a different "set-up" than what I'm use to and need help in understanding it.   

      I can only find one "screw" on the side of my carburetor for adjustment.    It - - - the screw - - -  when  run in clockwise, - -  the engine picks up speed.  That screw acts like a throttle adjustment,  - - - - -  not an  "air bleed" screw .       The only other adjustment that I can find is the adjustment on the handlebar that is used for the throttle.     When I try to adjust the "handlebar  throttle  - - - - nothing appears to happen.   

      My question is :   
      Don't ATV carburetors have an  "air bleed adjustment  and if so  - - - where is it located ?  There is a covered wire coming into the very top of the carb, but I think that is the throttle cable.  ?????      The only other adjustment I can find on THAT carb is the choke.   

      Your input would be greatly appreciated  and may shed some light on this "odd" carb.

                                                                     Norman

[money89tractors]

Most ATVs do have an air/fuel or "airbleed" adjustment on them. The screw that you say when turned it causes the engine to pick up speed is the idle adjustment. With your quad being an "off brand" or none name brand ATV, it may not have an air/fuel mixture adjustment.

The covered wire going into the top of the carb IS the throttle cable.

-Phil

[caveman]

    Hey Phil,  SORRY to be so late getting back to you..      I couldn't get through to the "site" the other day and since then I've been clearing a trail .      I can still swing a mean machete  and axe.          

      Phil - - - -   is the gas and air calibrated inside the carb or does the carb just allow just so much gas in to mix in the air intake at the carb's throat ?   If the "latter" is the case - - -  it would seem to me that a lot of  "raw" gas would be wasted    as the mix wouldn't be atomized.  !!!!!!!   

      I'm still having troubles with "that" carb and I contacted the company and "THEY" said they will replace  the carb  and that sticking rear brake system.      BUT - - - - This makes me think that I'm just buying time before the carb messes up again.   Is there some other option I can do such as use a conventional carb ?   AS a rule - - -  I'm a handy man and have been known to "make" things fit on cars that were made for different makes  even making casts and using my lathe  -- - machine the part - - -  if need be.       

      Phil - - - - I think you understand what I'm saying - -   if possible - - - I would change whatever on the ATV or my mower if for no other reason than for it to be dependable.    No fun working out in the middle of   "no-where"   perhaps miles from home.      I always carry enough tools with me to almost rebuild whatever it is that I drive or ride.   

      Sure do appreciate your input  and hope others would join-in and give me their thoughts as well.    Come on  GUYS - - -  We all may be in this  "boat"  some day.  A little knowledge is worth a million when or if it should happen .    WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE A SITE LIKE THIS TO TURN TO FOR HELP.        Just an added thought - - - [ really off topic]    Haven't "heard" from Chris lately - - -hope all is well ?

      Here's wishing you a nice day and THANKS again for your time in helping me.                  Norman


 

[money89tractors]

One big option for you is to get a more "name brand" carb that is by far more adjustable. Mikuni makes pretty good carbs that are fully adjustable. Only problem i see is making sure things like your choke setup will work OR the ability to make the choke setup on that "new" carb work for you.

Here is Mikuni's contact info:

www.mikuni.com

Head Office

Mikuni American Corporation
8910 Mikuni Avenue
Northridge, CA 91324-3496
Tel: (818) 885-1242
Fax: (818) 993-6877

-Phil

[caveman]

      Hey Phil,   Hope your day goes well for you,

   Thanks for the info.   That's some site.    Lots of information to study.   I've considered a different carb but decided  not to go in that direction.     The reason being the ATV was only to be a  "fill-in"  until I can get to work on my mowers.   After  "that" - - -  the ATV will more likely sit  most of the time and be used by a friend that wish to "see" some of my mountain trails with me.     The ATV is good for me to get back into the basics that I've missed for almost a year.   

   Sure do appreciate your help and thanks again for the info site.

                                              Norman

[caveman]

            Hey Guys - - - here's  wishing that your day goes well for you,

      I've been hard at it on "that" carburetor.      I  just don't like it for a "bucket of bolts" to get the better of me.    So far - - -  I've taken it off and cleaned it three times, - - - and each time making small adjustments on the "float tang"   that  works the  gas shut-off needle .     Well  - - THAT stopped the flooding.   

      Now I've run into another problem.   I sorta don't know which way to go  so I'll just explain what the ATV is doing and perhaps find another direction to explore. 

      After many Adjustments on the only adjustment available to me - - - the "idle" screw on the outside of the carb - - - - I at last got the ATV to idle real good and without the  "stumble, - - loading up,  - -or backfiring through the carb.    Now when I crank it up it will sit and idle real good after it's warmed-up.  Also when  I  "GIVE it THE GAS"   - -   the ATV does real well without the mentioned  " BS"  of loading   - stumble - or backfire.         HOWEVER - - - - as soon as I put that turkey in gear - - -  it's right back to playing it's bad games of acting like  it wants to buck me off it.  It "surges forward than wants to stop than again surges forward.      Just maybe  the problem is elsewhere such as the coil or condenser  [ if it has these things]    or just perhaps I should just  get    some spurs  .       

     Another thought came to me - - - - I changed the setting on the spark plug from  .28"  to 30"  .      Today  I'm going to make the plug changes to  .36"   then to  .40" and see if that will help any.      The  ATV  - - -in a way feels like it was  "firing" before   "TDC"   as the backfiring  through the carb earlier .          I also noticed that the plug wire has a very sharp bend in it just before the plug connection.  That wire sorta feels  "limp" to me           I was wondering if just perhaps the wire could be at fault  - - - -making contact and breaking contact as the ATV is moving  ?           If so can "that" wire be changed without changing a coil or whatever ?????      I have no way of knowing if "that" wire is really wire or graphite.      

      The only other thing I can think of  - - off hand is  " THEY " put the gas adjustment  - - - the spring loaded needle valve inside the top of the float bowl.    A real "dumb" thing to do.   Maybe as time goes on  I just may make an access port to reach that adjustment without removing the carb and taking off the float bowl   [ THAT was a REAL dumb - -DUMB thing for "THEM" to do that. 

      Well Guys - - - - there you have it - - - I think.        

      This "caveman" has a  " no give-up" way of thinking  and just don't like a  "bucket of bolts" to get the better of me.    Perhaps some of you have had these things happen to you and if so - - - - I sure would appreciate your time taken on this matter.       I look at this whole thing as a learning experience but it would be nice to ride it once in awhile       

     Thanks again - - - -Have a good one,     Norman

     

       

     

[Chris]

I'm still around, just been real busy packing!

If the company is willing to replace the carb and rear brake assembly, let them throw some new parts and it. You might be using all your time trying to get this thing running correctly, and it might just be a bad carb. I spent weeks working on my old 1972 E-Z-GO Leaded 2-cycle golf cart trying to keep it running, in the end I replaced the carb and she ran great (for a year). Although that carb was original from the 70's and had a bit of wear and tear on it, you might have a carb with a hole where there's not supposed to be one, or something similar.

I don't think that improperly gapping the spark plug would create the issues you're having. But it's worth checking that spark plug wire. Grab your welding gloves and wiggle the wire while it's idling - if it starts to misfire your problem is there.

What size engine is on this ATV. I wish you lived closer, I'd come check the thing out and we could troubleshoot it until it worked properly. It can be so many different things, and I know it's probably very frustrating for you because you have this toy that you can't even play with!