Honda Carb Adjustment

"I have a Honda 45hp. Over the

"I have a Honda 45hp. Over the winter I pulled the carbs off broke them down, soaked them in carb cleaner, put in all new gaskets, o-rings and pilot screws.

I just recently put them back on the motor and with the initial setting as specified by the factory shop manual I fired it up. I made the applicable idle setting, synchronized them and proceded to set the pilot screws.

The initial setting per the manual stated to lightly seat them then turn out 2 1/8 turns. The adjustment procedure says to turn the screw in or out in 1/8 increments utill you get to the highest idle. I attached a separate dwell tach because I figured it was more sensitive than the dash tach for this type of adjustments.

It didn't seem to make much difference at all turning the pilot screws in or out and I was going at least a full turn or more in either direction. At one point during my adjustments I decided to reseat the particular pilot screw I was adjusting and bring it back to the initial 2 1/8 out setting. Just as I was getting down "prior" to where it was going to seat I noticed the engine idle started to climb conciderably. I kind of ignored this and proceded to lightly seat the scew and back it out again to the initial 2 1/8 out setting.

Thinking about it now is it possible that these screws need to be adjusted that far in to where I actually noticed the idle was increasing or should I just leave them alone? I guess I didn't expected to have to make that much of an adjustment but the more I think about my small engine experience I guess that is what I would do on my lawn equipment. I'm not sure if I should worry about that or not but don't want to mess up anything.

I just don't want to take a chance if I'm not positive and I thought that maybe someone out there with more experience than me might be able to guide me a little.

Any help is appreciated .

Jim"

I tried the pilot adjustment a

I tried the pilot adjustment again this time I paid a lot closer attention. As in my initial post turning the pilot screws made little difference but the strangest thing I found was that I could turn the #1 carb pilot screw all the way in until it was lightly seated and the motor would run smoother than when it's adjusted out.
I don't understand why this would happen?

If I tried the same on the #2 or 3 carb they would run rough when the screw would seat.


Anyone have any ideas?
Jim

Gday Jim
I'm interested i

Gday Jim
I'm interested in knowing how you balanced/synchronized the carbs as this adjustment is crucial to the idle integrity of the engine. I would just preset the pilot screws at 2 turns then balance the carbs then go back to the pilot adjustments.

Cheers Spanaman

"I used a carbtune synch gage,

"I used a carbtune synch gage, you can connect up to 4 carbs. You attach them same as if you were using single gages and adjust untill the three carbs HG is the same. The #3 carb is the master and you adjust the #1 and #2 to match.

I followed the procedure in the Honda shop manual."

"Definately go through the car

"Definately go through the carb synch again and when using ur vacuum gauges you should swap the hoses around to verify the gauges are reading correctly, whilst balancing the carbs after an adjustment shut down the engine and put it to full throttle several times, restart, readjust and redo if necessary, you should also check ur compression spark plugs and valve clearances. When cleaning carbs i use an aerosol can of carb cleaner to check all the orifices and compressed air. If you have seated the pilot screw and the engine runs better then the carb has to be letting fuel into the engine somehow, perhaps you have an air bleed blocked up or the carb is choking or flooding somehow. I would think that if the engine is mechanically good and that the carb synch is good then you would have to go through the carb/s again. Or you could just leave it if its not causing you any problems, but i'd have to have a go it'd piss me off not finding the problem, hope this helps."

"It has new plugs and I adjust

"It has new plugs and I adjusted the valves when I got it (I got this motor a little over a year ago) and I did move the hoses around when synching to make sure I was getting the right readings. I didn't check the compression yet but I will do that.

I guess I'll have to try pulling the carb apart again just to recheck because like you just knowing something isn't right bugs me.

The motor seems to run ok WOT everything is fine, it idles ok only once in a while when I accelerate there is a slight hesitation. Once past that everything is fine.

Thanks for your help
Jim"

"When you take the carbs apart

"When you take the carbs apart, examine the jet tubes very closely with a magnifing glass. They develop Very small cracks that you sometimes cannot see with the naked eye. If they are cracked, replace them."

Thanks I'll check that as

Thanks I'll check that as well as I plan on pulling them apart again and rechecking everything again. Too bad Honda set these up as a unit evertime I pull them apart I have to replace 6 carb gaskets as well as an intake and exhaust gasket.

Sorry I didn't respond sooner but I was on vacation on Salem Lake in VT.

"I have twin 2004 Honda 50s an

"I have twin 2004 Honda 50s and am inquiring about the pilot screws. The three carburetor pilot screws all have a "limiter" on the screw head which allows only about a quarter turn adjustment.

In speaking to a friend, he mentioned that the screws actually have a cap with the limiters that can be removed to expose the actual screw head.

Would appreciate any information on these particular pilot screws with limiters.

Thanks."

My 45hp (the predicessor t

My 45hp (the predicessor to your 50's) does not have any limiters on the pilot screws.