Help With 85r Slow Jet Broken?

[Onetrackmind]

I know I have started way to many "Help Me" threads lately...sorry., but I'm addicted to this machine and I want to get it running good ASAP.

Tonight I started to rebuild the carb and got as far as removing the slow jet when I realized that the head of it was broken off and the jet is stuck. i definitely want to get this out and replace it but I think I have only one option. Should I use a screw extractor to try and pull it out (don't have one) or just leave it be and rebuild the rest of the carb?

Thanks

[onformula1]

Get it out.
Soak it over night in PB Blaster before using a extractor. Clean it with carb. cleaner spray before using the extractor to remove all oils.

[jb2wheels]

I like to try reverse twist (left hand) drill bits when digging out old screws.

I normally break the extractors and then I'm screwed.

[Onetrackmind]

Update:
I went and bought a micro set of extractors at Sears and turned it super-slow. It worked and I didn't screw the carb up! Woo-hoo!

Thanks for the advice.

[Onetrackmind]

So I got the bike back together yesterday and ran it long enough to warm it up to set the idle. Shut it off and intentionally left the fuel on overnight to check the float. This morning I found nice big puddle of gas under it. The leak was coming from the carburetor overflow tube.

When I had the carb apart, it did already have an aftermarket plastic float that wasn't leaky...but I did not check the level. Is there a way to check the float level without a float guage?

Thanks.

[Dirtcrasher]

No, there is some junk in your (I forget the Fn name, lol) pointy rubber piece slid on float. The rubber can dry out and a complete rebuilt kit 15$ and a good cleaning with carb cleaner will do it. Fuel valve, float valve, I forget; IDK the names anymore I just know how to fix them


I've even had rebuilt carbs do this and a smack em with the handle of a screwdriver when they hang up.....

[Onetrackmind]

Thanks
Is that valve you are talking about called a needle valve? I put a rebuild kit in it and it came with a new one. I also cleaned all of the passages with carb cleaner and blew it all out with compressed air. I guess I will take it apart again and make sure that valve is fully seating.

[Onetrackmind]

Ok, I cleaned out the valve seat and put the carb back together and hung the tank last night. Left the petcock on and went to bed. This morning I went to the garage and found more fuel under the bike (in a plastic wash pan this time ). It wasn't near as much as the first time, but it's still overflowing.

What I'm thinking is that the float tab that pushes the needle valve into its seat isn't quite doing its job. Can it slightly bend that tab to make it push the needle valve a fraction more into the seat?

Thanks.

[Dirtcrasher]

Aren't they plastic?? May want to replace them.

Maybe they sat in old gas for awhile??

Do it once, do it right and be done with it.....

[Onetrackmind]

Thanks for the heads up. I took the carb and float up to my dealer today to see if they had any ideas. He said the float looked great (actually the whole carb did) and his only suggestion was to "slightly" adjust the float to get the valve to fully seat.

I did that, sat the tank on, hooked it all up, and ran it for about 15 mins...it ran great. While it was warm I went ahead and checked the compression. It was 165. I know the manual says 170-200, but I really don't want to do a top-end right now...is 165 going to hurt anything?

It's been about 6 hrs and not one drop out of the overflow, so maybe that issue is fixed. We will see in the morning I guess.

One other issue that has been troubling me is the lower end power on this thing. I have never owned a 2 stroke bike, but I have had several 3 wheelers (biggest being a 200x) and my current ride is an '08 TRX 400EX. I understand powerband, but I keep thinking that this R should pull my arms off in 1st and 2nd with a thumb-full of throttle. It wakes up in 3rd and pulls really good after that, but low gears it's not that hot. It revs really well, just nothing getting to the wheels (almost like the clutch is slipping).

Could the fact that the carb has been flooding it out have this effect or is it low compression...or something else that I don't want to hear?

Thanks for all the help.

[thcowboy]

I wouldnt think 5 psi would make a difference

[yaegerb]

165 is low and MAY NOT hurt anything, depending on what's going on. Did you kick it over with the thumb throttle at Wide open? The way I test now (as advised by Harry Klemm) is to put the 250r in a higher gear, thumb throttle wide open, push the bike and let it roll over six or seven times....way more accurate than kick starting. As for your "low gear" problem, it almost sounds like you are too rich on pilot or needle circuit. A properly tuned motor will "hit" quickly in first and second gear if you want to. What does your plug look like? Should look like a brown paper bag.

[Onetrackmind]

Yes, kicked it with WOT about 15 times and 165 is all I got after about 12-15 mins of idle and feathering of the throttle. I'm ok with being a little low as long as I'm not hurting anything. I will try to do the test as you described if it's not too wet in the morning...we are expecting snow tonight. Compared to kicking it, how does this method differ in the reading? High, low...depends? I've never heard of it...just curious.

The plug I have in it is about two months old and really can't be used for much of a diagnosis now. (It was wet and very dark when I pulled it out for the comp test.) I put it in before I even started messing with the carb (fresh kit) or anything else for that matter, so I will put a fresh one in tomorrow. In addition to the slow jet being broken (fixed that), the airscrew it had in it before the rebuild wasn't even the right one. It was a solid 1/2" shorter than the one from Shindy...I'm pretty sure that didn't help my mixture any.

BTW, I know the book calls for .028-.031 gap...what do you recommend for stock jetting? I am at 500'. This one was on the high side...maybe even .032, so I put it at about .029 (coin style gapper-not very accurate).

[yaegerb]

.29 is fine for stock. How many turns out is your air screw?

[Onetrackmind]

The book calls for 2 turn out, but I put in Boyeson Power Reeds a few weeks ago (the old ones were shot) and they say the Power Reeds will make it run a bit rich. I have mine at about 2 3/4 turns right now and will adjust tomorrow for highest idle. Does that sound about right?

I'm hoping that a lot of these issues were being caused by the combination of broken slow jet, overflowing bowl and the tiny air screw... If I don't have gas on the floor tomorrow, I will put the bike back together and go ride it for confirmation.

Btw, I think I edited/added to my last post while you were posting.