03 Honda 450 foreman won't start

[leechlake]

Ok, I plan on bringing my atv in to get it fixed but any easy solutions you guys have would be great. My honda foreman (100 miles on it) won't start. It sat at the cabin for about a month without running. I tried to start it on a 70 degree day and it turns over wouldn't start. I primed it (even though I know it's only to be primed at 5 degrees or less) and it started and ran for one second. After going over my dummy list of things that could be wrong, filled the gas tank, the gas tank switch is one main, the kill switch is in the right positions it still would not start. So...here's what I did, remember I'm not the most mechanically inclined guy:

I took the seat off and located where the gas goes into the carburator, took the gas line off with the fuel switch "off." Turned the gas switch to "main" and fuel ran out. I then took the top of what I believe the carburator bowl was and looked inside, I depressed the primer and saw a tiny squirt of fuel shooting in the bowl. I shot some carb cleaner in and cranked engine and it started for half a second, did that a few times, thought something was stuck in carb so I tapped the carb with the end of a hammer. Nothing... So my uneducated guess is it's not getting fuel. Why? I did put a new plug in, for what it's worth and I took the air filter off and checked if some varmint had climbed in and from my inspection and the fact air is shooting just fine that isn't a problem. I'm thinking about getting a bike, a pair of snowshoes, and a new canoe paddle, I hate when things don't work, I suppose I gummed something up in the atv.

[tomfromblaine]

did you try to keep pumping the primer button to see if she will keep going. sometimes at the bottom of the carb their is a float bowl drain screw with a little hose, crack that screw open a few turns and see if any gas will run out of the drain hose,if not then the float valve is stuck in the seat, in the past on a couple of my honda products I just blew into the gas tank to pop that float valve loose and let the gas run out that drain hose for minute then snug up the drain screw and let the float bowl fill up then give her a try, hopefully that will get her going for you.

[leechlake]

after pumping the primer a tew times it quit working, by that I mean it no longer shot gas and you could feel that it didn't have any resistance.

[Dave]

Quote:

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I then took the top of what I believe the carburator bowl was and looked inside, I depressed the primer and saw a tiny squirt of fuel shooting in the bowl. I shot some carb cleaner in and cranked engine and it started for half a second, .. So my uneducated guess is it's not getting fuel. Why?

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If you took the top off the carb, it's not the float bowl you were looking into, it's the carb slide. The primer shoots gas right into the carb and not the float bowl. The float bowl is on the bottom of the carb and is held on by four small screws. They may be tough to get off since most have loctite on from the factory. You';ll probabaly have to loosein the carb from the intake boot and turn the carb to access the four screws holding the float bowl on the bottom of the carb.

Yup, you're not getting gas and a stuck float needle is more than likely the culprit. The squirt of carb cleaner will allow the engine to fire up for a second since that's going straight into the engine.

[luckyc]

I'd try some Seafoam ( not carb cleaner) in the gas tank, that will work it's way down to your float and the jets and will dissolve any varnish that might have formed. Also try rocking the livin daylights out of the machine or bouncing the back up and down like a rough trail(to break the float free), that will do more than tapping the carb. Then use Seafoam regularly, you won't be sorry.

[tomfromblaine]

Leech Lake, try blowing thru the gas tank with the fuel valve open and the float bowl drain screw loosened up a few turns the should pop the float valve open without having to take apart a bunch of stuff, do that only if you can't get fuel out of float drain line, pull the line off the bottom of the carb if you can't see where the line routes to. after you see fuel then it will start after you close the float drain screw and the float bowl re-fills. previous poster is correct about the seafoam.

P.S. don't be shy to put a lip lock on your gas tank,just don't inhale, it does look kinda funny though

[luckyc]

leechlake, were you able to get your fourwheeler running using one of our suggestions or did you have to take it in? Prime fourwheeling coming up with leaves changing colors.

[leechlake]

I took the 4 wheeler in last weekend and haven't even talked to them. They think it's the carb, I'm going to New Mexico this weekend elk hunting and have my mind on that. I'll hopefully pick it up MEA weekend. I did try some of the things you guys posted that my ability permitted and the thing didn't start. So I charged the battery and winched it on the trailer and took it in, I appreciate the help. I did have fun "rocking the daylights out of it."