Hi, new victim here.

Ok, I've read all the posts I could find about gas leaks.

I bought two panther 110s (taotao). One leaks gas (out of the carb overflow), the other doesn't. So I took the carb off, inspected it, and it looks clean. no air blows through when I close the float. needle looks good and tip moves well. I opened the screw and let lots of gas flow through the outlet.

I have adjusted the float 4 times. Either I have it too closed and it won't start, or if I don't bend it enough it still leaks. I feel that I could enter a carb dissasemble/re-assemble contest and do very well at this point.

If I bend the lip (the part that presses the needle) a little past the metal cross-piece(maybe 1/16th of an inch), it won't start (not letting any or enough fuel into the bowl I guess), or it will start and then stop after a few seconds. If the lip of the metal flap is anywhere from the top to the the bottom of the metal cross-piece it starts and runs fine but still leaks. So is the tolerance very small: 1/16th or 1/32 of an inch to make the difference, or am I just getting better at assembling the carb, but not fixing my problem? Just wondering if I am on the right track.

I will try to let you know how this goes to "give back" if I (we) get it fixed.

Toward that end, if anyone wonders why there is a hole in the bottom of the carb anyway, which I did, since I don't know anything about small engines, it is because there is a tiny pipe that sticks up from that hole into the bowl, so the opening is really not at the bottom, but at a point further up in the bowl so that it will reach a certain level but not higher, sort of like a drain pipe in a pond.

Thanks in advance.

 

I think I might have got it working. After several adjustments I decided to take the carb off the working machine and compare. Wound up mostly just pressing the floats down as opposed to bending the tab, in order to make it look like the good one. I cranked it and rode it a while and no leaks so far!

If I learned anything, it is that the tolerances are very small, and just a very tiny adjustment can make a big difference.

Next, looks like I will be changing over to Rotella 15W40 tomorrow.

Next to do: adjust the brakes, as one of the fronts appears to be sticking, and then try to figure out a way to limit the speed more. I have the throttle limit screw all the way in, but with constant pressure it still gains too much speed (being overly cautious). I am thinking I can get something to go over the end of the exhaust to limit the size of the hole. I think after a few weeks I won't need anything, but I want to be safe starting out.

 

I read on here where one guy removed the jamb nut and screwed the throttle limiter screw all the way in to help limit speed. If that is too much, you can try some thin washers under the screw to give you more adjustment.

 

thanks I hadn't thought of that.

Got the oil changed. I did ride with some of the factory oil for about an hour, hope I didn't do any big damage. I put in Rotella, since I use that for my trucks anyway.

And another note to new owners. My brothers daughter got on it Christmas and she locked up and she went right by a tree and I hit the kill on the remote just in time to keep her from hitting the woodpile. Make sure you always have the key ready, especially when someone is riding for the first time. I should have also had the teather on her, but I didn't.

 

Glad the girl wasn't hurt!

I highly doubt you did any damage to the engine running for an hour with the shipping oil.

 

try the teathers uot before attempting to use them.
I tried them on bothe my kid's chinese atv's and the cheap,crappy nylon strap broke, and the engines did not shut down....not at all. I tried a few times, over and over(after I put canvas straps on them), still didn't work.

As for the limiter screw....On our little one, even turned all the way in was still too fast, I went and picked up a longer screw at the hardware store for $0.14 , works great.

 

tspowell -

When you were playing with the float in the bowl (I had mine apart as well, unfortunately the float fell out prior to the point of me seeing WHICH way was up!). Was the float closer to the top or the bottom of the float bowl (ie - you can flip it over and it fits either way) I had installed mine and it was leaking from the gas bowl, so I flipped it over. Just wondering WHICH is the right way!

Thanks Much,
Travis

 

sorry, didn't see this reply till now. To be honest, though, I don't remember, and the only way I could tell would be to take it off again. Seems like the floats were lower than the metal tab is all I think I remember, but don't quote me.