[Budweiser]

1996 300FW. Its in great shape, has been running perfect. I was using it today as it will be used, with a small wagon, picking up sticks to get ready for the first lawn mowing. Finished up and decided to race it around the yard, dog likes to chase it. Well, it was running fine when all of a sudden it loses power, like its out of gas, (its not). Idles fine but when given even very light throttle it sputters and quits or almost quits. If I give it some choke when its starting to quit it will keep running. Barely got it in the garage. Starts right back up and idles perfect but any kind of throttle and it sputters or dies.

Carb rebuild? This carb has never been rebuilt. I have the kit to do it. ATV has seen little use and has been sitting the last 3-4 years without being started. I've already cleaned the tank, no rust and replaced the fuel strainer in the petcock. It has been running perfect but thats probably for a combined 1/2 hour of running time since I cleaned it up.

I'm thinking the carb needs to be rebuilt but thought I'd ask you guru's first!

 

[Goober]

Yup
Rebuild is easy for $100 in parts; shop would charge $275.
Shindy rebuild kit has all the gaskets/jets except the passage plug. I recommend getting a new OEM starter valve and primer plunger.

Shadetree has an outstanding carb sticky; here’s my thread on a junked VE90E carb. I was very careful to clean the carb to minimize the potential for junk in the primer passage.
https://www.hondaatvforums.net/forums/honda-fourtrax/119242-trx300-carb-rebuild.html

 

[shadetree]

3-4 years without running ?..holy crap bat man !..deff clean the carb or rebuild it.

 

[Budweiser]

Yup, 3-4 years! Thing is, it ran perfect for a while. That's why I didn't touch the carb. I have an 84 Big Red too, great condition. Carb has never been touched.

$100 to rebuild? The kit I got cost 14.00. Is that bad? Its from Amazon, Titan performance. Do I need the primer plunger to work? I've only started it once in the cold, just to see if it would start. It was about 20f and it started right up. This ATV wont be used in the winter.

I didn't even know they had a primer plunger! What is the starter valve?

I'll check out all the stickys, thanks for the info!

 

[retro]

Ya, the china carb kit you got is garbage, it can't be used at all. There aren't any china parts that work on Hondas, 'cept maybe a handlebar clamp or maybe a zip tie.... Genuine Shindy carb kit or OEM parts only, those are your only two choices for carb parts. Beware of the few liars on fLeebay selling fake Shindy kits too! :-(
@Goober has got those carbs mastered, follow 'im wherever he says.

 

[Budweiser]

Good to know, thanks. I'll google the Shindy one and see if Honda makes a rebuild kit for it.

 

[Budweiser]

Ok, does this sound right?

Shindy rebuild kit on Amazon. 03-031. $16.39
Valve set, starter. 16046-HM5-730. $39.65 (what does this do?)
Pump set. 16048-HM7-700. $53.65.

Theres the $100 you were talking about Goober! Do you recommend me just getting all this stuff and putting in or taking the carb apart first and seeing whats going on in there?

And do I really need a pump set? Manual says to use when temp is below 5f. When its that cold I'll be riding my snowmobile!!! Not sure if the pump set needs to be working correctly for the carb to function.

Thanks for the help!!

 

[shadetree]

Ok, does this sound right?

Shindy rebuild kit on Amazon. 03-031. $16.39
Valve set, starter. 16046-HM5-730. $39.65 (what does this do?)
Pump set. 16048-HM7-700. $53.65.

Theres the $100 you were talking about Goober! Do you recommend me just getting all this stuff and putting in or taking the carb apart first and seeing whats going on in there?

And do I really need a pump set? Manual says to use when temp is below 5f. When its that cold I'll be riding my snowmobile!!! Not sure if the pump set needs to be working correctly for the carb to function.

Thanks for the help!!

if it were me ? ( and I know its not ! ), I would just go with the shindy carb rebuild kit, you do not need the other stuff. may not even need the carb kit ?, try cleaning it first, see if thats all it needs ?.

 

[shadetree]

start here ----------------> https://www.hondaatvforums.net/forums/repair-maintenance/11134-how-clean-carb.html !!!!!.

