Thanks, sounds like I will try this. Since this is acold weather adjustment, does that mean I have to undo this for warm weather or can I leave it like this year round? I live in northwestern SC so summer temps are 90-100 and winter temps are down to the low 20's sometimes the teens.

 

I leave mine all year but you may have to adjust it again. You are at a different elevation so it may or may not run rich in the warmer temps.

 

I DID IT!! Adjusted the needle this morning. Took about 30 minutes. The hardest thing was getting enough slack in the cable to work with in the tight space. I choked it and it started up after about 4 or 5 tries. I let it run for about 30 sec. and cut if off. I closed the choke all the way and it started as soon as I hit the start button. What a wonderful feeling! It is about 35 degrees in my basement. I have more questions though.
By adjusting this, is it suppose to make the choke not as useful or effective?
Is it okay to always leave the choke closed and never have to use it?
Can you explain how adjusting this needle actually helps?
By adjusting the needle, what did I really change?
If I leave it like this all during hot temps, how will I tell if it is running rich and needs adjusted back?
What long term damage, if any, will it do to leave it like this even if it runs rich?

I hope I am not being a bother. I just like to understand how things work. Thanks so much again for this advice.

 

OK good. Now what you did by adjusting the needle was richening up the idle circuit. This will let more fuel into the carb with the throttle closed at idle and in a sence will help the choke work better and even sometimes you will not need the choke at all. What the choke does is closes off some of the air and letting more pure fuel into the carb. There is no damage that will occure by leaving this or adjusting this. Thats why it is adjustable. In the warmer temps the worst thing is a fouled plug. In the colder temps if it is run too lean it can have a hard start and even burn a piston in worse case. By adjusting the needle up you eliminated the lean start condition that you had.

When the choke is off it is open. Choke is on it is closed. Now that you adjusted the needle the choke can stay open and in really cold temps partially closed. It will make the choke more sensitive.


How the needle works is when the throttle is fully closed the needle sits in a needle jet. As throttle is pressed the tapered needle raises out of the jet thus giving more fuel. Kinda like a valve. The more you open it the more fuel you get. The needle only works up to 3/4 throttle then the main jet kicks in. Once you let off the throttle the needle goes back down into the needle jet and closes the fuel supply to the intake. At idle the needle is partially opened. All you did was open it more to supply more fuel durring idle and startup to compinsate for the colder leaner weather. You can google on how carbs work to get an exact explination on what does what in the carb. You have a pilot jet, needle jet, main jet, idle screw and air mixture screw. All do different things at different throttle positions. If one is out of tune it will not run right.

 

Thanks again. You da man!
I think I will still replace the battery. Dealer load tested it and it was okay but I still have to charge it frequently. I checked the voltage when I rev up the engine and it increases so I know the charging circiut is working. Someone else on here ahd the same problem and a new battery fixed them up.

 

Yes a new battery is always good idea. You can get them at walmart, advance or pep boys. You will want a 4lbs battery. A good thing to do is keep it on a battery tender when not in use then you know you will have full charge every time you start.

 

BUMP!

 

Bumpity Bump!

 

Just bought a Gio 110 mini for my daughter. I will take off the float bowl and make sure there is no gel pac in the carb before I add fuel. I'll set the needle as well. Like 2many has hinted at, these carbs are not rocket science, but like anything, until you know how it works you can't fix it!! Good writeup on the carb tuning 2many. If any of you guys have ever adjusted the carb on a chainsaw, lawnmower, weedeater, it's pretty much the same thing.

 

Great topics on carb adjustments. I have a quick question regarding a Dinli 50. The quad will start fine but once the engine warms up and the auto choke turns off, the engine will die. I changed the plug to a NGK, cleaned the air filter, etc but can't get the thing to run longer than the warm up cycle. Any other thoughts? What other information would you need? Do you think there is an issue with the auto choke? Any help would be appreciated.