EC300 Carb Dirty?

[jyellard]

Between kids, work, and pursuing my master's degree I haven't had much time for riding. I haven't been on a good ride in about a year. Every 3 months or so I've taken my kids on a ride around the neighborhood. This evening I took them for a ride. The more I rode the more I noticed a lack of power when giving it gas at lower rpms. Finally, it died and would not restart.

I almost have my laundry room remodel complete and was wanting to ride before the spring semester.

I figure it is probably either the plug or the carb.

Can one of you experts give me some specific directions so that hopefully I may finally ride this 4 day New Years weekend before the spring semester.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[rxmx]

I'm no expert, but I would start with easy stuff....
--got gas in it (good gas?)
--petcock on?
--pull plug and look at it...oily, fouled?
--try a new plug

if above doesn't work, have a beer and repost

 

[Jakobi]

Roger dodger. Fresh fuel (including cracking the drain plug on the bottom of the carb and checking for water/sediment). Fresh spark plug (can make sure you're getting spark by earthing it against the head/frame).

 

[blitz11]

What's the master's degree in? (It doesn't relate to your problem, but I am curious).

Do you have a fuel filter inline? Could that be partially blocked (oxygenated gas turning to solids), allowing enough fuel flow to fill the carb over time, but not flowing enough in real time?

How old is the bike? I had a petcock problem in my 1978 bmw where the ethanol swelled the gasket to the point where gas flow was radically decreased. it would fill the bowl while standing, but not in real time.

 

[gassergrant]

Between kids, work, and pursuing my master's degree I haven't had much time for riding. I haven't been on a good ride in about a year. Every 3 months or so I've taken my kids on a ride around the neighborhood. This evening I took them for a ride. The more I rode the more I noticed a lack of power when giving it gas at lower rpms. Finally, it died and would not restart.

I almost have my laundry room remodel complete and was wanting to ride before the spring semester.

I figure it is probably either the plug or the carb.

Can one of you experts give me some specific directions so that hopefully I may finally ride this 4 day New Years weekend before the spring semester.

Thanks,

Hi mate personally i would take the carb of and give it a good clean, strip it down and bath in neat petrol to remove any old jellified petrol. or carb cleaner is a good way to blast crud out. check the condition of the filter too as you would not want to go though that and have a dirty filter blocking up ya jets. a easy way to clean the carb with carb cleaner is,take out the slide loosen of the clamp and you can twist the carb so it horizontal and have access to the float bowl

grant

 

[yathump]

Fresh fuel, clean carb and throw a new plug, just like everyone else has said, if the fuel has been in the bike the whole time its probably evaporated out and varnished/gummed in the carb/float bowl

 

[Jakobi]

How'd you go Josh? Solved your problems yet?

 

[jyellard]

blitz11 - If my master's was related to the problem, obviously I'm wasting my time! My master's will be an MBA, my bachelor's is Mechanical Engineering.

Thanks for the advice. Same as what I would have done. I'll take the carb off, take the float bowl off, and spray the hell out of it with carb cleaner. If I notice anything in the jets not getting cleaned up, I'll run some thread thru them and wipe them clean.

I'll also check the plug, which I have never changed.

The bike is a 2007. It has been trouble free, aside from me breaking off the oil drain bolt inside the cases and having to split the cases to retrieve the bolt! Never had any carb troubles or fouling of plugs, especially given as little opportunity as I have to ride. I also need to repack the muffler.

I'll let everyone know what I do and how it turns out. Plan on riding at Interlake in SW Indiana this weekend or next.

2 classes this spring, 1 this fall, graduate in the fall.

Thanks everyone.

Josh

 

[blitz11]

Sounds good. Please let us know how it turns out (the bike and the degree).

Good luck.

 

[jyellard]

Actually went for a ride!

Rode this past weekend and it ran great.

I removed the carb and removed the bowl from the carb. Used 1/2 can of carb cleaner spraying all the jets and float pivot pin. I wasn't sure if simply spraying with carb cleaner would suffice, which is why I made the original post. I thought there may be some additional tricks.

While I was in there, I adjusted my float height to prevent the overflow I've fought since it was new. I used info found on this forum to educate me on that problem as well.

I also repacked the muffler and replaced the spark plug. I should be good to break away for a ride a few weeks now if I can keep up with school and work.

Thanks for the help.

Josh

 

[LAWMAN]

10 will get you 20 that the old gas had thickened up in the pilot jet & you cleaned it out & are good to go.

 

[Jakobi]

Rode this past weekend and it ran great.

I removed the carb and removed the bowl from the carb. Used 1/2 can of carb cleaner spraying all the jets and float pivot pin. I wasn't sure if simply spraying with carb cleaner would suffice, which is why I made the original post. I thought there may be some additional tricks.

While I was in there, I adjusted my float height to prevent the overflow I've fought since it was new. I used info found on this forum to educate me on that problem as well.

I also repacked the muffler and replaced the spark plug. I should be good to break away for a ride a few weeks now if I can keep up with school and work.

Thanks for the help.

Josh

Great work mate! Glad to hear shes riding well again.