Carb adjustment help needed!

[bustedflat]

maybe you should try pulling the spark plugs and see if they tell you which cylinder is running lean. If a cylinder is lean on fuel it is also lean on OIL (it's a Force so you probably pre-mix). Like the old saying goes "you can pay me now or you can pay me latter", half assing or not properly repairing a 2 stroke fuel system is usually the beginning of the end, it's not just fuel but also the oil your engine needs.

And we can't stress enough how bad it is to have a lean running outboard! Doesn't take much to score a cylinder wall and burn a piston.

[Kamper]

Less likely...

Check the tension from your throttle cable. It might be pulling even though the adjuster at the motor is as far as it will go.

I've fiddled with a variety of small motors and on some this would be readily apparent and on others it isn't. On the few o/b motors I've worked on this would be apparent which is why I think it's a long shot.

Good luck!

[thill]

Aaaahhh... Some very good replies!

Kamper,

I'll definitely have to check for that. I think part of the reason the idle won't slow down is that the speed screw never touches anyway.

I agree about running lean! That's why I opened the mixture jets a bit.

But what I'm hearing is that I really need to clean and service the carbs. For some reason, I've always been a bit timid about messing with carbs. No problem ripping an engine apart, but carbs have always spooked me.

I think it's time I go over this phobia, and just cleaned the stupid things up! I'll post once I build up the nerve. Worse case, I have to take it to a mechanic to undo my mess.

Thank you, gentlemen, for the straightforward advice!

-TH

[Sandy]

thill- You might 1st want to confirm that, even though the idle speed screw is backed off all the way , the cable adjustment actually allows the carb throttle lever to full spring back to the minimum stop when the helm control lever is pulled back all the way. It should be adjusted so the control lever will definitely go back even farther is the cable is detached from either end.

[Kamper]

Any luck? Inquiring mind wants to know.

[thill]

Any luck? Inquiring mind wants to know.

Kamper,

I'm glad you asked. I hadn't looked at it yet, but saw your reply and went outside to check it out. The idle screw doesn't touch.

I disconnected the cable, and it still doesn't touch. I gave it a little push with my finger and it touches.

I opened and released it, and it keeps sticking in that spot, and needs a little push to close the gap. It's not sticking hard, just enough to keep the idle high most of the time. And THIS makes sense, because it USED to idle just right, in between sessions of idling too fast.

I'm going to go outside and search for the sticky spot and see where it is. If I can find and clean up the spot, I'll hook up the hose and see how she runs

THANK YOU, Kamper and Little Katuna for the good suggestions. I'll post what happens.

-TH

[thill]

Oh man, I feel like an idiot! But at least I learned something new.

I cleaned up the linkage, but it still wouldn't touch. Everything looked right. But when I went to remove the set screw on the cable end, there was a lot of play, and then it became obvious....

It turns out, the throttle cable has a spring tensioner inside the end connector.

(This seems like a good idea. Do all of them have this, and I just didn't know?)

All I had to do is adjust the cable a little BEYOND where it normally would stop, and the spring takes care of the rest.

NOW, it rests firmly against the idle screw every time. I won't try to adjust idle speed until I'm back on the water. I'll verify that this was my problem once I get it back on the water, but I'm very confident this was the source of my trouble.

Gentlemen, thank you very much for helping me think and find the source of my problem. I really appreciate it!

-TH

[Eggsuckindog]

Most readers weren't even reading your thread and must have Rebuild Carbs on copy and paste - your correct if it ain't broke don't fix it. I would have though it would take more than 1/16th though

[thill]

Follow up:

Got it in the water and didn't have to do anything. She's idling and running flawlessly!

Thanks again to everyone, especially those who recommended I look carefully at the throttle cables!

-TH