Hey everyone, got an 86 lt230 that had been sitting from a friend. Stuck a top end kit and carb kit in it the other day. Started up second pull but will only run with the choke on and if you try to give it throttle it dies. Idles great with the choke pulled but if you try to let off the choke or rev it quits. Every now and then you can feather it to where you can rev it up but only for a short time. I have run the carb through an ultrasonic cleaner and it has a new pilot jet.Any leads would be greatly appreciated!

 

As regular readers here will know I am not a great believer on rebuild kits, if you blow through the main jet and pilot jet(s) and the holes they came out of with compressed air, check you can see through the jets, check for dirt and water in the float bowl, then put it back together, it should run as well as before the dirt/water got in. Now you have the added possibility of a wrong jet from the kit, or that you put something together wrongly. Do the above, checking you rebuilt it right, put the original jet back in and see how you go.

 

If you do the above and no luck, remove and clean your petcock. D
check your fuel flow to the carb.. D
check you've got good hot spark.
Check any vacuum lines.

 

I've been through the carb three times, old parts, new parts, no difference. I got it warmed up today, played with adjustments, made sure no air leaks and it actually ran ok. Spun it around the driveway and was able to get it to idle with no choke although really low idle that wouldn't raise without killing it. Figured I'd check compression for the heck of it. I'm only reading 75 psi at best. Tore the top end apart again and it appears the rings are only contacting the front and back of the cylinder according the hone marks. Is it too early to look at that? Are the rings not set yet or might I have a bad cylinder? I also didn't do the valve seals, not sure how much that hurts things. The cam shaft also looks like it might be just out of spec on the lobes if my calipers are reading right. Might have to take it somewhere that has better diagnostic tools. I just love things that"ran fine when I parked it".

 

Valve seals are against oil getting down them, not compression. What exactly did the "top end kit" consist of? Did you try a piston ring in the bore and measure the end gap? On a new ring, under 0.020" would be expected. Any more and the bore and rings are not matched.

 

The namura kit had piston, rings, pin, gaskets,seals. I had checked the ring Gap and was within their spec 0.010-.035, I'm at. 022 on the top ring. I think next time I have to mess with it I'll have the cylinder checked by someone who has the proper tools for out of round. Thinking of having the head done as well seeing I'm only into it for the cost of the kits (carb, top end) and some bearings.