1984 200s idle issue

[Dooley]

I just picked up an 84 200s. When I bought it I noticed it wouldn't idle unless you kept the choke on. I was able to drive it up and down the road and run through the gears and all seemed fine. Got it home and first thing I did was to try adjusting the fuel mixture screw since it seemed to be running lean since it only idles on choke. I ran it all the way in and backed it out 3 turns and nowhere in between did it idle any different. Next thought was plugged slow speed jet. Took the carb apart, cleaned it thoroughly, ran a welding tip cleaner through the jets and put it all back together. I still have the same issue.

I need some direction on what to check next, this is my first Honda 3 wheeler and I'm not very familiar with them. The spark plug looks very dry when I take it out. Air filter looks good and is in the factory air box unaltered.

Update: I adjusted the cam chain after watching a YouTube video using a 3mm screw to adjust the tension, still no change. I've tried running it with the fuel mixture screw in every position from all they way in to 4 turns out. Slight changes in idle but they all end with the same result, Killing off choke. Here's a video of what's going on. It will idle on choke and you'll notice once I take it off choke it idles up, sputters and dies. The fuel mixture screw is out around 1 turn in the video. I haven't checked compression yet since I don't have the right adapter for my tester.
http://youtu.be/T51xrtZWOrA

[1979atc]

If u try everything and carb is still clean u could buy a new carb on eBay for like 25 bucks the mixture screw should be around 2 if I remember right but the fuel is bad these days and plugs up something in the carb.

[jerkin]

The choke is just another fuel passage that goes around the jets. If it runs with the choke out then you are running lean and not getting fuel through the pilot, you were on the right track cleaning out the jets but the restriction is probably in the passages up into the bore of the carburetor. I'm not familiar with this exact carb but they are all similar. Take out your pilot (idle) jet and your air screw. Spray cleaner through both, whichever one you spray into it should come out the other. Now cover one of the holes with your thumb or finger and spray into the other, you should see cleaner coming out one or two small holes in the bore, this is probably where your restriction is.

Any time you are spraying carb cleaner, especially through the little red tube, wear goggles. That stuff always ends up spraying back at you and catching it in the eyes is no picnic. I usually wear rubber gloves also as it's not good for your skin.

[yaegerb]

Don't go and swap out an OEM unit for the cheap carbs on eBay. Some guys will swear by them but in my experience they are finniky at best.

The method that works best is buy the Berryman Chem dip pail at Napa, take your carb completely apart and let the body, jets, jet needle etc soak in the dip for approximately 8-10 hours. No rubber, plastic parts can go in it....eats them up. If you let it sit longer than a day or so the dip starts eating away at the aluminum housing.....it's good stuff.

Then take the carb out and blow every orifice of the body out with carb cleaner and then blow the carb dry with compressed air.

Then buy this....http://m.ebay.com/itm/New-Honda-ATC200S-1984-1986-Carb-Repair-Kit-12-9817-/231490148695?nav=SEARCH

Reassemble the carb with everything included. You also want the replace the needle jet. Get the old one out by using a brass drift and a small hammer. Lightly tap and it will come right out. Push the new one in (make sure it's going in The right way). Then replace the rest of the components. Also, one thing I don't like about this kit is you will get generic jets and not true keihin's. You can try the generics or you can try to reuse your old ones after they have soaked, but the best thing to do is go to jetsrus.com and get a brand new pilot and main keihin jet.

[freewheeler]

The choke is just another fuel passage that goes around the jets.


I'm not familiar with this exact carb but they are all similar. A choke is never a fuel passage. Yes all carbs work on the same principal, but no they are not all similar. The choke on his three wheeler is a butterfly style that blocks air from entering the venturi.

[jerkin]

A choke is never a fuel passage. Yes all carbs work on the same principal, but no they are not all similar. The choke on his three wheeler is a butterfly style that blocks air from entering the venturi.
Yeah, forgot about the 4 stroke thing and butterfly chokes but same principal, if you need to choke it then it's running lean. And yes, chokes are fuel passages in many instances, look at many 2 stroke carbs (Keihin PWK is a popular one), most have a tube that drops down into the bowl to pull fuel from and the on/off is just a valve that opens or closes that passage to allow fuel into the carb bore.

Look at this diagram and you'll see what I mean, #2 is the choke lever, lift it up and it opens the passage into the bore of the carb. Look at the bowl and you'll see the tube that feeds the choke sticking out at an angle from one corner.

http://www.sudco.com/Diagrams123/exppwk.gif

[freewheeler]

Nope. A choke is NEVER a fuel passage. A choke also NEVER acts as a fuel valve. The fact that you "forgot" about the most common choke apparatus in existence should tell you that you might need to brush up a bit on your carb knowledge. Good effort though.