Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire ATV repair tip for a stuck carb float

When my son went to get the 4-wheeler out of the garage gas poured out of the overflow tube at the bottom of the carb bowl when he turned the petcock on. I have owned the 4-wheeler since 2001 and never had this happen. I am very meticulous about using Stabil and maintenance in general.

I guessed that the float was stuck, and dreaded the hassle of pulling the carb off. Instead, I pulled the seat off and gave the top of the carb a few hits with a rubber mallet to see if the float would float.

Fixed! No more gas leaking. I will run some seafoam in it and call it good.

The 4-wheeler is a 2001 Honda Rancher that has never given me any real problems.

And if the rubber mallet doesn't work...... Grab a bigger hammer! :-)

Couldn't resist, as a card carrying member of the Bigger Hammer Society

I agree, there's nothing like percussive maintenance.

I was going to try a framing hammer next, followed by a 5 lb sledge. What's a few dents?

My 98 Honda did the same thing. After about the 5th time I had to take the carb off and just do a cleaning. I also, used stabil....still happens.

My ATV had 238 miles when I bought it and it was 4 years old. It did the same thing when I got it. I put a big slug of Lucas fuel system cleaner in it and that fixed it. It started doing it again last Fall. I tried more cleaner in the gas and it helped but didn't fix it. I replaced the float needle valve. If you're going to let your small engines with a float in the carb sit for a while, running the gas out of the bowl will really help. I add Stabil and Lucas fuel system cleaner additive or 1/2 can of Seafoam to my 5 gal. gas cans before I fill them with ethanol free gas. Stabil helps to keep the gas and alcohol from separating but doesn't clean the varnish build up off. Lucas costs less than Seafoam but doesn't stabilize the gas. For cleaning the Lucas does a great job. Get two small bottles of Lucas and dump 1/2 bottle in your tank. Repeat when you fill up again. The next fill up dump a whole bottle in. Be sure to run your ATV fast enough to use all the jets. Your carb will be clean inside like it's been soaked.

Sooooooooo, you use a RUBBER hammer?

Gold stars to whomever invented EFI, and then to the forward thinkers who adapted the technology to ATV's, Outboards, Snowmobiles, and every other small engine it's been applied to.

If you can't fix it w/ a BFH, you have an electrical problem.

HA! That's a big +1! Although I have, maybe, broke a few things while attempting the BFH repair methodology! . I guess one would just consider that collateral damage.

Bob

tap-tap to free the float. run up the rpms and close off the carb inlet quickly with your hand or choke plate if equipped to clear clogged jets. (lean pop on acceleration)

old school field fixes.

Ah, the venturi effect accentuated! Nice old school trick Dave. Covering the carb inlet also works well to starve the carb of oxygen which can extinguish fires caused by stuck needle valves (and other maladies) - but I'm sure we've all been there a time or two.

Bob

It used to work well for clearing the main jet on my Allis WD 45. She'd be popping on load, lean pop, starving for fuel. So I'd ease the engine up to max rpm and pull the choke. that one had a butterfly plate choke so it did a nice job of closing off the carb induction inlet. With those cylinders pulling air hard and fast, then the sudden closing of the inlet... super vacuum is created through the fuel circuits. Usually clears a clogged jet pretty well.

Doesn't work on all carbs, some carbs have a "choke" that isn't a traditional choke at all, rather it is a plunger valve that opens a rich fuel circuit to the induction passage.

For those, you have to use your hand.

You guys are a bunch of hack mechanics.

A BFH works but don't forget to pad whatever it is with duct tape.

That's how a professional does it.