my 1997 recon has been sitting for a few years and i have been trying to get it running again. when it starts it runs rough but it will idle. if i can get it moving fast enough to get the rev's up it seems to run well but when i get it moving and let off the throtle it has small backfires creating a small flame coming out the exaust. it has never been serviced and i was thinking about checking the valves but i don't know the what the clearance is. i am also looking for the stock idle screw setting and the setting for the air/fuel mix screw.


thanks,
andy

 

the backfiring could be coming from a small crack in your exhaust causing suction then your engine will fire and it will back fire probablly because it doesnt idle so great yet/

 

Youre lean on the idle circiut. Most likely the pilot jet is partially obstucted, by dried out gas. Try going richer ( out) on the mixture screw, about 1/2 turn. Could also be bad gas, try draining out the old stuff and put new fresh gas in.

 

is there a way to clean the pilot jet without removing the carb?

 

You could try, but I dont think itll be sucessful. Drain out all of the old gas, and put new gas in, and put some carb cleaner, or sea foam in the gas. But once theres an obstuction in the jets, it needs to come apart to get it clean enough so it doesnt plug up again.
Heres a couple of links about carb cleaning.
carbclean
carb

 

Buster-The links aren't working for me. Can you give the addresses? Thanks!

 

Sure,
http://www.atving.com/editor/techtips/carbclean.htm
http://oldmanhonda.com/MC/Rcarbs.html