Carburetion manual

I just received my Honda TM044 carburetion manual and have to tell everyone NOT to touch your carburator until you're read this manual. It's great and well worth the $.

Smart purchase!

I learn something new every time I look at it.

Mike

Ditto! I wish I had known of this manual years ago when I first started "trial and error" Honda carb repair. Wish I'd known Mike back then too. Life would have been SO much easier!

Great buy hairdresser100!

Alas though, there will be many that will pass it up because it is over $30!

.............if they only knew...........

I read it again last night and there's something here I'm surprised no one talks about in all of the carb forums I've read.

This manual talks all about squirting carb cleaner through all the important, and sometimes hidden, ports and there's one ports that easily accessible from the outside world that could be used to back feed the carb and clean the most commonly blocked jets ...........the Atmospheric Vents. No tools required either. (I have read about back feeding the drain on the bowl.)

The other thing not talked about in the forums I've read is replacing the two zincs on the back of the intake manifold when one removes it to fuss with the carbs.

I haven't read anything yet that says DON'T spray carb cleaner on any particular part, float or gasket. This topic is in lots of forums where people write that carb cleaner is bad for some parts of the carb.....but I'll keep reading to find out more about this topic.

Have a great day!

Great book.

Well, I have to...once again...give credit to Mike on this subject. I know I have seen posts, some not so recent either, here where HE has suggested cleaning the vents. Of course, he was the one that told me about the carb manual.

As far as "carb cleaner" being bad for parts, I would say that the guys that used to soak automotive carbs in the BERRYMAN'S bucket got a rude surprise when they pulled their Honda carb out with no plastic left on it. I'm guessing that's where all the warnings come from. I don't know of any carb spray on the market today that would harm one of these carburetors. I use tons of it all the time.

Good point about the ZINCS. I tend to skip around a shop manual to get "what I need" and sometimes miss little "tidbits" like that. Thanks for pointing it out.

Here's one on page 8-4! "Do not "Fog" Honda engines. A tablespoon of clean engine oil can be added to the cumbustion chamber for storage."

Notice that they don't explain why NOT to "fog" in the same manner that they do explain, in the preceding paragraph, about changing engine oil and filter. Which, in my opinion, is the MOST important tip about storage. Wherein, if you adhere to the change oil policy, you will not get acid "etching" of the bearings that will be left submerged in oil. VERY IMPORTANT AND USEFUL PIECE OF ADVICE!

I suspect that there have been a few "disasters" with varying degrees of IDIOTS "fogging" their outboards for storage. If done carelessly or with the wrong substance/ingredients, I can see where it could be FAR worse than doing nothing at all.

What should be understood about the suggested technique of adding a teaspoon of oil (which I don't necessarily disagree with) to the combustion chamber, is the fact that it won't provide the desired protection if THAT is not done properly either.

The cylinder needs to be in such a position that when the oil is introduced through the spark plug hole, the crown (top) of the piston needs to be as near horizontal as is possible. This allows for the oil to spread out over the piston surface evenly. Another step that is not mentioned is that the spark plug should then be reinstalled and then the cylinder SLOWLY rotated through at least one compression cycle to force the oil over the edge of the crown and onto the rings and cylinder walls.

With almost all outboards having horizontal cylinders with the piston crowns "sideways" or vertical, you can see where tipping the outboard up as far as is possible would be required to perform this function properly. On a small motor, not a big deal but how would this be done on a 75hp or larger engine?

Fogging outboards for storage is a tried and true technique for ensuring that oxidation is not taking place in the cylinders while the equipment is not in use but that is not to say that anyone and everyone can do it correctly without negative consequences. So, while not at all bad advice or technically incorrect in any way, I view that sentence to be a form of CYA by Honda and it's affiliates.

SAFE and happy boating,
jimmyd