[Snickers]

Hello, new to the forum and very grateful for it!

I have a 2006 TW200 and it sat unused in the garage for 2 years (I'm more of the cruiser type) but decided to pull this bike out and clean it up. It wouldn't start and I narrowed it down to a dirty carb. Fought with it and finally replaced the jets and put in a new spark plug then all seemed great.

Then stupid me did not replace the gas (it had stabilizer in it so thought it was ok...guess not). So 2 months later, no go on firing her up. Back to carb cleaning. 5 cleanings/carb removals and adjustments including stealing the ultrasonic cleaner from work and some swearing at the float assembly removal (never could get the seat out from there but cleaned the bore very well), it fires up and starts just great but the idle is a problem.

When I rev it, it seems to hold the rev and after a random time interval it drops so slowly back to idle. At times I almost think it is stuck on a high rev but it seems to creep down eventually. Have hit the kill switch in panic a couple times. Then the next rev it might be a bit faster, but still not normal. The throttle cables are fine as it snaps back to the idle set screw with a nice little clack and the cables move freely. It must be in the carb itself. Not sure, but it seems like something is still sticking...is it that damn pesky seat under the float? The pin moves very smoothly in the seat and the pin cleaned up just fine. Did I damage the seat and that is the cause? I'm not sure exactly what the seat could do other than create the seal for the pin that allows the gas into the float bowl from the petcock. Is it something else like a vacuum leak? If so, how would I test that best with my basic garage equipment?

I am only a tinkerer with minimal experience so not sure of the terminology, nor the exact workings of every little part in there. I guess if I did, I wouldn't be on here begging for help, right?

Thanks in advance!

[PalmStateCrawler]

Check to see what your pilot screw is set at. It might be running a little too rich which can cause these symptoms.

[Snickers]

PalmStateCrawler, on 28 July 2012 - 06:01 AM, said:

Check to see what your pilot screw is set at. It might be running a little too rich which can cause these symptoms.

OK, I feel the fool, but I can't seem to figure out how to get the pilot screw plug off. It is soft aluminum (or similar)and every small pointy thing I put in the wee hole to pry it off seems to just bend the edges of the hole and the plug doesn't come. It I wreck this plug cover, is it critical to replace? Suggestions on removal?

[randucci]

Snickers, on 28 July 2012 - 12:04 PM, said:

OK, I feel the fool, but I can't seem to figure out how to get the pilot screw plug off. It is soft aluminum (or similar)and every small pointy thing I put in the wee hole to pry it off seems to just bend the edges of the hole and the plug doesn't come. It I wreck this plug cover, is it critical to replace? Suggestions on removal?

.

I just removed the plug on two carbs. There was a tiny starter hole in each plug already, so I screwed in a sheet metal screw into the plug, clamped the head on a bench vise and pulled on the carb, the plug popped right out. I think you could just pull the inserted sheet metal out with plies also.

.

[Snickers]

randucci, on 28 July 2012 - 11:21 AM, said:

.

I just removed the plug on two carbs. There was a tiny starter hole in each plug already, so I screwed in a sheet metal screw into the plug, clamped the head on a bench vise and pulled on the carb, the plug popped right out. I think you could just pull the inserted sheet metal out with plies also.

.

That sounds like it will trash the plug/cover. But if it already has a hole in it, it isn't like it is a vacuum/gas space or highly protected site so to speak. Did you buy a new plug? Or did you just leave the pilot screw out to smile at the world with an unobstructed view?

Thanks BTW!

[Snickers]

OK...got bold and put a screw into the cover and cranked it off. Set the pilot at 2.5 turns, put slightly garbled cover back on and will reinstall the carb this afernoon - I'll let you know if that helped. I could well see that the vibration of the ultrasonic bath could easily have put this out of whack...here's hoping! Unfortunately family obligations press me at the moment so will have to do this later this afternoon.

Think I can now set the world's record for fastest full carb remove and re-install - this is number 6 or 7 I think in 72 hours! Any challengers, lol?

