My brother has a 2002 rancher 4x4 and he has never had starting problems in warm or hot weather, the only time he's ever had to use the choke is when the weather get's in the low 30's . I've never owned a recon and the only foreman i have owned was my first atv, it was an 86' Honda TRX 350 foreman 4wd i never had to use the choke unless it was in the low 30's and even then it only took a couple minute's to run with the choke off. I have only owned three ATV's they where #1. 86' Honda TRX 350 foreman 4wd (sold sept - 2005 to younger brother)#2. 93' Suzuki LT4wd 300 KQ (sold feb. - 2006 to younger brother for his wife to ride) And #3. Arctic Cat 400 FIS auto 4x4 ( Bought feb. - 7th - 2006 ) But these were and still are all stock, no mod's at all ! I see alot of post's for modification's to gain more power and speed so i don't have the answer's on quads that have had modification's only stock machine's !!!! But in most case's with engine stalling, most often had dirty carb's, valve's out of spec.'s dirty air filter's or just need correct carb. adjustment's !!!!.............williebee

 

Williebee? what is the number of turns on the idle mixture screw to start off. I took it out when i cleaned my carb and didn't check the setting. With my experience with racing go-karts usually start about 1 round. After i cleaned my carb, drained gas, added new,added seafoam,.... cranked the thing it idled up so i idled it down. then after a few minutes it idled way down so I idled it up. then it idled way up so i cut it back down. I think the thing just needs the hell run out of it. Drained some gas from tank and it has a green tint to it, that's the old gas in it? It smoked alot when i first cranked it but after about 5 minutes of idling it was almost stoped.

 

paul whitch carb does your recon have on it, is it a keihin , if it is the turn the pilot jet screw ( main air/fuel screw ) in untill it's lighyly seated (be carefull not to tight or you will ruin the seat ) then turn it out about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 turns . Then the idle speed screw in to a light seat , then out between 1/8 to 1 turn . this should be the starting point. Start engine and pump the thoddle as needed to keep it running untill it warm's up then turn the pilot srew in or out to get the highest idle speed. Once you get this done , adjust idle speed screw in or out till engine speed is enough to keep the engine from stalling . you may need to adjust the pilot screw again till you get the high speed just right. The manual say's to make sure the valve's are adjusted to spec's and you have a good spark plug with the right gap before adjusting the carburator !! I know the carb is either a keihin or a mikuni and both have about the same starting point of the pilot and idle speed adjustment screw's. If this doesn't work , check with the dealer for your carb setting. Or let me know and i'll check with the local dealer in my town , my dealer has been great about giving me info on my quad's ; they will order part's for me for less $$$ than the Honda dealer will ! I hope this help's ..........................williebee

 

Oh paul was the gas green tint there before or after you added the seafoam, the seamfoam will change the color of the fuel this is so you can tell you've added the fuel cleaner/stablizer to the gas ; and you will need to run it a good while to get it running right ! It might even do a little smoking untill it clean's the combustion chamber , i believe you didn't have the pilot main screw out enough at just 1 turn out . I know my old foreman setting was at least 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 turns and i didn't have to do anymore ajustment to the pilot just the idle screw after that ! I just had never seen a honda with stalling problem's when everything was adjusted right before, like i had said in my previous replies ! I just noticed in your last post about go kart racing, i was a small engine tech for over 20 yrs i stll work on my family and freind's equiptment ; i worked on lawn and garden equiptment. But i had never worked on atv's untill i bought my first one, after getting soaked from letting the dealer work on them. That's when i started do my own work on quad's, mine, my cousin and brother's from then on.. ..........let us know how it goes and have a good one...............williebee

 

I think we probably hit the problem. Honda seems to set the idle mixture a bit lean... at least they did on my Recon. It has a Keihin carb. I have the factory service manual and if I remember right they have the mixture screw setting somewhere around 1 turn out. I don't have it in front of me, so I don't remember exactly. But that would sure run the idle mixture lean. Don't know if you guys know this, but on the new Hondas, it takes a special tool to adjust the mixture screw. No more flat blade screwdriver. I have the tool and I am going to turn the mixture screw out 1/4 turns at a time to richen up the idle circuit. I'll let you guys know what happens in the next few days...

 

I think that will you will need 1 1/2 to 2 turns out at least for a starting point, i live in northwest ga the altitude where i live is higher than florida ! Like i said in my last post here in ga on my honda pilot screw is like 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 turns out from a light seat ! The starting point on a Briggs & Stranton 3 to 6.5 hp engine is 1 1/2 turns and on larger engines on rider's are 1 3/4 to 2 turns . On my Honda and Suzuki atv's 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 turns , it's probally be a little less at lower altitude like florida ! When i ride in the mountain's here in ga i have to adjust idle speed, and when i ride around my home i have to reajust idle speed again. That's why automobile's with carb's have to be adjusted for high altitude's and readjusted for lower altitude, that's where the EFI is better than a carb. no need to adjust for high and low altitude's and that's why atv's and motorcycles are now using EFI for cleaner emmission's and better fuel milage ! Good Luck and have a good day...............williebee

 

Finally got my axle and bearings seals for the rear end yesterday. I installed last night and after that i desided to adjust on the carb again. The air mix screw on my recon is located under the carb next to the engine,..........very hard to get to and i don't see how you adjust while the engine is hot. I preset it at 2 1/4 turns cranked it and adjusted the idle. Run fine so i didn't mess with the pilot screw. Ran it around in the yard for about 30 minutes,.....guess what it stoped smoking. Thanks guys for the help. I bought this 00 trx250 recon for $400 and have put about $400 more into it. Now if I can just get rid of those pink finders,.....LOL,.......thinking that camo tape cover,....might tackle that. Oh Will that seafoam smells like the top-loob we used to run in those go-karts.

thanks again

 

That's great new's paul glad to hear it, and the seafoam is the best stuff i've ever used it work's on 2 and 4 stroke engine's i've heard of people adding it to their crank case oil it clean's the gunk from the crank case as well ! It's better than the old engine flush that machanic's used long ago, well have fun riding and be safe....................williebee

 

i hate my recon