Elite CH80 Flooding

[zatrony]

I have an 87 Honda Elite 80 which I have enjoyed driving for many years. I always keep the oils and air filter changed and use premium gas etc. But the last several weeks have been very frustrating.

It was running fine until I gassed up one day. Usually I don't use the pump at full force, I gently add gas. But I wasn't thinking one day, and jetted the gas in at high pressure at the pump. About halfway home the bike started to buck and would barely make it home, sputtering, now power, etc. I was sure I had kicked up some dirt and clogged a jet. So I took the car off, cleaned the jets etc, took it completely apart and put in my sonic cleaner. I have done this several times with this carb and others. Also pulled off the tank and emptied it, cleaned it, aired it out etc. It was in good condition, no rust etc. Intalled an inline fuel filter and put it back together. Ran ok for a few miles, then bogged down like it was flooding. I readjusted the air screw to factory using the sequence in the shop guide. Sometimes it would idle, sometimes not. I could drive it a short ways but it would not run well--seemed to be flooding. So I thought I may have messed the float height or didn't get the needle seated correctly, but they were fine. All looked good inside the carb. One very odd thing was that I while trying to adjust the air screw and throttle, I could take the air screw competely out that the bike would keep running. In the past, turrning the air screw counterclocwise would rev the engine up. Not now. So I was going to do a compression test (first with my thumb), so I pulled out the plug and when I cranked it, gas shot out the plug hole. A lot of gas. I dont think this is normal is it? Also I removed that choke needle thing and bench tested it and it is working. The needle slow pushes out when hooked to a battery. I also hooked it up to the bike while it was, and it is juicing up from the stator (or wherever) also. So that's probably not the issue.

So I thought maybe I really screwed something up when I removed the carb and cleaned it. I am no mechanic. So I bought a clone carb off amazon that had decent reviews, Bolted it up and the bike fired right up, drove for a few miles and same symptoms. Bogging down, smell of gas etc, just like with the factory carb. Tried to set the air screw/throttle, and again turning the air screw out had no impact (turning it in would kill the engine). Pulled the plug, and again gas came shooting out when I cranked it.

I pulled off the timing cover (valve cover maybe?) and the timing marks seem to be where they should be at TDC. (even with the top--at 3 and 9 oclock) and I checked the valves and they were dead on.
Even though the timing marks looked ok to an untrained eye, I am starting to think i jumped a cam tooth. About the same day as the issue at the gas pump, I heard this odd sound at start up. Like a tinging rattle if that makes sense. I suspected something with the timing gear so I took out that bottom tensioner bolt. The plunger thing came out, but the spring didn't! I had to fish up in there with a needles nose and managed to pull out a mangled spring. I didnt' think a lot of it, ordered a new spring and reassembled it. But now i'm thinking maybe it jumped a tooth when that spring got mangled up in there. If it was one tooth off (and this idea is WAY above my knowledge level).. couldn't it not be firing at the correct time, hence leaving unburned fuel in the cylinder because it is not igniting at the correct time? does that make any sense?

[bonesv]

A lot of coincidences there. I didn't get the mileage on that motor, please reply with answer. You know, the only thing that stands out is how it can be running good, and then all-of-a-sudden it's running poorly? That is a clue for sure! You have to be wondering the same thing, right? Is it caused by some electrical part that when it gets hot, it malfunctions? Or is it something in the fuel system that is not up to snuff, or having some malfunction? This is time for a pro to look into it and find the answer. I have none at this time and this being a 2-stroke community, it may take some time to get noticed and the answers be made available. Wishing you good luck and thanks for the difficult problem-it might be helpful to others having this condition to find an answer or solution eventually if you return here and share your experience. Or maybe someone already has and the post is here among the thousands of other posts?

[motormike]

Me too...can't see any clear answer to your puzzling issue.
I will say this,...last time I had an issue that looked to be clearly a fuel delivery issue, it turned out to be a loose spark plug cap.
your presence of fuel in the cylinder is a strong indicator that the float/needle are faulty. Installing a different carb and having the same result is hard to understand. Good luck and report back with your findings....motor

[Rideslikenacho]

These have the vacuum petcock similar to the spree I believe. If that failed open gas may just run straight into the carb or getting past the intake into the case. Idk but may be worth checking it out.

[Joe.Acton]

Sounds like the float isn't closing the fuel inlet all of the way. Might have to take intake off and see if there is gas filling up the bowl and flooding into the throat of the carb. Good luck with the troubleshooting.