[PalmStateCrawler]

I'll take that challenge. Take off throttle cables, fuel line, vent and drainage hoses, unscrew hose clamps and poof, it's outta there!

You do not need to reinstall the plug. Toss it in the trash and forget about it. I guarantee that you will want to play with it to get it just right. 2.5 turns is a great starting point. Turn it 1/4 turn at a time to find the most optimal setting for you. You can adjust it with the carb on with a flat head screw driver bit.

[TW-Brian]

I wouldn't worry about the condition of the plug or even trying to put it back on. It is only intended to keep people like us from tampering with the factory settings in an attempt get our bikes running the way they should. Leaving the plug off will permit easier adjustment with the carb mounted on the bike.

[Snickers]

As I had to remove the float so I'm worried that the float height is now out of tolerance range as she is leaking a bit of gas (could be the seat too as I couldn't get it out. I have an old Saab convertible that I tinker with and we have an expression that they don't leak oil, they merely mark their territory in search of mates. Would love to have little baby TW200's (is that where a pocket bike comes from?) but maybe I should try for no leaks as my goal!

What is the spec (this is an unmodified 2006) height and how exactly do you measure the float height?

Since I am now second only to PalmStateCrawler on carb removal I realy don't care if I have to go back for the seat later if it still leaks after the pilot screw adjustemnt (unrelated I'm sure) and the float level adjustment (possible cause I'm guessing?).

Thanks for any info...would prefer to do check and verify float level before putting it back in.

[Snickers]

OK found that float height info with diagram and measured it although I find it hard to truly decide when the float is just sitting on the pin and not compressing it in order to get the float at the right point for the measurement. But my best guess puts it in the 10-11mm range so that should be fine from what I read. Pilot set at 2.5 turns.

Put the carb back in and it is still doing the same on idle. Throttle it and it goes up (no tach so not sure where it sits) and then holds. Sometimes it takes another throttle kick to have it drop. Sometimes it lowers to a true idle, sometimes only to a lesser RMP but not at idle. It never gets to a point where I truly think I'm in trouble with red-lining despite significant throttle cranks. Seems totally random as to where it sits with RPM and duration to drop (if it does). If I have it idling and even touch the throttle lightly it will climb higher than I feel I am revving as well if that helps.

Thinking of just buying a new carb. Really needed this bike as I was to go camping this week and it will take a week or more to get the new carb as I am in Canada so buying from USA (internet) or Japan (if scoring through my local dealer). I don't mind working on it as I really love to tinker, but at what point is it beyond me? My local shop will charge me $100/hr and quickly it will be as much to set/repair it (plus parts that may need replacing) as me to buy a new one and dump it in (assuming it is set correctly at the factory).

I did find a very very tiny washer on the garage floor that might be from the pilot screw area or the needle (when looking at a basic assembly diagram to find a similar washer). This thing is so small that if you blink, you miss it. Another guy helped me work on it last night so maybe it popped out then unnoticed but he's more careful than I am and I'm pretty careful about that...but not perfect of course so it could well be from the bike...or not and is from something else in the garage.

Could my problems have anything to do with the enricher? I did look in there and found some oil-like crud and wasn't 100% sure the gasket was perfect when I put it back together.

Again, appreciate any thoughts.

[Jason]

Mine did the same thing a few months ago. It would not settle to idle correctly, especially after any kind of high RPM steady run. Once in a while it would settle, but it was never to the same RPM.

I ended up replacing the intake manifold and it's o-ring seal. The intake was about $27, so it was cheap enough to just replace while I had it apart (just in case it was cracked).

Mine was either a worn manifold o-ring seal or a cracked intake manifold.

From the sound of your symptoms, it might be worth it to just replace the manifold and o-ring.

I picked my parts up from powersedge.com.


5LB-13586-02-00 JOINT, CARBURETOR $27.06

93210-35537-00 O-RING $3.95