Honda ATV Forum banner

Ongoing project, 300 fourtrax.

43K views 619 replies 23 participants last post by  SamUK 
#1 ·
Figured I needed this thread rather than asking questions relating to 'my' 300 in others threads.

As those of you who follow my madness will know, I've recently refitted my snorkel, to which I tested out at the off-road park today, works a treat, everything appeared to be watertight too, submerged above the bars for quite some time in a small lake!
The issue I encountered after snorkelling was my carb was leaking fuel out of the bottom overflow. I fitted a brand new OEM needle valve and thoroughly cleaned the carb, this did the trick, happy days.
This morning I fired it up and loaded onto the trailer only to find it was leaking out thenoverflow again. Annoying on the morning of your planned days ride!
I removed the carb, cleaned and refitted.... 3 TIMES!
Got to the off-road park, yep.... It was leaking again!

I decided to ride anyway as the leak seems to stop after quarter throttle, even at the end of my days riding it still leaked when I pulled up at the trailer. Loaded up, got home, jet washed the 300.... No leak!!

I'm completely stumped, I can't tell you how clean my carb is, its pristine inside, I mean surgically clean!

As for the needle valve, I have cleaned the seat with toothpaste and a cotton bud, before this I used 1200 grit wet & dry with WD40 rolled up into a taper.

What do you guys think?

I'm thinking I've knackered the seat with the wet and dry or try a new float and see if that does the trick. Could be slightly misshapen maybe?
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Thanks Mac, I'll order a new float and try that first before looking for a new carb.
 
#4 ·
Well just stick it in a little dish of gas or something and see if it floats or sinks. You can hold it down and if it's leaking you will see bubbles. They are plastic so it's not as common as the older metal ones but they can crack. Most likely it's going to be the seat that's the issue but I would just check it before buying a very expensive carb lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#5 ·
Yeah to right, an OEM isn't going to be cheap at all over here, the needle jet alone was £23.60 I think! Don't think I'll get much change from £300 that's for sure!
I'll have a nose on eBay for a used OEM before diving in for a new one lol
 
#7 ·
Yeah my tank is in really good shape inside, I have flushed it out though and replaced the fuel filter.
How do you tweak the float? Warm the plastic somehow?
 
#9 ·
Hey Goober, yes I did, for an OEM valve. I've also cleaned/polished the valve seat.

I even went to the extent of using a magnifying glass when I cleaned the carb the last two times. It's super clean!
 
#10 ·
Made this on Saturday afternoon. Used a stock tow hitch, cut it in half and capped the end. Turned it upside down to give more clearance and then welded 3/4's of a Large U-Bolt to the top.
Does the job and turned out looking half decent I thought.
 

Attachments

  • Like
Reactions: _Wilson_
#11 ·
Rear brake delete, 350d rear end.

Started doing this tonight, I thought it was a case of remove drum, refit stub axle along with a sleeve/bearing carrier and that was that.. WRONG haha!

Has anybody done this or seen it done?
It seems that the backplate is actually the bearing carrier so what to do with that...?
Then the best issue would be spacing the drive flange as the drum usually spaces it...

I can make something up but what I'm wondering is, is there an easier way using stock parts or parts from an ATC/trx250a? Or maybe something I can buy from the likes of the 300 shop?

Here's a few pics....
 

Attachments

#13 ·
if you took that backing plate to a machine shop and showed them what you want, they could easily make that out of a block of aluminum with some time in a mill.

it would look much cleaner, chances are they could also cut the drum apart and machine it down to look nice as a spacer.

just a thought.
 
#14 ·
the delete on my blue one is like Manny mentioned , except I did talk to the guy that did it and he uses a torch and melts away the aluminum till all you have left is the metal , then to make it look better he grinded off the rough ends , I know the melting thing works good as I have melted off stuck brake drums then sliced the metal hub to get then off , I could take a pic for you if you want ----my 450 rear disc kit came with a nicely made bearing/ seal holder block that would do the same thing and look much better , like Manny stated
 
#15 ·
Hmm, that sucks really.. I had considered keeping all the brake parts as spares for rodp's 350d you see. Although I do have another complete rear end, suppose I could cut up the worst looking parts and keep the best.

