I have a 2005 Recon Es that I have used for maybe 25 hours. I let it go too long between starting (probably 8 months) and now it does not run right. I thought it was bad gas so I drained the tank and sprayed the carb with carb cleaner. The engine will not idle on it's own, I have to raise the rpms. With the choke fully on it will run, when I close the choke it will sputter and miss and pretty much fall on it's face. I am pretty sure it is a fuel related issue, however, I have never gotten my hands dirty on an ATV. What am I looking at, a stuck float, junk in fuel line, ??

Thanks for the help!
Mike

 

Had this same issue with a 94 Kaw Bayou. Buy a Clymer manual, well worth the money, it tells you everything! Sounds like it time for a carb rebuild. There are many small jets inside the carb that can get clogged and won't get clean unless you take them out to clean them. Carb cleaner alone won't do it. $20 bucks is worth the cost to do the rebuild yourself and that way when it's done you'll know more about the carb. If it doesn't work then you can rule that out and go with something else. Quads are really easy to fix yourself with a little time and you'll learn something in the process that may help you down the road.

 

Honda's are notorious for being cold natured. If the temp is cold they are h#ll to get started. You just gotta let it be and warm up. Or you could always bump the pilot jet in the carb 1 or 2 sizes. That would cure all the cold starting issues. Did you drain the carb also? If it is bad gas, draining the tank does nothing until the all the old fuel is pulled through the carb. New gas in the tank and bad in the carb and it still won't start.

 

do a carb rebuild and drain all the lines also, make sure your idle speed is adjusted properly. also, i highly reccomend a clymers manual as well. they are like heaven while working on a fourwheeler

 

Dont know if you got it running but Its very likely the anit-backfire valve that is stuck closed from your fuel drying and turning into sticky varnish. It on the carb, and its part of the idle ckt.

 

Sorry, Recon does not have an anti-backfire valve on the carb like it's bigger brothers do. EDIT: It does have a this valve !!
With the pilot jet and circuit cleaned and the fuel air mixture screw adjusted properly, they will start fine.
Oodles of Honda's are set-up at the dealer and the carbs not adjusted correctly. They uncrate them, dump gas in install the battery and kick them out the door.
Also cosmoline coating in the tank will clog the pilot jets if the unit is not filled up all the way with gas before ridden the first time. Low fuel level will slosh around and mix the cosmoline too heavy in the fuel and when the unit is turned off to set overnight or for a few days, it hardens in the polit jet clogging it.
This has been the cause of start issues for a long time as people think they are cold blooded when they have a carb issue instead.
Normally, the fuel air mixture screw can be adjusted around 1 turn to a turn and a half out from factory setting for the unit to start and idle correctly.
You need to find the sweet spot when adjusting the fuel air mixture screw for good idle. The recon carb is a little finiky to adjust.

----- Gimpster -----

 

i did one of those just yestarday. take carb apart and clean real well. blow carb cleaner through all ports and drain gas tank completely. put new gas in. you may wanna try re oiling you air filter too. probably a dirty pilot jet

 

Are you sure it not there? I'm fairly sure that i also saw the anti-back fire valve on my gf's 2004 Recon.

My Clymer manual did not show it on my Honda Foreman 400, but it was there too.

 

Sorry, my bad.... It does have the fuel cut valve
Item number 23

Thanks for setting me right




----- Gimpster -----

 

Well....no problem partner, glad that we could help.