 

[alloutdoors]

Chances are the carb needs cleaning, but given the age and lack of use, I would go ahead and clean the tank and change the fuel line (1996 is well before common ethanol fuels)

 

[Goober]

I change them all at one time now because if the gaskets in the carb are brittle so is everything else. A crusty primer plunger can push residue into your clean bowl. You’ll never get the carb tuned right without a good starter valve.

I don’t want to judge anyone’s budget concerns—but time is cash money. You have to budget for the cost of repair in both parts and labor. Shop labor is $125/hr; your labor is not $0—you have to give up something to do this job. DIY carb rebuild will save you $175 but it will take you four hours right?

Be happy to save $ on the labor costs but be smart about it. If you cheap out on the parts, you’re gonna have to take the carb back off and that’s gonna increase your time factor.

 

[retro]

Yep, Goober is right ^^^^ Told'ja he's a master!

How many times do you want to remove & fix that carb? Are you willing to chase each gremlin one at a time (tear it apart multiple times and throw more money at it) as each part fails? Are you willing to tolerate poor idle and poor performance caused by a starter valve sucking air in around the plunger after all that initial time, effort and money outlay? Are you gonna smile and be happy when the primer plunger leaks fuel (not if, but when! They all leak sooner or later!) out onto your hot motor cases?

Its your call...

At a minimum you'll need that starter valve and Shindy Kit along with a very thorough cleaning. Depending on the condition of the primer plunger diaphragm, most of them can be fixed so they won't ever leak... but I ain't gonna tell ya how to do that cause so many folks stumble onto these carb threads looking for cobbles rather than fixing their bikes right.

 

[Logan.250x]

Its really risky buying carb rebuild parts from amazon like that. If you need to replace anything, I suggest using

https://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/l/hon/5053dc5ff870021c54bdb23e/1996-trx300fw-a-parts

It has a detailed diagram of everything on your quad so you know how it all comes together, and it supplies genuine honda parts. If you want to go with a bigger jet, I'd go the HMF rout.

 

[shadetree]

Its really risky buying carb rebuild parts from amazon like that. If you need to replace anything, I suggest using

https://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/l/hon/5053dc5ff870021c54bdb23e/1996-trx300fw-a-parts

It has a detailed diagram of everything on your quad so you know how it all comes together, and it supplies genuine honda parts. If you want to go with a bigger jet, I'd go the HMF rout.

thing is, if he buys all the parts separate ?, he's going to end up spending way more cash for them, as buying the shindy kit, trust me on this !.

 

[Budweiser]

Thanks for all the advice! I really appreciate it.

I'm going to get the shindy kit, starter valve and primer plunger. I'll take carb off and clean it, maybe I'll see something grossly out of wack. If so, I'll fix and reinstall. See if that works.

Due to the fact that the ATV ran so well and all of a sudden started acting up, I'm thinking maybe something got plugged and its as easy as unplugging it.

The money is no big deal, its only $100. The labor is also no big deal. I enjoy this kind of tinkering in the garage and this ATV is not my primary. I just like it! I have an Outlander that I ride the trails with.

And who knows?! Once the carb is off the machine I'll probably just change everything!!! Its what I should do.

I did try starting it again yesterday. Starts right up, but give it any kind of throttle and it sputters.

I'll let you guys know how it turns out!!!

 

[Goober]

Good job
My bet is your primer plunger seal is crumbly and you’ll find the carb sucked it into the bowl and mebbe a little piece of it in your idle or main jet orifice

 

[shadetree]

Good job
My bet is your primer plunger seal is crumbly and you’ll find the carb sucked it into the bowl and mebbe a little piece of it in your idle or main jet orifice

wont be in the idle jet, he said it idles great when he cranked it up. main jet yes, idle jet..no.

 

[Budweiser]

Got the carb out. Gonna wait for parts to arrive before I go any further. I did push the primer plunger and see the fuel spray out!! kinda cool, can see how that works!

Silly question...after I get this apart, can I soak the body of carb in kerosene to clean it up? The outside is filthy. Or should I should use carb cleaner, a toothbrush and rag and air to clean it. Not sure if kerosene would harm anything. I would not use it on anything rubber.

 

[Budweiser]

I’ve never rebuilt a carb before...checkout the gunk that was in the primer plunger! Bowl has all sorts of crap in it too...

 

[shadetree]

once totally apart, I just use some brushes, and gum-out carb cleaner, and a ton of scrubbing !. make sure no rubber parts are on the carb !.