I understand what you guys are saying though, I'll make progress tomorrow and let you know how I get on.
On the plus side, the bearings are in great shape!
 
#16 · (Edited)
As for the needle valve, I have cleaned the seat with toothpaste and a cotton bud, before this I used 1200 grit wet & dry with WD40 rolled up into a taper.

What do you guys think?

I'm thinking I've knackered the seat with the wet and dry or try a new float and see if that does the trick. Could be slightly misshapen maybe?
I think the seat is knackered beyond repair like you said. I think those are pressed in to the carb body and not replaceable though...?

You'll laugh, but I fixed one of those once that an old farmer had tore up pretty bad with a drill bit... by dropping an all steel float valve needle (from an old Quadrajet carb) into the torn up brass seat. Then I smacked it with a drift punch and a hammer a few times until the angle was restored to the seat and the sealing area face widened back like it was before the old timer worked on it. It took me only a few minutes to fix and it worked like new again with the original viton-tipped valve in it. :)

Shameless I know...
 
#17 ·
As for the needle valve, I have cleaned the seat with toothpaste and a cotton bud, before this I used 1200 grit wet & dry with WD40 rolled up into a taper.

What do you guys think?

I'm thinking I've knackered the seat with the wet and dry or try a new float and see if that does the trick. Could be slightly misshapen maybe?
I think the seat is knackered beyond repair like you said. I think those are pressed in to the carb body and not replaceable though...?

You'll laugh, but I fixed one of those once that an old farmer had tore up pretty bad with a drill bit... by dropping an all steel float valve needle (from an old Quadrajet carb) into the torn up brass seat. Then I smacked it with a drift punch and a hammer a few times until the angle was restored to the seat and the sealing area face widened back like it was before the old timer worked on it. It took me only a few minutes to fix and it worked like new again with the original viton-tipped valve in it. :)

Shameless I know...
Haha, brilliant!!
Sometimes the crude methods work the best! At the minute mine seems to have fixed itself, 2 days in now and no leaks. Maybe the new valve just needed some time to settle in, I don't know.
I'll continue to use it now until, until next time.....!
 
  • Like
Reactions: retro
#20 ·
Had a little luck today... Had an email from highlifter saying they're happy to ship tyres to the UK, the plus side is that a set of 29.5 10 12 outlaws shipped will cost me the same as mudlites here in the UK! I'd wanted outlaws from the start and always assumed importing them would cost a small fortune.
 
  • Like
Reactions: retro
#22 ·
ATV parts in general are expensive over here, if I'm buying online I always check out US based sites and compare prices, usually works out cheaper to buy from the US and have items shipped than to buy direct from the UK.
Honda dealership prices are twice to three times the price of US dealerships.
 
#23 ·
Managed to get the rear brake delete finished today. I didn't take all of the drum down the the steel, I left the alloy seal seat in place up against the bearings.
Don't think it looks to bad, managed to make it look fairly neat I thought.
 

Attachments

#25 ·
The only benefits are as you say, no water in the drum and clearance, when you fit spacers the backing plate becomes quite exposed. It withers drags in the mud or gets hooked up on rocks etc.
I have no need for a rear brake really as I now have a disc conversion to fit up front. I don't have a 2x4 kick out either so the fronts will brake the rear through the transmission.
 
#27 ·
Same here, I only use my brakes in emergencies or to stop that last little bit when coming to a halt. Do you have a 350d/250es or trx250a rear end fitted or the stock axle? I can't. Remember what the brakes are like inside of a stock rear end.
Not sure how you go about removing them.
 
#29 ·
Your in luck with all these 300 threads to follow then :)
Just a heads up if you plan on replacing your rear end, 350d puts you over stock width and either of the 250 will put you stock width, or extremely close.
I'm itching to fit my disc conversion, going to be great having working brakes for once haha
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top