Small Engine Carburetor Issues Another common cause of gas leaking around air filters is due to carburetor issues. Cleaning or replacing your carburetor or fuel float may be necessary, but make sure to understand how to troubleshoot or service carburetors before taking action.

One of the more common questions we get concerns either the overwhelming smell of gas coming from the carburetor or fuel leaking out of the bowl or overflow. Both conditions are typically caused by a stuck or worn float needle valve. Another common cause is the use of fuel containing any Ethanol.

The most common place for a gas leak to happen on a motorcycle is the fuel petcock. If you suspect the gas leak is from the petcock but not sure if it’s the gasket or the petcock itself, try replacing the gasket that goes between the petcock and tank first since it’s an easy fix.

One or more cylinders are not getting enough fuel or getting too much fuel when they are being fired by the spark plugs. This happens when the float is stuck, either in the open or closed position. The engine will stall, not idle smoothly or backfire once the carburetor float sticks.

If it is the screw in front and underneath the carb throat that bolts to the intake manifold, it is a fuel screw. When you turn the screw out, it richens the mixture. When you turn it in, it leans the mixture.

An air fuel mixture screw is a special screw on an engine’s carburetor that controls how much air mixes with the fuel. Adjusting this screw changes how fast or slow an engine idles and how smoothly it runs.

Typical symptoms of a rich mixture are:

1. Poor fuel economy.
2. Sluggish acceleration.
3. Choke not needed from cold starts.
4. Sooty or black spark plugs.
5. Sooty or black muffler end pipes.
6. Strong smell of gasoline when the machine is at idle.
7. Uneven running (will often slow from regular idle rpms and then stop)

When it’s at running temperature, find the 2 screws on your carburetor that adjust the air and fuel mixture. You can then use a screwdriver to adjust both screws ¼ turn at a time until your engine purrs smoothly. To adjust your idle speed, find the idle mixture screw that limits the flow of fuel at idle.

Therefore, a corrupt signal indicating a colder than an actual engine will result in a rich air-fuel mixture. A faulty oxygen sensor sending the wrong signal to the engine control module can result in a rich fuel condition. Symptoms include black-colored exhaust, fouled spark plugs, and poor engine performance.

around 18 to 20 inches

The first thing to do is not set up the idle speed, but to set the Idle mixture screw to lean best idle setting. First, turn in the mixture screw until the engine dies or runs worse, then back out the screw (recommend turning ¼ to ½ turn at a time). The engine should pick up speed and begin to smooth out.

Turn the idle screw slowly using a screwdriver, twisting the screw counter-clockwise to lower the motor’s RPM or clockwise to increase RPM. Stop adjusting the screw when the tachometer indicates the desired RPM range.

When an air/fuel mixture has too much fuel, it is rich. When there is not enough fuel, it is lean. An AFR higher than stoich = lean. An AFR lower than stoich = rich.