Frozen mikuni clone carb, cold weather

jatgm1 · 02-05-2021, 01:25 AM

So I have a hawk 250 that in cold weather will literally seize the carb slide. Like won't move. But, Not sh*tting u, hit that thing with a bic lighter for about two minutes and it works fine. How does one prevent this from happening? I mean I'm gonna run out of bic lighters eventually and it's really inconvenient. Aftermarket pod foam filter. It's pretty ivey so I've just been trying to start it up for a few hours to let it de-ice. I gotta move the throttle a bit to make it work however and fiddle with the choke. Not a problem in the summer but in winter it's a must to get it popping. Anyone have a way to prevent this? I was thinking maybe stick some bearing grease on the slide but idk if that will clog the carb. I tried using some sandpaper on it to make it a teeny bit smaller but it doesn't seem to have worked.

jatgm1 · 02-05-2021, 01:27 AM

Plus eventually my luck may run out and I'll blow the Chinese thing up. Like actually boom, fireball, not just a head gasket. I'm sticking a lighter under a gas tank and this thing has been dropped so god knows if it leaks. I mean it smells like gas so I'm guessing it does.

TxTaoRider · 02-05-2021, 04:23 AM

Theres a couple ideas that come to mind if it were mine. Is it the stock carb ? If so you could pay 25 bux and replace it. If it's already an aftermarket carb maybe try swapping the slide from your factory one into it.
Now here's the option that I may get some disagreements on but I'd try... pull the slide out, look for burrs on slide including the alignment grooves, and polish the thing with a fine scotch brite pad. Make sure it's really clean before reinstalling it. Id think thatd fix it.
Also you might try using a hair dryer instead of a lighter. Lol

ChillRider · 02-05-2021, 04:49 AM

Well, small piston-powered aircraft have a carburator heat system...

And yeah, WTF @ using a lighter near a device that's literally filled with gasoline...

**JerryHawk250** · 02-05-2021, 07:27 AM

Oil up the slide with some light machine oil. Run a little MMO in the fuel and that will keep the carb lubed up as well.

Wild Dog · 02-05-2021, 07:30 AM

The more you use the carb, the slide with mate with the body of the carb, the smoother it will be and less likely to seize.

Bruces · 02-05-2021, 08:07 AM

Move to Mexico !

jatgm1 · 02-05-2021, 01:34 PM

Well I mean what's causing it to size? Also the battery isn't big enough to run a heater and start the engine. And ya I mean a blow dryer isn't gonna reach there lol. Plus I mean I never said I wasn't crazy so

jatgm1 · 02-05-2021, 01:35 PM

And ya it's aftermarket mikuni and the stock carb is long gone lol. I'm just trying to figure out how water gets in there to freeze it and prevent that somehow.

TxTaoRider · 02-05-2021, 02:11 PM

Most likely the tolerances are a little to close and the aluminum carb contracts in the cold and locks the slide in the bore. The scotch brite will take off any burrs or high spots and reduce the overall size of the slide a teeny bit. Probably enough to fix it.

jatgm1 · 02-05-2021, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TxTaoRider

Most likely the tolerances are a little to close and the aluminum carb contracts in the cold and locks the slide in the bore. The scotch brite will take off any burrs or high spots and reduce the overall size of the slide a teeny bit. Probably enough to fix it.

Okey doke. Sounds like a plan. U mean those dish cleaning pads right? Bc I used a little sandpaper and that didn't seem to help. Maybe it was too course.

02-05-2021, 01:25 AM	#1
jatgm1 Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 147	Frozen mikuni clone carb, cold weather So I have a hawk 250 that in cold weather will literally seize the carb slide. Like won't move. But, Not sh*tting u, hit that thing with a bic lighter for about two minutes and it works fine. How does one prevent this from happening? I mean I'm gonna run out of bic lighters eventually and it's really inconvenient. Aftermarket pod foam filter. It's pretty ivey so I've just been trying to start it up for a few hours to let it de-ice. I gotta move the throttle a bit to make it work however and fiddle with the choke. Not a problem in the summer but in winter it's a must to get it popping. Anyone have a way to prevent this? I was thinking maybe stick some bearing grease on the slide but idk if that will clog the carb. I tried using some sandpaper on it to make it a teeny bit smaller but it doesn't seem to have worked.
	0

02-05-2021, 04:23 AM	#3
TxTaoRider Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Flower Mound Texas Posts: 904	Theres a couple ideas that come to mind if it were mine. Is it the stock carb ? If so you could pay 25 bux and replace it. If it's already an aftermarket carb maybe try swapping the slide from your factory one into it. Now here's the option that I may get some disagreements on but I'd try... pull the slide out, look for burrs on slide including the alignment grooves, and polish the thing with a fine scotch brite pad. Make sure it's really clean before reinstalling it. Id think thatd fix it. Also you might try using a hair dryer instead of a lighter. Lol __________________ 2021 Tao Tbr7 - "Lucille" Mods so far- Brozz swingarm, 21" front rim (Bridgestone Tw302 rear/Dunlop D606 front tires), Digital gauge cluster, pz30b pumper carb, after market hand guards, aftermarket brake and clutch levers, round fold away mirrors, Fly handlebars shortened slightly, 13t front sprocket 2009 Q-link Legacy 250 1982 Suzuki GS1100ES - "Jolene"
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02-05-2021, 07:27 AM	#5
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,569	Oil up the slide with some light machine oil. Run a little MMO in the fuel and that will keep the carb lubed up as well. __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
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02-05-2021, 02:11 PM	#10
TxTaoRider Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Flower Mound Texas Posts: 904	Most likely the tolerances are a little to close and the aluminum carb contracts in the cold and locks the slide in the bore. The scotch brite will take off any burrs or high spots and reduce the overall size of the slide a teeny bit. Probably enough to fix it. __________________ 2021 Tao Tbr7 - "Lucille" Mods so far- Brozz swingarm, 21" front rim (Bridgestone Tw302 rear/Dunlop D606 front tires), Digital gauge cluster, pz30b pumper carb, after market hand guards, aftermarket brake and clutch levers, round fold away mirrors, Fly handlebars shortened slightly, 13t front sprocket 2009 Q-link Legacy 250 1982 Suzuki GS1100ES - "Jolene"
	0

02-05-2021, 01:27 AM	#2
jatgm1 Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 147	Plus eventually my luck may run out and I'll blow the Chinese thing up. Like actually boom, fireball, not just a head gasket. I'm sticking a lighter under a gas tank and this thing has been dropped so god knows if it leaks. I mean it smells like gas so I'm guessing it does.
	0

02-05-2021, 04:49 AM	#4
ChillRider Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: A small country with a funny name Posts: 164	Well, small piston-powered aircraft have a carburator heat system... And yeah, WTF @ using a lighter near a device that's literally filled with gasoline...
	1

02-05-2021, 07:30 AM	#6
Wild Dog Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Argentina Posts: 756	The more you use the carb, the slide with mate with the body of the carb, the smoother it will be and less likely to seize.
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02-05-2021, 08:07 AM	#7
Bruces Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 1,582	Move to Mexico !
	2

02-05-2021, 01:34 PM	#8
jatgm1 Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 147	Well I mean what's causing it to size? Also the battery isn't big enough to run a heater and start the engine. And ya I mean a blow dryer isn't gonna reach there lol. Plus I mean I never said I wasn't crazy so
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02-05-2021, 01:35 PM	#9
jatgm1 Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 147	And ya it's aftermarket mikuni and the stock carb is long gone lol. I'm just trying to figure out how water gets in there to freeze it and prevent that somehow.
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