Stock carburetor being weird (hawk 250)

[Jimmie]

I got my bike recently and it will only stay running if I screw the idle adjustment screw all the way in. Any solutions? I have tried 2/1 turns out and 3 no luck.

[Deckard_Cain]

Originally Posted by Jimmie

I got my bike recently and it will only stay running if I screw the idle adjustment screw all the way in. Any solutions? I have tried 2/1 turns out and 3 no luck.

Sounds like it has a major vacuum/air leak.

I'd recheck all hoses and sealing surfaces on and around the carburetor.

It's not normal to need to have the idle speed screw turned in very much at all.

[TxTaoRider]

Are you adjusting the idle mixture screw (on the bottom of the carb) or the idle speed screw on the side of the carb?

[krat]

You just need to rejet the carb for your specific altitude. If you read the stickies you will find that as step number one for every out of the box China bike, right after changing the oil and adjusting the valves.

[Bruces]

Have you adjusted the valves yet ?

[BuffaloChinaRider]

I second what Bruces said about the valve adjustment. Even though I will say even when my bikes came with tight valves, they still started and idled okay but all of these bikes are so different even if its the same type. Check Valves, Choke is set correctly, and your fuel lines are on the ON..not off or reserve because thats tricky sometimes.

[TxTaoRider]

Is the choke on?

[Jimmie]

Originally Posted by TxTaoRider

Are you adjusting the idle mixture screw (on the bottom of the carb) or the idle speed screw on the side of the carb?

Idle speed screw the mixture screw is blocked off and I run the choke on half.

[Jimmie]

Originally Posted by Bruces

Have you adjusted the valves yet ?

No I'm just trying to get the bike to run period out of the box.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Jimmie

No I'm just trying to get the bike to run period out of the box.

Then you are going to have a fun time of it. Take it from the vast amount of experience here and adjust the valves and rejet and tune the stock carburetor. Otherwise, you will just be chasing your tail with run issues until you assume that there is something wrong with the bike, then end up selling it for a loss or having it sit there in your garage unusued for months.

[mtiberio]

sounds like you do not know the difference between the idle adjustment screw, and the idle mixture screw. plus, adjust the valves.

[TxTaoRider]

The stock carb is really lean and usually requires full choke to start and run... And usually has to be left "full on" for a few minutes unless you live above 6000ft or it's 90+ f degrees. Then it'll need 1/2 choke a while longer.

Also make sure the carb cap is on tight and the attaching bolts are tight.

And like others have said, check the valve lash, nearly everyone's seem to be shipped too tight (and if you bought it assembled, they don't usually adjust them,so check them anyway).
Most of us bought a 25 dollar Mikuni or keihin clone carb and swapped it with the factory sealed carb so we could adjust the idle mixture screw and swap larger jets easier.

Good luck, and really I'm not surprised you have to turn the idle speed screw in so far to make it idle at 1/2 choke.

[BuffaloChinaRider]

Go through the checklist we all put on here and I'm sure you'll be just fine man. Good luck!

[Jimmie]

I called txpowersports and they video called me and said the carburetor is bad and is sending me a new one.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Jimmie

I called txpowersports and they video called me and said the carburetor is bad and is sending me a new one.

And it may have been bad. That doesn't mean it also won't need to be jetted properly and the valve lash still needs to be set.